Gilpin observer., 1900-09-13


great enthusiasm. He said:
mo American citizen ought to be so
pressed with business or pleasure that
he cannot give time to public ques-
tions. For more than twenty-four
years / represented Colorado in the
greatest legislative body in the world.
and l think this gives me the right TO
discuss public questions.
Il need not discuss to a Colorado au-
dience the Importance of the silver
question, for they have been bimetal-
lists since the commencement of this
controversy twenty-three years ago
In 1876 l was selected to serve in the
United States Senate and four times
the Legislature has instructed me to
appear as one of your representatives.
In 1877 the question of bimetallism
came actively before Congress. Then
an effort was made to rehabilitate sill
yer. In 1878 we crystallized the idea
into law The finance committee of
the Senate, after passage of the bill
in the House, refused to report 1t, but
brought in what was known as the
Bland bill, and it became law
AT that time the Republican party was
not n gold standard partye The ma
jority in the House voted for free
coinage bill and in the Senate the ma
jority voted to give relief to the coun-
try. The President vetoed the bill.
but the party was not Il gold standard
party. Had an attempt been made to
force 1T then most of its great men
would have left it.
Il WAS free coinage man, NOT be-
cause my party was Il free coinage
party, but because my examination of
these questions has convinced me that
the cause of bimetallism is the cause
of liberty, freedom and civilization.
Imbued with the sentiment that the
gold standard was n step to barbarism,
/ have contended that free coinage is
necessary. 1t was left to the Phila-
delphia convention of 1900 to declare
for the gold standard alone and to ask
the people to put 1t in power because it
had discarded one of the money metals
of the world This is n great moral
question. oh, how sick l get when l
hear men mix this question in one of
partisan politics! All the great teach
| ers of Europe have declared in favor
of bimetallism.
I at is not II matter of office. You
have honored me above my deserts.
and l have tried to return the favor"
You have!' came from the audience,
with cheers. 1T matters not whether
remain in the Senate or return 10 the
where do the people of Colorado stand
upon this question? Are they going
back on their stand!'
mo, no." cried many.
"To me this financial question is the
greatest that has been presented to the
country in hundred years. The slav-
cry question was not Il greater ques
ton than this. 1t concerned the free
dom of the blacks alone. This ques-
ton concerns the freedom of every
man who works.
II read this morning the Presidents
letter of acceptance. and | saw that he
had declared that the silver question
was the great issue. | heard n Repub-
lican voter say that the Democratic
party was not for free silver. Why,
my friends, do yon know that thirty
nine Democratic state conventions
have declared for the free coinage of
silver at the ratio of IL to |?
Every Democratic leader. with the
exception of few in New York, have
declared for silver. Every Democratic
senator except two have been for sill
yer, and these two We're defeated and
will be replaced by silver senators.
| There will not be a Democratic sena-
| tor against free coinage.
do you blame me for standing with
can party is great and has II great his
tory. If IL could live upon its past rec
| ord 1t should be eternal, but IL 1t Is to
| live upon its record of this past four
years it ought to he politically damned.
| We test n party by what IL Is going to
| do. If | speak with some warmth it is
| because | have seen this great organi-
zation departing from the principle of
| its founders. If bring an accusation
against this great party | bring 1t in
| the interest of truth and the interest
| of the country.
III you are not treated by Democrats
with the generosity you may wish. that
does not justify you In keeping from
| them.
IL am not n worshiper of men. have
been n follower of principle. The man
10 whom l have given the greatest de-
votion was Abraham Lincoln. be
licve that sometimes Providence raises
up men to ill n place. 1t seems To me
In the histor of mankind that such
men have risen. We found such a
man In Abraham Lincoln.
"lf there Is II man In the United
States to-day who comes near to Abrn
ham Lincoln that man Is William j.
Bryan. Let me tell you ! know this
man. | saw him -four years In official
life, standing for principle, and four
years In private life. ! have seen the
attempt such as never before TO cor
| rupt him. Scores of detectives and
spies on his trail have not found
weak spot in his armor. This man Is
of unqucstioncd character Why
should he want to pull down American
governments He Is the man that pre-
sentcd to American politics new con