New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-10-11

night that that gallant soldier. that typical
young American. that distinguished and useful
statesman, William Mckinley, Of Ohio, would
certainly be elected President how the bears
would take to cover on the Stock Exchange to-
morrow.
My friends as a Republican I am proud OF
many things. but up the highest
satisfaction l have had in the party and its
career that the prospect OF Republican success
never did disturb business.
In connection with this financial matter, do
NE ali realize how important the choice Of the
President is? DO you know that the law is
now, without the passage Of any free coinage
OF silver law at ALL it is in the power OF the
President OF the United States to bring the
business of this country to silver basis? All
he has TO do is to let the gold reserve 60
pay out silver when men ask TOT soiu, anu Io !"
are there already. 1t is only because the Fresi,
dents Of the United States that we nave hao
and the have now have regarded II
under the law as their public duty 10 MAINTAIN
the gold basis maintaining that parity between
our silver and gold coins which the law ue-
cIares is the policy of the Government, and be
cause they have had the courage to execute the
powers given to them by the Resumption acI
carry out that declaration of public law.
undertake, therefore, 10 say that II Mr.. bryan
or a man holding his views were in the Presl-
Dental chair without any legislation by CON
gress We should be on a silver basis In week
time
The silver question-what is It? Do we want
silver because we want more money, Iars To-
circulating medium? 1 have not heard anyoouy
say Mr. Bryan is not urging II upon tlal
basis. If anybody were TO seek to give that as
q reason for wanting free silver he woul0 pe
very soon COMPOUNDED by the statement that Tree
silver would put more gold out OF clrcuiauoh
than the mints of the United states could pos
sibly bring in in years Of silver, and that IN
stead Of having more money We shoulo nave
less.
I will tell you what this Government can 90
alone. It can fix its money unit 1t can oeciare
by law what shall be the relative value OF an
ounce Of gold and an ounce OF silver: DGt IL IL
cannot make that last declaration good IL Is
unquestionably fully within the power OF TINS
Government 10 bring this country to silver
basis by coming silver dollars and making them
ment get you to take one or those dolars
IN discharging Of any dollar notwithstanding
YOU may have loaned gold dollars. but 1t cannot
get and enforce its decree, II you should can
out the Regular Army and Navy and muster al
our great modern ships, and add the militia, and
put William J. Bryan in command OF mem mem
cannot enforce the decree that one ounce of gold
is the equivalent of sixteen ounces of silver
Not only that, not France. and England ana
Germany, can do that, unless the markets re-
spond Why? You may make me take a
silver dollar for a debt but if I have bought
my goods at gold prices, you cannot make me
give as many yards OF cloth for a silver dollar
as ! have been in the habit Of giving for
gold dollar.
have never had such respect for Democrats
as I have now-or perhaps should say l never
had so much respect for so many Democrats as
] have That party has once more eX-
hibited its capacity TO be ruptured- When the
leaders of a party assembled in convention de-
part from it's traditional principles and advocate
doctrines that threaten the integrity of the Gov
eminent. the social order Of our communities
IL ought TO split, and it dignifes Itself when II
does split
In my opinion there IS no issue presented by
the Chicago Convention more important and
vital than the question they have raised Of pro-
uecting the power and duty Of the National
courts and National Executive. The defence or
the Constitution and of the integrity of the Su-
prene Court of the United States. and Of the
Presidents power and duty TO enforce all or the
laws Of the United States without awaiting the
call or consent of the Governor OF any State, is
an important and living issue in this campaign.
Tariff and coinage viii be OF little moment If
our Constitutional government be overthrow.
When we have President who believes that it
lie neither his right nor his duty to see that the
mail trains are not .obstructed, and that our
Interstate commerce has its free way, ire
spective OF State lines and courts; who fears to
his ancient and familiar power to restrain
and punish lawbreakeTs, free trade and free
silver will be appropriate accompaniment or
such an Administration, and cannot add ap-
probably to the National distress or dishonor.
Ny friends our fathers, who framed the Gov
eminent, divided its powers between three great
departments-the Legislative, the Executive and
the Judicial. They sought to make those lnde-
pendent. the one Of the other, so that neither
might overshadow or destroy the other. The
supreme Court the YnostJdiguified judicial body
in the world was appointed to interpret the laws
and the Constitution. And when that Court
pronounces a decree as TO the power or con-
gress, or as to any other constitutional Ques-
ton, there is but one right method II we dls-
agree. and that is the method pointed out by
the Constitution, to amend 1t TO conform TO our
views. That is the position to-day. Mr.. Hill
said in his speech of this great assault upon the
court: That provision, if it means anything,
means that il is the duty of Congress to recon-
struct the Supreme Court of the country. 1t
'neans''-and note his words-"and 1t was
openly avowed that it means the adding of
additional members TO it. or the turning out of
Office and reconstructing the whole court.
will not follow any such revolutionary step as
that" You to answer, then, my fellow citi-
zens in all the gravity Of a great crisis whether
you will sustain party that proposes 10 de-
stroy the balance which fathers instituted
in system of government and whenever a
tumultuous Congress dsagrees with the Su-
Dreme Court. and a subservient President is in
the White House, that the judgment of the
Court shall be reconsidered and reversed by in
creasing the number Of judges and packing the
court with who will decide Congress
wants them I cannot eXaggerate the gravity
and the importance and the danger of this as
sault upon our constitutional form of govern
ment The courts are the defence Of the weak
The rich and powerful have other resources, but
the poor have not. The high minded, independ-
ent judiciary that win hold to the line on the
questions between wealth and labor between
rich and poor, is the defence and security of the
defenceless.