The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-01
BLOW AT 16-TO-1 RATIO
PROMINENT ILLINOIS DEMOCRAT DIS
AGREES WITH MR.. BRYAN.
Ex-Judge Mcconnell, of Chicago,
Takes Issue with Leaders of His
Party ON the Silver Question.

CHICAGO, Dec. 31.-Ex-Judge S. P. Nc
Cornell, one of the Illinois delegates ut
large to the national Democratic convention
in 1856, delivered an address before the Mon
ticello Club which caused a good deal of
talk among local Democrats, particularly in
view of the fact that he has been a close
political associate of ex-Goy. John P. Alt
geld. The speaker began by quoting these
declarations of the club:
we oppose all trusts and monopolies, in
order that wealth may not gain undue ad-
vantage, and that competition shall be free
and unrestrained among the people.
We oppose the single gold standard and
favor the restoration of bimetaIlism, re-
CARELESS of the action or desire of any other
nation"
He said in part: These two declarations,
in my judgment, are expressive of the great
mission of the Democratic party. l am in
clned. however, to believe that the first in
cludes the second and that the war against
monopoies and trusts means war against
the single gold standard if the contest is
to be waged inteHgently and effectively
am certain, too, that the first decara ton
requires and means hostility TO protective
tariff laws. In fact. under the encourage
ment and aid of these laws the first trusts
and combinations encroachlng upon free
competition came into existence. Even after
all that has been said against combinations,
trusts and monOpoies, L am far from con-
WINGED that the body of the people adequate
" appreciate the great peril to their worldly
welfare Springing from these vast aggrega-
tons of capital, which are gradually abb
sOrblng and controlling the industrial ac-
uvities of the country.
Thousands who voted for Mckinley in
1896 are ready to join US in campaign to be
Waged against trusts, combinations and
mOnOpolics. They only need evidence that
we will fight effectively. There is but one
plank in the platform of 1896 which pre-
vents these thousands being openly and ag-
gresstvely with us. They do not believe in
16 TO of gold. They regard it as even less
defensibe now than two years ago.
The question for us to consider is wheth-
er we are showing any appreciation of the
to be willing TO run the peril of repeating
the experience of 1886 rather than to modify
our proposition regarding the ratio between
silver and gold. To my mind, the 16-to-1
proposition has always SaVOred something
of superstition, and 1 have come to believe
that the best friends of bimetallism are not
those who refuse to have il except upon
this condition. ] should begin TO be s6eptical
fl they persist that it must be fought only
in connection with these radical demands
for the restoration of silver al the value 1t
had more than quarter OF century ago
with aggressive declarations in the plat
form of 1900 against trusts and monopOl1eS
ard against their great allies and supports
the gold standard and the protective tarin
without insisting on a particular value for
silver in a plan for its reconciliation or a
particular schedule for revenue tarlft, ana
with the same great leader (Bryan) FOR its
candidate the Democratic party Will be as
sured of success and the people through
fits victory will be assured of the blessings
Of healthy competition, freedom IN trade
and honest money -