The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-10-16

power In the Senate, and IL was deemed
useless 10 pass a bill through the house
which would certainly fail OF consideration
in the Senate. Notwithstanding the en-
phatic verdict of 1896 upon the money ques-
ton, in Indiana at least, and especially in
this district, the money question was
clearly the paramount issue in 1885 1
in the same speech, that / had no
apologies to make for the efforts L had
extended in advocacy OF a gold standard
For the second time the people rem
dered n verdict in favor of currency re-
form, and especially for the establishment
of the gold standard. Fortunately for the
country the election of 1898 gave the Repub-
licans complete control OF legislation. and
under such control the very first duty
of the party became the first performance.
n House bill No. l was introduced.
considered and passed before the Christ
mas holidays, seeking to firmly fix the gold
standard OF value in this country. This
law was the fruitage of the effort which
began In 1896, and was prosecuted Wig
passage. 1 said in 1898 1 had no apologies
to make for my efforts in that direction.
/ now repeat that i have no apologies TO
make for my connection with this bill. and
am glad to have been able in my humble
capacity to have rendered some service
by giving the verdict of the people the
vitality Of public law.
ISSUES MAGNIFIED.
SIN the present campaign the Democratic
party has sought to magnify the impor-
lance of certain issues which they are
pleased to claim have grown out of our
war with Spain. Nevertheless, I desire to
call especial attention TO the fact that Mr..
Bryan has not overlooked in the slightest
degree his interest in the issue which he
has advocated so boldly and persistently
since he became a national character, what
ever may be said by Mr.. Bryan and his
fo1InWarS nf fhaca Cn-ca11Q6 npW issues
However prominent any of them may be
made. the American people will not forget
that the advocacy of the free coinage Of
silver and the overthrow of the gold-stand-
ard of value is just as firmly a part of
the policy of the Democratic party as In
1886. Political parties are judged by their
declarations n performances. A party
has no more right in the eyes of an honest
people to put in writing its principles and
declarations, intending to disregard them,
than has an individual to execute a note
with the fraudulent intention to defeat
its payment. A declaration of a political
principle must stand until IL has been dis
claimed by the party originally making IL.
In 1896 Mr.. Bryan made his entire cam
paign upon this issue. He is upon record
In many, many Instances declaring his in
tention to carry out the principles of the
free coinage of silver, If given power. Per-
NIT me to tax your patience by the recital
of a number of his declarations. These
doubtless are already familiar to you, but
when an individual seeks to gain control
of administration and legislation, he cannot
escape his W declarations, as set forth in
his own statements.
o the Sth day of September. 1896, in
accepting the nomination of the Silver Re-
publicans for President, Mr.. Bryan used
the following language My convictions
upon this subject free coinageJ are not
shallow convictions. / may be in error
but none of us can claim infallibility-
but / believe the gold standar is a con-
spiracy against the human race. / pledge
myself, if elected, they shall never have
platform
OTHER EXPRESSIONS.
Sept. II, 1896. in a speech at ST. Louis.
Mr.. Bryan said: If the gold standard is
wrong, as i believe it is, there will be agi-
tation until we get rid of it
Sept. ii, 1896, at Louisville, KY, he said:
1 believe, my friends, that the Chicago
platform presents the policies which will
be the best for the people of this country.
/ believe these policies put into law will
bring deliverance to the American people,
and / call your attention to the fact that
in this campaign the lines are drawn be-
tween plutocracy and democracy. They
that are not for US are against u.s.
ION Sept. 16, 1896, at Knoxville, Tenn, he
said: Against the maintenance of the gold
standard for one year, or forever, the DEM
ocratic party has arrayed itself. We are
opposed to a gold standard; we have de-
clared an honorable opposition to it; we
have commenced a war of determination
against II; a war that will not cease while
there is any party, or any considerable
number of men, demanding TO fasten this
foreign yoke upon an independent people.
l seek no votes under false pretepse. i
want no one to vote for me through mis-
understanding. If there is any one who
believes that the gold standard is a good
thing, or hat 1t must be maintained, !
warn him not to cast his vote for me, be-
cause / promise him that it will not be
maintained in this country longer than i
am able TO get rid of it,
Two Gays later. at Richmond, Va, he
said: But L want to warn you who are con-
templating desertiop of the Democratic
party at this time that the man who, in
the face of such an enemy, either goes TO
The rear or is in secret conference with the
enemy. is a traitor upon whom the brand
shall be placed. and he shall not come back.
These assistant Republicans, whose hearts
are willing but whose flesh is weak, may as
well understand now that the contest in
Wnlcn We are now engaged is not a contest
for this year alone. i believe we shall win,
but, whether we win or not, we have begun
a war against the gold standard which
snaH continue until the gold standard is
driven from our shores back to England
WILL BEGIN AT ONCE.
ION Sept. 10, 1896, at Baltimore, Nd, he
said: If We win this fight now then the
reform begins at once. If we are defeated
In this campaign, there is nothing before
the people but four years more of hard
times and greater agitation. and then VIC
tory will come
"On Sept. 20, 1896, at Patterson, n. j., Mr.
Bryan said: Il say to you now that my cleo
tion means that this Nation shall open its
minis to the free coinage of both metals al
the earliest possible moment.
Mr.. Bryan has been before the American
people from the beginning of the campaign
OF 1876 Until the present hour. Throughout
this entire period he has failed in a single
instance to retract any one. of the state
ments Which / hav just quoted. However
devoted he may now appear TO be 10 the
new issues, or however anxious some of his
followers may be TO forget the effort fol
the overthrow of the gold standard, no one
can deny for one moment that Mr.. Bryan
stands as firmly for free coinage of silver
as he ever did. The public press in the
past two days has quoted him as saying a
Ann Arbor, Mich, that, L now favor the
free coinage of silver at the ratio of l6 to /
without waiting the consent of any other
Nation on earth
There has been a studied effort on the
part OF the Democracy in this campaign &c
get away from the issue of free coinage. Il
is notorious that a majority OF the dele
favored a decided modification OF ths
money plank. but for the persistence ant
in~sistence of Mr.. Bryan himself.
M Bryan is again a tri-party candidate
A nominee of the same three parties which
gave him support In 1896. Each Of these
PARTIES has in its own way put forth a plat
form of principles, and Mr.. Bryan has &C
copied the nomination OF all. 1t Is interest
ing TO know that while he has absolutel,
refused thus far in this campaign to trea'
the money question. and While his pntfr,