Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-10-11
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Bryan on Double standard.


Some people say we never had
double standard Of bimetallism. IL
man says that, all we can say is,
Give us what we had, and call 1t
what you please" Give US the law
that Andrew Jackson framed, the
free coinage Of gold and silver at the
mint at the ratio of 10 to 1 without
waiting for the aid or consent of any
nation. Give us this, and apply to 1t
what name you will. We not only
have had the double standard, but we
have had the gold standard, and this
without asking for It. 1t came upon
us like a thief In the night. When
was young, l remember ut the debat-
Ing societies we used to debate the
question whether there was not more
pleasure in anticipation than In pos
session. have always regretted that
we were not given the pleasure of an
ticipating the gold standard. The gold
standard concealed its blessings, and
we had 1t for twenty-three years be-
fore anybody found 1t out, and before
anybody dared defend 1t. After nine
teen years, all three parties asked for
bimetallism, and the Republican par
ty, which claims all the intelligence
and all the patriotism, met at Mime
apolis. Mckinley was the chairman
OF the committee on resolutions. and
platform was adopted. saying that the
American people. from tradition and
interest favored blmetallism. What
has happened since the election? Pres
ident Mckinley sent commission Of
three learned men to Europe to ask
the European nations to help us to
get rid of the gold standard. l am
willing to give him credit for all that
he did. He had to admit that the gold
standard was n bad thing, and that we
ought to help him to get rid of 1t. The
Republican Congress voted 500, 700 to
pay the expenses Of this commission,
and we ought to give the Republican
Congress credit for their willingness to
spend the peoples money to get rid of
the gold standard. The commission
went to Europe, and France Joined
with us in an effort to get rid Of the
gold standard. Why did they do this?
Because the gold standard had been a
curse to the English laboring men, and
they knew 1t. An agricultural COM
mission reported, signed by two-thirds
OF the commission. that the gold
standard had been the chief cause Of
the agricultural depression in England.
Farmers, how can you believe that the
gold standard is good for you in the
United States when the English farm
ers declared 1t bad for them in Eng
land, which is the home Of the gold
standard? You tell me that England
did not join with us to get rid of the
gold standard. That Europe did not
join. Why? Because In September,
1897, some bankers met. few In num-
beers, and with closed doors, and pledg-
Ing themselves to secrecy. adopted res
olutions declaring That the gold stand
ard was all right These bankers con-
trolled the English government and the
English government controlled Eu-
rope, and Europe, through the English
government, controlled the policy OF
the United States. You tell me that
the gold standard Is good. No party
ever won an election on 1t. You tell
me that the money question is good.
No handful Of English bankers can
ever settle question for the Ameri-
can people. They say we can't hse the !
same arguments now as in 1896. There
Is difference between gold bug and
a silver man. In Ohio. in 1897, when
l went down there to make speech,
they said: "There comes Mr.. Bryan,
singing the same song as in 1906"
The silver man could sing the same
song over and over again. and the
more he sings 1t the more the people
like it--W. ]. Bryan. in his Des Moines
speech.