The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-05-06
SATURDAY. MAY 6. 1880.
PLEA FOR HARMoNf .


This country Is In the Democratic party
,or IL IS the only party which represents
the true principles upon when the Ne-
,,,,blio &C. founded There is no
reason to-day why all true Democrats
In this country may not now re-unite upo"
"A common platform. st heart there Is
po difference between the true followers
Of Thomas jefferson even If they did
fan out about the currency question
Richmond Times.
This Is Domocracy-truly spoken ana
In the best Of taste. We have been
ureachinr the same doctrine for some
time. and We most heartily endorse the
declaration OF The Times that there is no
reason to-day why all true Democrats IN
this country may not now re-unite upon a
common platform fredericksburg star.
In 1895 the business OF this country was
greatly depressed. money was scarce capt.
talists were not disposed TO lend il out
except upon gilt-edged securities proper
~ values decreased. men were out of en-
ploymont. and there was throughout the
length and breadth OF this country
feeling Of dependency bordering upon
desperation There was a demand for
change The cry was heard everywhere
that conditions could not be worse. and
even conservative men We're willing TO
make an experiment with free silver in
the hope Of lettering their condition. II
was at such a time that the Chicago Con-
veniion met. and when Mr.. Bryan came
forward with his famous speech he
aroused not only the members Of the
convention. but the masses generally. to
A pitch of enthusiasm rarely witnessed
in this country. More money" was the
FRY. and the leaders of the new move
nent said that the only way to increase
our supply Of money was to open the
minis Of the country to the free coinage
of silver. II was claimed that 10y the So
called decentralization OF silver half Of the
primary" money Of this country was de-
stroyed. and that with a decrease in the
supply Of money there had come an en-
hancemcnt In the value of money and a
corresponding depreciation in the value OF
everything else. IL was argued indeed,
that the rich men OF the country had got
ten corner" on money in order that
they might increase its value and make
its purchasing power greater ana 50 add
enormously to their riches at the expense
Of the masses. II was also argued that
10 the gold standard should continue
the currency would be still further con-
tracted. and that prices Of all COM
modities would continue to fan unth
all the industries of the country should
be paralyzed and the people reduced to a
condition OF serfdom.
II was a plausible argument. and the
remedy proposed was catchy. Let us re
open the minis OF the country to the
free coinage Of silver. said Mr.. Bryan and
turn loose food Of the white metal
dollars upon the country. and we viii
then break the sold corner We will
make a monetary demand Cor every ounce
OF silver In the world. We viii increase
the intrinsic value Of silver. and at the
same time we will dcpreciatc the abnor-
nal value of gold until the two shall mcet
on a common level at the ratio Of le 10 l.
I'm this way Il was proposed 10 double the
simply Of money. and by increasing the
supply and depreciating tho value Of
money. 10 induce the holders Of money
70 invest Il in property and in Industrial
enterprises. thus putting tho wheels Of
machinery in motion and giving employ
ment TO labor We say that the whole
theory was most plausible, and It Is not
surprising. under the depressed condition
n, the country. that men should have been
carried away with IT,
Dut The Times. while IL had the keenesi
sympathy with those In distress could
not lend itself 20 movement which II
believed would. 80 far from lettering the
condition OF things. result IN destroying
pub!lc credit and in bringing on such
financial panic az this country had
never known. We believed that the free sill.
Yer experiment would make n bad matter
worse and bring on the very evil which 1t
was designed 90 thwart But this was not
all. There were other plapks ia the Chi
cago platform that were. n possible. more
objectionable TO The Times than the free
silver plank. and, taking II all in ali, the
aayement seemed 10 us 10 be so Wild
and revolutionary that We were compelled
nv our sense Of duty and orr sense Of
ssfety 70 out loose from Tho party Is.