Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-07-05

Aktound OF applause greeted Governor
Thomas MS he ascended the platform. He
loofa.d the ideal presiding officer; tall,
digSiiied. black garbed, his face showing
intellectually and force Of character
He sheld in his hand the typewritten
maisuscript of his speech. and, in FULL
roufd voice, easily reaching to the re-
motfst corners of the building, he began
his address as temporary chairman. He
said:
W. are in very truth the party OF the people
Our declaration OF faith and purpose given to the
woriH four years ago has been strengthened by the
passage CT years and is enshrined today in our
heafE and hopes. 1t marked an epoch in political
histsSy and symbolizcd the regeneration of the
party whose birth was coeval with the birth of the
union, whose death that Union cannot long sur.
yiyea 1t crystallzed into an undying creed the
precstts of our founders, reairmed the objects Of
Democratic organization and proclaimed Democ.
racysao be no longer name, but "a great spirit
and 4 living heart"
The close Of President Hairsons administration
found the country face TO face with conditions of
the greatest moment. deficiency in the public
reveaues through the reckless legislation and
profrsate extravaganza of the Fifty-irst congress
had become apparent In the preceding October.
bota issue, prepared in February. was postponed
and Industry, long stimulated by unequal tariff
lave acre staggering toward crisis. Monetary
CONF ss.ss disturbed and uncertain threatened
IL f,ie Storm carle in June, when the
- s.s II ~ ~ iane tcc.iy.ri ptipg
sss; ~ fury pom the COM inent. 1t snoex tae
foundation of our commercial fabric, overwhelmed
every branch Of trade and industry and spread
bankruptcy and desolaion everywhere. Its sub
sidence the work OF years. The misery and
inAi tba ipIe o,d
Of the people. The country slowly emerged from
the receding food. the stricken nation struggled
to IT'S feet and painfully began the work of eco
nomc reconstruction while statesmen discussed the
cause of our calamity In the agony of our suffer
ing they clearly perceived and freely acknowl-
edged its primal source, vicious and indefens-
Bile monetary system. Men differed as to the meth
od OF its reformation, not to the necessity for
change. They wrangled over the merits of
standards, but united in condemning an unsound
and artificial financial system, the logical out
come of whose operation inevitable disaster.
Division on Money Question.
The line of division between political forces be-
came therefore sharply defined in 1896 upon what
was called the money question That question in
volved, then asserted and know,
every other economic problem. 1t embraced with
in its wide limitations the issues of labor and
capital, OF combination and competition of pro-
ducion, transportation and distribution. 1t was
predicted that the defeat of bimetalism would be
followed by the retirement of all forms OF govern
ment currency, by the dedication of the power Of
note issue to the holders of the national obliga-
ton, the practical consolidation of all lines of
transportation and the consequent domination Of
every commercial pursuit by of colossal
monopolies. These predictions have in general
been verified
Democratic defeat had scarcely been recorded
when the march OF consolidation was resumed
Every pursuit that engages the attention Of man
has been exploited capitalized and appropriated
The earth and the waters roundabout it have
been explored forsubjects Of monopoly, and those
who have thundered against unsound money have
used the printing press and the engravers' art to
turn out thousands Of millions of fictitious values
to whose profit the toilers and consumers pay con-
slant tribute Every avenue is closed to the com
petitive energies of the citizen has been listed on
the stock exchange and rises and falls with the
turn OF the gamblers card Consultations
ceed consultations and as they lessen in number
they enlarge in the volume of their real and fct-
tious accumuations and their more despotic sway
over all material and, political interests. These
evils, startling in their magnitude and inevitable
in their consequences, must either culminate in
one immense aggregation, all powerful and all
absorbing, to be arrested and dissolved by the
force Of an aroused public opinion finding express
sion at the polls in support OF the nominee OF
this convention.
The party in power carried the last election by
and through the support Of influences which We
criticise. Having purchased the right to pursue
their various objects the government has been at
all times their powerful ally Hence the onward
march OF organized wealth to absolute powers
and the exaltaton Of the dollar above the rights
and the welfare of the multitude The crisis in our
commercial affairs, whose issue, presented in an
acute form to the voters of 1900 is that of indus
trial despotism as against the liberty of the cit-
zen
Money Question Not Dead.
Those who assert that the money question is
dead have given but little heed to the lessons Of
experience 1t can never die until it shall re-
ceive the righteous solution II it be true that
our monetary circulation is the lifeblood Of our
commercial system, it must follow that upon its
wholesome quantity depends our continued well
fare Nostrums administered in times Of stress
may postpone but cannot defeat the demand for
complete and thorough renovation Of vicious
and destructive policy The Democratic party
will accept nothing short Of this; no substitute
for the bimetalic principle upon which substan
tial and enduring prosperity must depend
Through all vicissitudes OF political fortune the
needle Of its compass points to that as the mag
netic star Of sound national policy.
The phenomenal increase in the annual output
Of gold has materially added to the general stock
Of primary money and relieves some part Of the
stress or contraction which succeeded the closure
of the Indian mints to silver in 1894 The conse-
quent Improvement in business and industrial
conditions may be traced directly to this fact. al
though the failure Of crops in various portions OF
the world and the waging Of great offensive war