The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-04-02
SUNDAY. APRIL .. 1880.
TILE pnopnEcIEs OF 1896.


Mr.. Bryan says that events have been
yindicating the policies proposed by the
Democratic party in 1896. We would be
much interested TO hear MI. Bryan e1-
,,Ianatjon OF that remarkable statement
We have been looking over the files OF Inc
uowspapcrs OF 1886 to refresh our memory
ga 10 what were the policies proposed by
Mr. Bryan and his followers and what
were the predictions that they made
First OF an. Mr. Bryan claimed that under
the gold standard there was a contraction
az the currency which would necessarily
81 sfiU further contracted II free silver
sbouid be defeated In one Of his speeches
,,e called attention to the fact that there
WIS "a contraction of Sl5O00O.ocO i'm the
currency among the people during tho
preyious two years and he declared that
,ho gold standard people proposed 70 DO
rothino 10 increase it. In point Of fact
fbe total money in circulation in the
United States when Mr. Bryan was
smoking i'm 1876 was si.J0j42i96e or $ZllV
oer capita. Tn 1895 the total money IN
circulation. according 70 the last report
sent out from the department at Wash
ington wa 81 ss7S,9S95 a per capita cir
culation Of S2i1. an increase IN two
years Of si5l .5SOo99. or S3.d for every
man. woman and child in the United
States. or this increase $2oi0ot0O0 was IN
gold
Mr.. Bryan told the farmers of the West
That they would be poverty-stricken as
long as the gold standard stood. Yet tho
New England Homestead, whose editor
has lust returned from a trip through
the West. says that industrial conditions
In that section of tho country are eN-
cellent: that the agricultural depression
which began I'm the East late in the seven
ties and I'm the West several years later
has passed away since 1896 That West
.~n farmers have largely paid off the'r
debts and quite generally have a surplus
IN cash. or improved homes that make
their credit gilt-edged.
Nj Bryan told the laboring men that
they could not hope to secure STEADY
epployment until silver should be re-
stored. and that their wages would DO
cut down under the gold standard. YET
to-day every competent workingman IN
This country. who is willing to work,
has got a Job. and Bradstreets tells US
that within the past sixty days the wages
Of more than $4,000 laborers have beeh
increased.
MI Bryan said that the industries oil
The country would be Paralyzed under
,he cold standard. yet Il was only re"
aavs ago that he was driven through the
i-on district of Birmingham and saw the
,ror- makers Of that section bending their
energy 10 supply the demand FOR their
product.
Mr. Bryan said tina, England was our
enemy. and again that II was England
policy 20 maintain ths gold standard be-
cause she was a creditor nation and
the gold standard doubled her interest
account In point OF fact. when we were
ot war With spain. England showed that
she was our best and our only friend
abroad. AS for the other, America has
now become a creditor nation. and as for
tho rate Of interest. everybody knows tina,
that has fallen 20 the lowest point eter
known
Mr. Bryan sai6 that under the gold
standard our industries must languish
and ole. ard trade become stagnanL yet
under the gold standard the railroads or
the country have increased their earnings
AZ an enormous rate, and are now earn
ing more than ever Before in Their his
tory. our export trade has brokenS all
records and is growing continually. the
bank clearings show tho largest volume
Of business over done. and the trade
reviews Of yesterday report for the first
quarter Of 1891 failure liabilities or w.
sss2.0 against s5i52s.is5 for the same Pc
rlos 81 ise6.
Mr. Bryan said with reference 10 the
ant!.!njanct4on plank of the Chicago
platform: THE recent abuses which have
grown out Of injunction proceedings have
been go emphatically condemned by pub
Tic opinion that the Senate blu providing
for trial By fury tn certain contempt
cases ntll meet with genuine approval.
Yet a similar bill othat introduced In
thu United States Senate was introduced
= ths Virginia Legislature and passed.