The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-08-04
Republican Brag,..

Ss In a speech OF acceptance Il yesterday
4 Senator Charles w. Fairbanks s r epubli-5
can nominee for the ce-prcsidency,
Y complimented the Republican party on
u Its Sound money record, saying that
b IL had never rendered. a more important
service to the country than when it es-
tablsIied the gold standard, and again
that }''the enemies of sound money were
powerful enough to suppress mention
OF the gold standard In the platform late
IL adopted by the Democratic National
Convention" 3
In view Of that statement and in view
of the Fluctuations on this subject Of
President Roosevelt and Mr.. Cannon, It
Il seems to US timely and proper 4 % review
in brief the record Of the Republican
party on the money question; to show
how for years that party dickered with
the money question and trifled with the
public credit: 10 chow how and when
II became Sound money party; to
show how il backed and filled and lodged
on the free silver question: TO remind
r..the public that the party was afraid to
Il declare for the gold standard until 1t
met in convention III 1901 3s:
.4s,$ For many years after the close Of the
war the Republican party failed to make
good the promise OF the legal tender
notes, which were outstanding. and 1t
was called TO account and bitterly de-
nounced by the Democratic convention
Of 1876 for its financial imbeclity and
! immortality III aaaAtns no advance toward
resumption ;.t,d mo preparation for re-
sumption, 3, Samuel j. ,rilden, Democratic
nominee for the presidency in his letter
of acceptance also took the Republican
party to5task, showing that the coin in
5l3fhc treasury had on the S0th Of June,
So 1915 fallen TO less than $45,0000oo, as
r Tigainst $4,000, 900 on the 1st of January,
i1S76 and that the availability of part
z of that sum was said TO be questionable.
He also said that the royenues were
{ falling faster than appropriations, anar
Il Expenditures were reduced leaving the
treasury with diminishing resources. Mr.
Tilden warned the voters that a debtor
Who should promise to pay loan out of
surplus income, yet should be seen every
day spending All he could lay his hands
on In riotous living would lose all char
acter for honesty and vcracitY, and that
his credit would grow worse and worse.
II was tho Democratic party which de-
manded specie resumption, and the pre-
servation OF the public credit. and ii was
Samuel j. Tilden who suggested the
means Of accomplishing both objects HIS
plan was "a central reservoir of coin
adequate TO the adjustment Of the tenn
porary fluctuations OF international
balances and as a guarantee gainst tram
sient drains artifcially crepted by manic
or speculation" IT was Samuel j. ylden,
who then and there suggested large
gold reserve which should always be held
4 sacred and intact Treasurer John sher-
t-s man caught the idea and carried IT out,
a but the idea was Tilden's, However, Id
Is have shown, there was no gold reserve
fund. when tho government was not re-
rs deemtng Its notes In coin. when the
3 credit of the government was disgraceful
10 a nation Ike ours. when there 'was by
reason sof this condition distressful I'm.
certainty In trade circles What did tht
q Republicans dog Silver had, been ,'de
~ inonetizedn in 1873 and there was de
nand for tho restoration OF free coinage
Mr.. Bland offered a biz in the House
and A waa passed providing for III
coinage OF oliver onsthe same terms 3
gold at the ratio OF i6 TO 4, the existin
market ratio being at that Tins IS I
The bill went TO The Senate, and o
motion OF Mr. Allison Repuhlicsn1 wa
amended SO as to provide that the GOV
eminent should buy not more tina
81, 10000 nor less than 100000 worth Z
silver bullion each month. and that III
Il silver dollars thus coined should be fu