Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-21
Senator Allison Points Out Danger
in Bryan's Election.
CHANCES OF SILVER LEGISLATION
Better Than for Carrying Out
His Philippine Policy.
THE SITUATION ANALYZED


Senator Alison spoke at length on the
| financial question, and defended the ad-
ministration on the Philippine question.
| Capt. j. N. Rumple, candidate for Congress,
also spoke briefly.
Senator Allison said in part:
| President Mckinley was elected four years
| ago after sharp and somewhat bitter con-
| test and in the midst of what may proper
| ly be called hard times" which had con-
tihued from the panic Of 1893, and the de-
pressions of that year and the years fol-
| lowing.
The contention of President Mckinley and
his followers was that if We would re-es-
tablish the industrial system known as
tariff for protection, which had been par
TALLY broken down by the tariff of 1894, and
make 1t clear that our standard or money
would be preserved at all hazards, ana
that all our currency should be kept at
parity with gold, and that all our transac-
lions would be settled on that basis, pros
perity would soon come to the people, ana
they advocated this policy throughout the
campaign Mr.. Bryan and his followers
commended that these hard times resulted
from scarcity of money and that there
was only one possible way to restore pros
perty, namely, the free and unlimited coin
age of silver on the basis of equivalents of
sixteen ounces of silver to one ounce of
gold, and that our minis should be. opened
to the free and unlimited coinage OF both
metals at tnlS Tdtlo, anu tHdt unless tHES
was done there could be no prosperity in
our country and that republican policy
would only increase our difficulties and
embarrassments.
On the other hand. the republicans con-
tended that the coinage of silver in the way
proposed would result in the establishment
of the single silver standard, and would
Danish gold or would place 1t at a premium,
and would nave the effect to debase the
value of our money, so that the proposed
dollar would have only had the purchasing
power of the dollars then in circulation and
that had been in circulation since 1879,
and that the effect of this change would be
to destroy all credit, reduce the wages of
labor and unsettle our whole financial Sys-
tenn by establishing an uncertain, f1uctua-
ting and debased standard of money as COM
pared with what we then had. Republ
cans prophesied that If Legislative and adj
m:nistrative authority were contided to them
on the basis Of this contention as to our
Industries and our money, there would come
almost Immediately prosperity throughout
every part Of our country.
Republican Prophecies Realized.
In that contest the republicans We're sue
cessful, and these prophecies of the repub
leans have been fully realized. We know
that business has been revived, that pro-
duction has vastly increased, and that the
earnings of labor. whether in the shop, in
the factory or in the field, have been large
ly increased. and we know that every
prophesy made by our opponents in thaS
campaign has failed. / will not burden you
with statistics showing this prosperity. 1t
is seen everywhere and all about us. 1t Is
seen in the constant employment of labor
al reasonable wages, and at constantly in
creasing wages; it is seen in the enormous
increase OF AGRICULTURAL production, with
large increase Of prices Of farm products,
whether of horses, of cattle, of hogs, or
wheat or corn. 1t is seen in the large and
constantly increasing product Of the fac
tory and the work shop, with q largely In
creased domestic demand for the products
and largely increased foreign demand as
well. 1t is seen In the enormous exports
Of agriculture and manufactures. Prosper
ity is seen everywhere in improvements in
towns. cities and country, made with this
excess of earnings. 1t is seen in the enor-
mously increased traffic of railroads, and
in the largely increased number of en-
ployes necessary to this increased traffic
Il is seen in the increased consumption Of
the necessaries and comforts of. life in our
own country 60 that in every part of our
country the people have more and largely
mere of these necessities and comforts than
they had four years ago. They have seen
large increase in our gold circulation and
in our paper circulation, made necessary by
this increased activity in trade and bust
ness In other words, wherever we turn we
see prosperity and success, where four years
ago there was adversely and depression.
Causes of the Prosperity.
j
from our legislation respecting and our ad-
ministration of public affairs. but do say
that the legislation of the last three years
and the administration of President Nc
Kinley has given opportunity and incentive
to labor and production that were not found
four years ago.
Our tariff policy revived our Industries and
gave opportunity to labor to be employed.
The fact that Mr.. Mckinley was elected.
and with him republican Congress. gave
assurance that our currency system, es- .
tablished in 1879 would continue and be
strengthened. This encouraged energy and
enterprise, which gave opportunity to labor,
and enabled those having capital to embark
In projects with assurance Of stability for
four years at least without fear that the
capital thus employed would be swept away
by the adverse legislation of Congress pro-
posed by our opponents providing for the
establishment of debased and f1uctuating
standard Of money. President Mckinley
called Congress in an extraordinary session,
the Dingley law was passed, and the clouds
soon disappeared under the industrial slim
illus Of that law. and at the last session the
currency law was passed Strengthening and
invigorating the laws already on our stat
ute books. for the preservation Of our money
standard, and making ample provision for
the convertibility of all forms of money at
the will of the holder into gold coin. so that
our paper currency. whether Of greenbacks,
silver gold certificates. or national bank
notes, shall always be kept at par, each
at par with the money in which the worlds
exchanges are made; and this cannot be
changed except by a violation of Its letter
and spirit, by its repeal. Not only have
these things been done, but also. following
naturally from these public policies we find
ourselves now with a greater per capita cir
cuation than we have ever had before,
which has been increased nearly Sc per cap
ita during the last three years.
Senator Allison then took up the discus
sion of the menace to this prosperity which
would arise in case Of the election Of Mr..
Bryan. The menace would come, he said
in the danger Of the adoption by Congress
of Mr.. Bryan's well-known views on silver
After carefully pointing out the reasons
why the adoption Of free coinage would de-
stroy prosperity. and citing Carl Schurz and
some others Of Mr.. Bryans present advo-
Gates in support of those arguments. he
proceeds to show the probability of those
Ideas being adopted by Congress. In this
connection he said:
The Free Silver Menace.
Mr.. Bryan's friends claim that he will not
carry many states, but in order to be elected
there are certain states that he must carry,
and in some of these United States senators
are to be elected There is one senator to
be elected this winter in each of the states
of Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado,