The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-04-16

Cial interests were S0lluly opposed 10 max
ing any concessions to bimetallism and
there was only one argument we had which
had any weight with them and that was
If they did not do something to help re-
store international bimetallism, free silver
would win in the United States and re-
store bimetallism by independent action
and that British investments would suffer-
"And it was said in this dispatch that
argument was being made by one of the
commissioners. I could not but applaud
the common sense of the commissioner who
abandoned the republican platform and got
onto a common sense platform and APP
pealed TO them by an argument they would
understand.
But, my friends why haven't we inter-
national bimetallism? Is it because there
is nc sentiment in Europe? On the con-
trary there Is sentiment there and the sem
timent is so strofig that the French gov
erninent Joined with us in sending an am
bassador to England. In England the sem
timent was so strong that a petition was
sent to the English government signed by
the leading labor organizations of England
asking for international bimetallism; so
strong that a report was presented while
our commission was there-a report signed
by ten out of fourteen members of a COM
mittce appointed to investigate the condi-
ton of agricultural and then ten out of the
fourteen declaring that the gold standard
was destructive to English agriculture and
pointed to bimetallism as the only relief
for the English farmer. (Applause.)
The Question win Not Down
"But why, my friends, did the English
government refuse to listen to the laborers
and the farmers? Because, on the 22d day
of September, 1897, the bankers of London
met at the clearing house, behind closed
doors, and, pledged to secrecy, declared
that the gold standard was all right. The
English GO fat
they can meet in the clearing house, deter
mine the policy of England, and England
determined the policy of Europe, and I1u-
rope will determine the policy of the United
States as long as the republican party is in
power. 1 have been asked why I am not
willing to drop the money question. l re-
piled: Because the money question won't
drop usv know not what others may de-
sire, or what they may be willing to do,
but l am not willing that our declaration
against the gold standard shall be dropped
as long as a handful of English financiers
can determine the financial policy of 10000
COO of American people. And some say that
if we will not drop the money question, we
ought to drop the ratio of 16 to 1. When
you find a man opposed to 16 to 1, inquire
and you will find that he was never in ia
vor of it; and inquire again, and you will
find that there is no other ratio he is in
favor of.
1--WE denounced b;metallism as a
delusion and as a snare in 1886. 1t has
been proven to be so since 1896. We de-
ciared for the ratio of 16 to l in 1895, and
no party has arisen to advocate any other
ratio but 16 to l. Until some other party
proposes some other ratio and tries to Sc
cure bmetallism at some other ratio there
Is no reason why we should discuss ratio
with them. The ratio of 16 to was decided
upon, not at the Chicago convention, but
at the primaries which elected delegates
to attend tho Chicago convention.
Ask Reinstatement of the Law
1.-THE ratio of 16 to had been submitted
to the people, and those who wanted it in
1856 are in favor of it. And they know
why they are in favor of it. The ratio of
Is TO l is the ratio at which our gold and
silver coins now circulate. We simply ask
reinstatement OF the law which was on the
statute books-where it was before the act
of characterization was secretly passed. We
simply want to renew by law what was
done by law. They struck silver down by
law We raise 1t up by law. They close
the minis by law, we open them by law.
(Applause). They have a gold monopoly
in mint privileges by law; we expect to give
a competitor by law, the old competitor We
had.
my friends, you will hear people say
that they don't object to silver If we will
only open the minis at the bullion ratio or
the commercial ratio. 1t is only gold man
commences to talk money that he forgets
all he knows on other subjects. When peo-
pie ask us to drop our fight on the money
question and fight the trusts 1 remember
that the republican party is today prepar-
ing to organize trust more potent for evil
than the industrial trusts combined. There
is a bill now before congress, represented
by the republican committee, that turns
over to the national banks the control of
the paper money of this country. 1t pro-
yidcs for the retirement of greenbackS by
an issue of bonds drawing 212 per cent; it
provides that banks shall be permitted to
issue up to the par value bonds, and with
the one per cent. tax on circulation, ana
this shall be reduced to a small fraction OF
one per cent.
Evidence of Republican Faith
"Here is your evidence of good republi-
can policy. They want to issue bonds in
place of greenbaeks and tax the people to
pay the interest on bonds and then refuse
taxes that banks now pay on circulation
that they have. Why pile up the taxes on
the people and lower the taxes on the
banks? What does it mean? What II that
law goes into effect and 2R per cent bonds
are at par; then national bank with
cauital of S100 900 can invest the 100000 in
bonds deposit the bonds with the treasury
and draw upon the bonds $lO0,oOo IN pank
notes: so that the amount the bank gets
back Is JUST equal TO the alouie thS t0"f,>
paid for the bonds. So it has not a single
dollar invested and yet it goes on Drawing
21s-per cent. interest a year on nothing. IL
is a small proposition in mathematics, ana
vet those banks will tell you they want
this done for the public good There Is an
other object that is not included IN the
Chicago platform and is yet included IN the
principles it sets forth. 1000
"phe president in his message OF $780,
asked for a standing army of 100000 men,
we have had no national convention since
that time But democrats do not nave 10
have a national convention to learn that the
democratic party is opposed to mpitarism
in the United States. Seventy thousand
more soldiers are needed than in 1876.
Why? For internal protection? why, that
happened since 1886. except the republican
administration? Does a republican admin
istration make more soldiers Necessary?
When prosperity comes and confidence IS
restored is it necessary to have soldiers to
point it out with bayonets..
Where the Army is Needed
But they tell us we need them for out
side service Where? Cuba? Oh, no, not