The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-14

esy of the founder OF democracy in most |
fitting manner by banquet at the Plank
inaton house tonight. which was attended |
BY over 400 guests. Colonel William J.1
Bryan OF Nebraska was the guest OF honor |
and delivered the principal address.
Colonel Bryan was escorted from Chi
Ncago by delegation from that city and
Mayor Harrison came later, also with a
large number OF escorts. The banquet hall |
was beautifully decorated with the Ma
iional colors.
Colonel Bryan spoke on Democracy"
He said In part.
We are near enough TO the next cam
palgn to be able to form some idea OF the
line along which the contest will be fought
and am taking no risk when l say that
those who In 1896 gave their allegiance
TO the Chicago platform are as united today
In the determination that no step taken
In 1896 shall be retracted. The platform
applies to the conditions then existing
the principles which had been democratic
from the beginning of the government
suggestions that we abandon the money
question sometimes come from those who
deserted the party in 1896. but these sug-
ge5tons are not supported by evidence
tending to show that the position OF 1896
was wrong, but was predoated upon the
theory that the issue upon which the
party once lost can never be revived and
what seems most strange this argument
is made by those who have favored diff
ferent course In the past.
In 1888 Mr.. Cleveland was defeated on
the tariff issue, and yet the tarif was made
the main Issue in 1892 and Mr.. Cleveland
was elected In 1892 Mr. Harrison wns do
feated largely on account of the MrKin-
ley bill and four years later the author
of the bill was nominated upon plat
form reafhrming the principle OF pro-
lection and was elected, Thus II Is Becn
ttat In two instances recently losing
ftsue In one campaign became winning
issue in the campaign following.
The test ought to be not whether the
issue has been presented before, but
whether the position taken Is right. II
the gold standard was unmerited In 1895
1t is unmerited now II It's mainte-
nance was detrmeut to the interests OF
the people of this country then 1t is a
detrlment now. II in 1896 It was so hurt
full that the republicans promised to rut
forth their best effort to substitute In
sernatonal bimetallsm for It, and after
the election was still so hurtful that the
fresldent sent committee to Europe
IL secure foreign aid In abandoning It,
what has happened since then 10 make the
American people accept II as blessing
I, an increased discovery. OF gold in Alaska
has been OF any advantage TO the United
States Ii is but another evidence that the
qnantitative theory OF money Ia correct.
" q large balance OF trade In favor OF the
Uni ed States gives any relief because
OF the money thus brought Into tire coun-
ira It is an additional argument in favor
Of the quantitatiye theory OF money,
Eimetallsts have contended that the
tine xtiIl IN in hpl
of the double standard and by the In
creased supply of standard money thus
furnished for the business OF the coun-
try,
While 1t Is unnecessary to discuss the
question OF ratio until some other ratio Is
proposed it may not.~ha out OF place to
suggest that 16 to /, being the ratio at
which the present gold and coin silver
oirculatevis the natural ratio nj which the
mint should be reopened. To increase
the ratio by increasing the size of the
.Ssilvcr dollar would necessitate the re-
coinage of our present silver dollar into
less number of dollars. and the increase
of the ratio made throughout the world
would result In a large decrease In The
volume OF standard money, and since the
value of dollar depends on the number
OF dollars, such a change would necessari,
~ increase the purchasing power OF I
dollar and increase the burden OF debts
IL would be equivalent TO n transfer b.,
legislation Of a vast amount OF wealth
from the producing classes TO the money
owning classes.
Tho attempt OF the republican party L
retro the greenbacks and substitute fo
them National bank notes win give to tina
question q greater prominence than 1t en-
joyed In 1896. During the war the Ma
tional bank note never became more yalu
able than the greenbaek, because II wa
redeemable In the greenback. The Ma
tional bank note Is good only because tn
National government stands as an in
dorser OF the bank; II the value of tn
bank note is dependent upon the govern
mont how can II be any better than tn
governments own paper, and why shoul
the government pay National banks
bonus TO induce them to issue bank note
which are in no respect superior and !!
some respeoSs inferior to the greenbsck
Issued by tho government, and for whtc
the people pay no bonusg
The trusts are now absorbing an In
creased share OF public attention becaus
OF their rapid growth during the last tw
years. We had a sugar trust and an OF
trust some years ago. We now have
biscuit trust and match trust and mea
trust-in fact, n trust In almost every
thing that is used. The milk trust reache
the infant as he enters the world tn
leo trust cools him In the summer, tn
coal trust keeps him warm In the winter
while.the coffin trust waits to receive hir
when lifeH nttut dream is per- inc PEG
Pile are beginning to ses what the prin
ciplo Of monopoly means and vet th
principle of monopoly, so plainly Illus
trated By the Industrial trusts, does nc
differ at all from the principle OF monopol
which underies both the gold standar
and the paper money trusts.
The democratic party Is prepared 10 fac
the future and meet new issues wlthou
abansoning tho old, The republican part
has demanded that the standing army b
increased 10 100000 men II citizens bori
Ia the United States are ignorant OF tn
burdens OF a standing army they can re
ceive instruction from those born IN In
European countries. Many Europeans
who are now worthy citizens OF this gren
republic left their European homes because
of tho burdens imposed by the enormOu
military estimates.
a great army may be good thing 10
the railroad companies which are carrying
them from place TO place. and for larg
contractors who Will furnish food and raj
ptent for the soldiers: but II is a distress
ibg burden upon the plain peoples countr,
and especially upon the laborins men an