Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1900-10-11
What the Nebraskan Threatened
to Do in His Campaign
Speeches of 1896.
The Issue Now as It Was Then,
Prosperity and National
Honor.
Attack on tho Gold STANDARD and Def
ance of the Supreme
Court.

Secretary Gage has shown clearly
che power which Bryan might use as
president to nullify the gold standard
Law. If SO disposed. Mr.. Bryan has
pledged himself In public speeches to
use every power. regular and irreg-
ular. direct and indirect, to force the
country upon q silver basis. If he is
elected president.
Bryan gives IN his book the full text
of his speech in the campaign of 1896
70 the business men of Chicago. In the
report of this speech, since cody and
deliberately embodied In his book, on
page 5S7, he says:
And then 1 propose that we shall
say to our foreign creditors that we in
tend to pay our coin obligations in
either gold or silver. 1 propose that
we shall say to them: Gentlemen. if
you conspire to make that silver dol
lar less than the gold dollar. we shall
pay you In that silver dollar.
Bryan proposed a policy which was
TO be followed, not because of any
supposed benefit TO the country, but
solely to secure revenge upon the for
eign bondholder. He did not stop 10
consider the question Of saving on
the limb on which the country II sit
ting and starting It down toward a sill
yer basis by paying interest in silver.
In view OF Mr.. Bryan's threat TO
have it out with the bondholders IL il
significant to know that the threat Of
striking them over the shoulders of
labor and industry was not confined to
one speech or one occasion. Many
times in the campaign he reiterated his
termination to resort to extreme and
even circuitous and irregular measures
20 attack the gold standard. Thus in
his speech at Philadelphia (report on
page ATT Of his book he boldly de-
clared:
II have said that II there was any
the gold standard absolutely essential.
he ought not 70 vote for me at all II
/ can preventive maintenance Of the
gold standard, you can rely upon me
doing 1t upon the very first opportunity
that the people win give me-
1t was no mere slip OF the tongue
which caused Mr.. Bryan TO speak OF
attacking the gold standard by irreg-
ular and extra-legal means In an ex-
speech made at Ottumwa,
Ia, where he spoke of "the people tax
Ing the reins In their own hands," he
said also (page 500 of his book):
If I have behind me the hearts, a.
well as the votes, of the American peo-
pie. you may depend upon 1t that no |
power in this country or any other |
nation will prevent the opening Of our |
hints to the free coinage of silver ON
equal terms with gold and at the pres
mt ratio"
A moment later in that same speech
lie spoke OF the people waiting until
"a thence was exhausted. then arous-
ng themselves and taking the reins
# government into their own hands
course transcending the law and ap-
'ealing to the forces of revolution.
The full Significance of these utter
lnces is only to be understood when
hey are considered in the light of the
still earlier and more formal one made
1T Madison Square Organs book page
20) where he said:
4 shall always refuse to apologize
'or the exercise of the right to dissent
rom a decision of the supreme court"
These are revolutionary doctrines,
,ne and all. There is no lawful or con
\
ing from 1.-The hearts of the people" as
from their ballots. 1t
.akes three-fourth's vote to amend
the constitution. Equally certain is it
that holders of our bonds cannot be
Disseminated against and paid In a
appreciated coinage. The supreme
court would be bound to prevent any
such action. Bryan. of course. knew
that and hence the significance of his
threat and warning to that tribunal.
Mr.. Bryan knew as well in 1896 as he |
does now that some able lawyers have
claimed that. as a matter
Of mere legal duty. the supreme court
would be compelled to declare against
p change in the obligations of con-
tracts from a gold standard to a silver |
basis Bryan, of course. denies that, |
but is not content to stop there. He
plainly means to dissent from the de-
cisions of the supreme court" not only
IN that instance, but in many others
where that tribunal might feel bound
10 uphold the gold standard and the
of the law. as against the
Invocation of irregular and unauthor
lied powers derived from the hearts
Of the people" and not from ballots
last in accordance with the constitu-
ton and the laws.
1t would no doubt be dangerous for
Bryan TO nulHfy the gold standard law
by paying the interest on bonds in sill
yer, but he would have TO belle his own