Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1899-06-08
DUTY OF DEMOCRACY
John P. Altgeld's Address to the
Bimetallic League.
Results OF Demonstration OF silver
Evils of Gold Standard-Trusts
and MonopoIies-Dem
Ic Principles.

Before the League of Bimetallic
Clubs, which met at Louisville, KY,
May 81, John p. Altgeld spoke at some
length upon the great issue of bimetal-
ism and touched up with much yigor
| the gold standard, trusts, monopohes,
etc. In the course of his speech Mr..
Altgeld said:
I'm 1896 the true democrats of America
decided that we did not need two political
parties to represent the corrupt CONNER
cial interests, and they again made the
democratic party stand for the interests
of the great masses of the people They
declared for definite principles, they pro-
mulgated a second declaration of Ameri-
can independence. But there was an ele-
ment in the party which did not approve OF
this-an element in the party which looks
to the corrupt concentration of capital FOR
favorS; an element which, while pretend
ing to be democratic, wants to play the
aristocrat. In all essential particulars this
element represents the same things that
the republican party represents, but 1t
formerly remained in the democratic par
ty, because there it could achieve prom
inence and a personal preferment, Whlch
1T could not in the republican party TINS
element of our party remained hostile ana
is again seeking power. 1t commands vast
wealth and is seeking by secret means cor
rupt and otherwise to secure control OF
our councils. 1t is proclaiming that we
must change our position; that we must
abandon the principles we stood for in
1885, or else be defeated. They tell us that
we should adopt a platform broad enough
for all to stand on: that is a meaningless
platform: they tell US that we should raise
some new cry, and that then we might
sweep the country. And we find that those
men throughout the land who have only
an appetite for office, are inclined to listen
to this talk. Let US look at this question
-IN1r iraNyT N1x--0 a
are told that we must be silent on the
ratio and simply declare for bimetallism
Now, if it were a new and an original ques-
ton, it may be that theoretically diff
ferent ratio would be just as good as the
one we declared for. The book men have
told US that one reason why Europe gem
orally adopted the ratio fifteen and one
half to one was that that was about the
ratio at which the precious metals were
produced in the world. Whether that be
correct or not, it is true that the financial
systems of Europe rested on that ratio,
and that in our country for the last 90
years the ratio was sixteen 70 one, and
our financial system was based upon that.
And inasmuch as silver was wrongfully
and stealthily demonetized by the arbi-
trary act of government, and inasmuch
a great wrong was done, and we are
asking TO have that wrong righted, are
asking simply for restoration of what
the world formerly had: asking for a res
toration of conditions under which the
world had done business and proSpered
for 200 years. This fact alone would be
a good reason for adhering to that ratio
But there is another reason which rises
above all others, and that is this: The
moment you abandon that ratio you are
at sea. No two men will agree upon what
the new ratio should be. For 20 years prior
to 1896 the country saw that the eastern
financial manipulators were able to con-
troll congress and 10 dictate the policy of
the governn ent, and that just long as
the matter was left to congress and the
government the p5ople were helpless. This
fact led the people TO the determination 20
take the matter into their own hands and
not leave 1t open. and they feel Is strong
1y on that subject now as they did then
The fact is, my friends, if left open you
would get no legislation at the hands of
our government in a thousand years for
Wall street will again be in absolute cor
troll. This being so, it is apparent that the
moment we abandon the ratio that mo-
ment we abandon the cause. The question
which, therefore, presents itself is, are
we prepared 10 abandon the cause Every
thing that was predicted by the bimetal-
lists as the legitimate result of the de-
monetiZation CT silver has come to pass
first, universal paralysis of the world S
business and its Industries; second, the
starting anew on q lower basis for the
great producing masses. The evils tina:
result from the gold standard have not
been exaggerated or overstated. Time has
sustained the bimetal.ist, and that man
makes 4 fatal mistake who thinks that
the American people are ready TO abandon
this cause, and, inasmuch as the abaD-
donment of the ratio practically amounts
to the abandonment of the cause, that
politician makes a fatal mistake who
thinks that the ratio can be abandoned
without disintegrating and destroying the
democratic party. For every score of
Notwithstanding gold democrats who
would be brought to our standards by such
an abandonment of principle 10000 men of
deep convictions would leave US.
But the money question is not the only
great question that confronts US. Calami-
ties go in groups and the gold standard
has brought with it brood of evils, each
of which threatens the life of the re-
public. You will find that as rule gold
democrats are not willing to take a definite
position on any of these questions. AS
they look to corrupt and concentrated
wealth for favors, they not willing to
take a position which might incur it's i'll
Will. There is the great question of gov
eminent by injunction, a system under
which federal judge elevated to Office
by corporation influences strikes down the
right of free speech, and with contemptu-
GUS wave of the hand brushes aside the
right of trial by jury, that bulwark of
English liberty, at the mere request of a
corporation agent The AngIo-Saxon race
has shed more blood to maintain the right
of free speech and the right of trial by
jury, than for any other purpose and
yet here in free America we see the very
lOuAudIOn OF HD6rly nppantly brushed
aside, and l have not heard a vigorous
protest against this practice from a sin
gle gold standard man in America. Again
with this commercialiSm, the establish
ment of this gold standard, has come an
era of corruption. of bribery in government
whereby the national, the state and mu-
nicipal legiSla lures are debauched and the
rights of people betrayed. The only ef-
fective remedy for this evil that has yet
been suggested is what is termed ''initia-
tive and referendum" The tenpta tons
offered by corrupt capital being too great
for the ordinary man to withstand, it is
evident that long as these temptations
are offered they will be effective. BY the
establishment of the system of initiative
and refere pdum' the fruit; of bribery
could be taken away, and thus the induce
ment TO bride would be destroyed Under
that system, when a city council or a Iegis-
lature passed an act betraying the inter
estS of the people given number of citi-
xeIS could have that act submitted to a
popular vote with the provision that if
not sustained there it should be void. In
der this system not every matter would
have 20 be submitted to the people but
it would be in the power of a respectable
portion OF the Inhabitants of city or
state to prevent wholesale bribery. Like
wise ccuid they make reforms which cor
poraJioDS now prevent. Have you hea I'd
of a single goia standard man who has
come out ara openly advocated the aGop-
lion of this system, or of any other eff
tective system 10 END corruption inkub-
lie affairs? I have not. Again, this Is an
age of coEcentra ton, CT the formation Of
great corpora tons, OF great trusts and of
great monopoiies. 1t is found that by con-
ecntration tie cost of production can be
eheapened, and If the public got the ben
eft OF this II mig hi be q blessing, il would
shorten the hours of labor and advance civ
iIization; but instead of that the benefit
of it under the republican administration