The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1904-10-25
WHY DEMOCRATS
OF 1896 AND 1900
SHOULD SUPPORT PARKER AND
DAVIS.
Extracts From Article by William Jen-
ninss Bryan in the Saturday
Evening Post.
(The Saturday Evening Post.)

(The Saturday Evening Post)
In response to the request of The
Saturday Eveping Post, I beg to sub
NIT the following reasons why Parker
and Davis should this year receive
the support of those Democrats who |
supported the party candidates in
1S9 6and 1900.
In 1896 the money question was de-
clared by the Democrats to be the para
mount issue, and the party announced
its unalterable opposition to the gold
standard and its advocacy of the re-
storation Of bimetalism at the existing
legal ratio Of sixteen to one. The Re-
publican party, though not admitting
the money question to be paramount, |
pledged itself to assist in restoring BIZ |
metalism by international agreement, |
but insisted upon the maintenance of
the gold standard until such agree
ment should be secured. The election
resulted in victory for the Republi-
can party, and. in pursuance of its
party's promise, the administration i'm
mediately sent commission to Europe
to secure international co-opertion
and the abandonment of the gold
standard, congress appropriating
100000 to pay the expenses of the
commission. The commission was
composed of ex-Vice President Adlai
Stevenson, Senator Edward o. VOL
colt, of Colorado, and Mr.. Payne, of
Massachusetts. There is no doubt that
these gentlemen, though unsuccessful
in their mission, earnestly endeavored
to carry out their instructions and Sc
but Senator Wolcott complained upon
his return that their work had been
hindered and embarrassed by the ut
terances of Secretary Gage, the new
head of the treasury department, who
gave out interviews in favor of the
gold standard while the commission
was trying to secure bimetalism.
Unless the administration was in
sincere in the appointment of the
commission we must conclude that the
gold standard was unsatisfactory, for
had 1t been satisfactory no attempt
would have been made to replace it
with international bimetalism The
promise to promote an inter
national agreement, together with
the steps taken to fulfill that
promise, must be accepted as an ad-
mission that the Democrets were right
in condemning the gold standard, al
though a majority of the voters pre-
ferred international bimetalism to in
dependent bimetalism.
The failure of the commission to en-
list the aid of other nations in behalf
of the double standard would have re-
acted in favor of independent bimet-
alism and strengthened the Democrat
ic position but for the unexpected in
crease in the gold supply. This has
been so considerable as to check the
fall in prices and, to some extent, to
raise the level of prices. Just how far
the higher price level has been due
to an enlarged volume of money and
how much to the wars in Cuba. the
Philippines, South Africa and later in
Russia, no one can accurately deter
mine; but it Is certain that the in-
creased production of gold has brought
in part the benefits which bimetalists
expected from the restoration of sill
yer. While the quantitative theory
of money, for which bimetalists con-
tended in 1896, has been vindicated,
still the political advantage of the vim
dication has accrued to the advocates
of the gold standard, because with
higher prices the main argument in
favor of bimetalism has been answered,
or rather the necessity for bimetalsm
has decreased as gold has become
more plentiful.
The Democrats fought the cam
paign of 1900 mainly upon the ques-
ton of Imperialism, while the Repub-
licans denied that their party had any
imperialistic intent, and openly ad-
vocating the gold standard, sought to
use the money question: as a scare to
hold the business interests in line. It
was little inconsistent for the Re-
publican party, which favored inter
national bimetalism in 1896 to be so
enthusiastic for the gold standard in
1900, but the argument had its effect
more effect probably than it would
have had il the Democrats had given
more time to the discussion of the
money question.
If Judge Parker does nothing more
than terminate Imperialism and rid the
country of the virus of monarchy con-
tanned in colonialism he will justify
the support of all who supported me
in 1896 and in 1900. Walpole said dur
ing the Revolution that England could
not maintain her position in that war
without asserting principles which, if
carried out, would destroy English
liberty as we'll as American liberty;
and SO. today. Republicans can not
dafand tho adminiSt ratinn'S npIicy A.,