The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-01-18
THE FREE COINAGE OF SILVER.
From a POpultxt Standpoint.

From a Populixt Standpoint.
(By ex-Gov Davis H. Waite.)
Over a million members of the Peo-
ple's party, the writer among them,
voted in 1896 for VIM. J. Bryan as can
didate for president, but this large and
extraordinary accession to the Demo-
cratic party was without practical effect
because at the same election more than a
million Democrats bolted their regular
platform and ticket to support the Re-
publican candidate. This fight is to be
renewed, and it seems proper now, when
there is lull in partisan excitement,
that those Populists who abandoned
their platform, and in many instances
their party nominee for vice-president
in 1896, should reconsider their action,
and decide whether or not to vote Demo-
~ratic in 1900. There is no doubt that
the vast majority of Peoples party men
who supported Mr.. Bryan for president
did SO conscientiously, believing that
the platform of the Democratic party at
Chicago in 1896 was substantially Peo-
pies party doctrine. They were over
persuaded by the Democrats that the
free coinage of silver was the al-fmport-
ant financial question; that our money
woes commenced with the so-called de-
monetiZation of silver in 1873, and in
consequence thereof, and that there can
80
the free coinage of silver is restored
The country has been deluged with
"slver literature containing the most
deceptive statements and misleading
statistics, which were indorsed as true
by the official leaders of the Peoples
party and all through the late pres1den-
tial campaign especial care was taken by
the Democratic and Populist national
committees to boycott all Popuffst
speakers who maintained the truths of
the Omaha platform, and who, although
supporters of Bryan and in favor of the
'silver" was but small part of the
financial question.
The Democratic crusade for the free
coinage Of silver is based upon the fol-
lowing propositions:
1. "The act of 1873 destroyed one
half of all the money of ultimate re-
demption." (That is as claimed by the
Democrats-gold and silver conn.,
II. The act of 1873 was the primary
cause of the fall in prices and Of the
growing industrial and financial distress
in the United States" (The above two
propositions are summarized in the call
for the bimetallic convention in Wash
ington May, 1896, as follows:
"The destruction of one-half of the
money of redemption by the suspension
of the coinage of silver, is the primary
cause of the continuing fall in prices and
of the growing industrial and financial
distress in the United States"
III. "The restoration of the free coin
age of silver will restore the former
prosperity of the United States"
Against the truth of these propositions
authorities will be cited which no Demo-
crat can gainsay.
1st. The act of 1873 neither destroyed
nor demonetized one-half of the money
of ultimate redemption, even conceding
that the only redemption money is
gold and silver coin.
Senator Jones, of Nevada, the ablest
advocate of the free coinage of silver in
the world, said in the United States SEN
ate Jan. %. 1894.
"All the silver we have remOnetized,
every dollar that has been struck off at
the mints, weighing 371A grains pure
silver or 412A grains standard silver,
has been right up to parity. That is in
disputable. ONLY THE PORTION
THAT HAS NOT HAD THE SUPREME
PREOGATIvE OF COINAGE IMPRESS
ED UPON 1T HAS DEPRECATED.
Every silver dollar which has been coin
ed is as good as any dollar Of gold or of
anything else.'
In a hand book on currency published
in 1893 in Washington, D. c., and Den
yer, Colo, by Crawford & Greenville lin
association" as is printed on the tflle
page, with Hon. J. c.. Sibley of Penn
sylvania; Hon. VIM. j. Bryan. Of Ne
braska; Senator VIM. A. Stewart. OF
Nevada, and Senator James L. Pugh, OF
Alabama" is the following on page 81:
"The stock of silver is divided as fol-
lows: United States, $538, 100000 full
tender and $77,O00,0eO limited tender;
Great Britain, no silver full legal tender,
$1OO, ,OOO, 900 limited tender; France, $780,
600 900 full tender, $50,00O,OOO limited
tender: Germany $1O3,0o0,OO full ten
der, sos, ,000, 900 limited tender; Russia.
1900, 900 full tender and $4,000, 600
limited tender"
Tboso items foot I'm 81 .686 OOO. 900. AS