Mexico Missouri message., 1900-01-25

us. as it may do next year, this country
will be drained of its gold and times
will grow harder, and, having no ade-
quate quantity of basic money, condi-
tions will be worse than during the
panic of 1893. Therefore he is for
silver-all we can get of it by free and
unlimited coinage at 10 to l. Conse-
quently, he does not intend to permit
that issue to be side-tracked, shunted
out of the way, or overshadowed by
any other issue, and the Democratic
| politician who tries to play him that
| trick will get his neck broken off as
| short as you can break piece of glass.
If we we're right in 1896, we are right
| now, and we propose to stand by our
guns, neither asking nor giving quar-.
| ter.
AS TO PROSPERITY.
You Republicans exploit the pros
perity which you claim is universal
and enduring. 1t 10 not true. 1t is
largely fictitious and altogether spora-
die. What does it profit farmer TO
have rise of few cents bushel on
| his oats, wheat, corn, and potatoes
above the prices of the panic year OF
1898, and at the same time pay double
| and in some cases triple rates for what
he buys? You claim, Furthermore,
that this boosted prosperity has been
produced by reason of the fact that we
have been on the gold standard. This
is not true. 1t is the old and condemn
ed fallacy of "Cum hoe, ergo propter
hoe" Your logic in syllogistic form
would run in this wise: 1.-The gold
standard produces prosperity; we have
the gold standard; therefore our pros
perity was produced by the gold stand
ard. q. f. D."
To overthrow that reasoning l will
quote the ideas. if not the exact words
of a Republican authority as high and
mighty as any here, the st. Louis
Globe Democrat, the most ably con-
Quoted Republican newspaper in Amer
lea, bitter as gall in it's craftsmanship.
Not long since it had a flaming edi-
torial congratulating the Republic of
Mexico on her unprecedented prosperi-
ty. 1t was the finest and most glowing
editorial that have read in that paper
in many day.
Now, it is a fact known of all men,
that the Republic of Mexico is on the
silver standard. Consequently on the
"Cum hoe, ergo propter hoe" theory,
the syllogism would be stated thus:
"Mexico is prosperous; Mexico has the
silver standards; therefore the silver
standard produces prosperity. .. f.
D."
Let's try this method of reasoning
once more: "A bank broke in Boston
to-day; we have the gold standards
therefore the failure of the bank was
caused by the gold standard. Q. E.
D."
BY that sort of reasoning any prop
osition, however absurd, may be estab-
lished.
INDECENT HASTE.
The indecent and inexcusable haste
with which this bill is being railroaded
through must forever remain a blot
upon the history of the Republican
ma jority of the Fifty-sixth Congress-;
and you need not be surprised if in the
days to come this unseemly and out
rageous precedent arises to plague its
inventors. All summer the leaders of
the ajority have known the provi-
sions of this bill and have had months
in which to prepare their arguments.
The minority had one week day in
which to prepare for battle on bill
which revolutionizes our entire finan-
cial system.
II this had been simply an anti-sil-
yer bill, little preparation would have
been needed: but this bill goes much
further. 1t makes token money of
silver, converts $500 900, 100 of silver
coin and certificates from an asset into
Ia debt of the Government, to be re-
deemed in gold, practically retires the
greenbacks, multiplies the power of
the national banks--placing the pros
perity of 70,OO0,000 persons within
their keeping-and gives the Secretary
of the Treasury power to issue bonds
ad libitum. 1t broadens the financial
question and lifts it to the high plane
on which Andrew Jackson and the old
| Bank of the United States fought it
out more than half century ago, and
for the discussion of this momentous
question, which affects the welfare and
happiness of every man, woman and
child in the Republic and of all the
teeming millions yet to be, about
twenty-seven hours of daylight have
been permitted, that, too, without the
bill ever having been referred to or
: considered by any committee of the
/ House. Parliamentary tyranny can