The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-09-20
CHASE 6 MAXWELL,
Room E. Street Floo-. tisllsr Bldg.

II. BENTON. of Missouri. old Bullion
sought To adopt q law for the coinage OF
silver and gold which would secure their
concurrent use. How did they so about
IL? Did they adopt some ration pre-
scribed by political conventions? No.
They did as their great predecessors had
done: they went into the markets of the
world. there TO find what the market ratio
was between silver and gold. They found
that ratio 10 be i6 to /. Then II became
the lawful ratio at the minis With What
result? With all of their care. and their
ability, they undervalued silver and silver
avoided the mints just as gold had done
before Can Mr. Bryan today, my coun-
trymen-let us address this great question
TO ourselves serionsly~-can Mr. Bryan to-
day accomplish what Thomas Jefferson
and Alexander Hamilton were unable to
accomplish Can he accomplish what
Jackson and Thomas II, Benton We're un-
able TO accomplish Can he accomplish
what no other statesman in all time
could accomplish; that is. the enforced
OF rs TO 1, when their market ratio is "a TO
/? No, my friends. Let us not follow
false leader We are on the highway to
progress and to prosperity; let us not go
back Mr.. Bryan is undoubtedly q gifted
man. He is undoubtedly man of capaci-
ty-at least in the opinion OF some very
excellent people. was told once. as an
illustration of the faith he had in his
star Of destiny, that as. a young lawyer
his ordinary form OF oath was this:
:" You do solemnly swear, before me
and Almighty God. that this statement is
true. Great laughter and applause)
No. we can make no mistake. We have
the light of past experience to guide our
feet with respect 10 this great question.
The gold standard Is the acknowledged
standard OF the greatest nations upon this
earth.
Secretary Gage, one of the abiest sec
retaries Of the treasury that we have had
since the days of Alexander Hamilton
(applause) has well pointed out to the
American people the peril to our interests
that would follow the election of Mr.,
Bryan and the appointment of Populist
as secretary Of the treasury of the United
States. As you know many of the gov
ernment obligations are payable In coin:
that is, in silver or gold. at the option Of
the secretary of the treasury. One mill
lion five hundred thousand dollars day
are paid out upon the current obligations
of the government. These may be paid.
according to the secretary, in silver.
The announcement OF the treasury
department. says Secretary Gage. of its
purpose 10 pay silver IN settlement OF all
interest on the public debt not specially
payable in gold. and TO make the daily
disbursements to Its creditors In silver,
least, very largely diminish payments In
gold, and correspondingly increase the
payments iyo the treasury OF silver ana
silver certificates. It therefore may be
anticipated that with good deal Of
perverse ingenuity. the time would come.
at no distant day when all the revenues
of the government would be paid TO II
In silver dollars or silver certificates. and
all the disbursements made by II would
be made In silver dollars or silver GER
tihcates. There would be thus established
a circulation of silver out OF the treasury
into tho hands Of the people, from the
people into the banks. from, the banks
into the custom houses and into the hapds
of the collectors OF Internal revenue.
Under the adverse influence OF this con-
dition upon general business affairs bust.