The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-07-19
FREE SILVER is DEAD.
Bryan Says Increased Production of
Gold has Solved Money Problem.

London, July 12.-WIlliam ]. Bry-
an, twice a candidate for the presi-
dency OF the United States on free
silver" platform and now for the third
time mentioned as a presidential pos
sibility, today formally deserted the
cause of 10 to 1. In public in
te-view the man who leu his party
through the first battle and then
through the second, even remaining
loyal to the standard in the face OF
che Kisses of the last national Demo
cratic convention, today admitted
that the cause was dead
Mr.. Bryan made it clear that he
did not intend that the free silver"
fanaticism should stand in the way OF
his present boom But he deserted
the cause of bime tallism gently, de-
claring that millions of people had
never understood how conservative
and sane the advocacy of free silver"
really had been and that be aban-
doned it now because the increased
production of gold had changed the
situation. Mr.. Bryan hastily followed
this by explaining that he had not
grown into conservative, but was in
fact more of a radical than in 1896.
He then touched on the next Demo
cratic platform, which he thought
would be so plain that no one can
mistake it."
Il notice that l am now described
by some as a conservative" said Mr..
Bryan, sand in order that there may
be an understanding on that subject
permit me to say that in one sense
/ always have been conservative.
The Democratic policies are conser-
ivative in that they embody old prin-
ciples applied to new conditions.
There was roshing new in principle
in either of the platforms on which ]
stood. We were accused of attacking
property when in fact the Democratic
party is the defender of property be-
cause it endeavors to draw the line
between honest accumulation by hon
est methods on the one side and pre-
datory wealth and immoral methods
On the other.
1t is to the interest of very hon
est man that dishonesty should be
exposed and punished; otherwise the
deserving are apt to suffer for the UNI
deserving. If, however, by the word
conservative they mean that | have
changed my position on any public
question or moderated my opposition
~ corporate ACKNOWLEDGEMENT they
have a surprise waiting for them. !
am more radical than | was in 1896
and have nothing to Withdraw on
economical questions which are un-
der discussion
"The only question we discussed
in 1886 upon which there has been
any apparent change is the silver
question, and that has not been
change in the advocates of bimetall-
ism but in conditions. We contended
for more money and urged the free
coinage of silver as the olny means
then ~ sight for securing it. The in
creased productionof gold has brought
in part the benefit we expected to SCI
cure from the restoration of silver
The per capita volume of money in
the Unitsd States is almost so per
cent greater now than it was in 1896
and the benefits brought by this in
crease have not only vindicate1 the
qrantitive theory of money but have
proven the benefits of the larger
amount of money. No advocate of
the gold standard can claim the tri-
umph of his logic.
Il believe in bimetallism and 1 be-
1ieve that the restoration of silver
would bring still further pro- sity,
besides restoring par in exch : be-
tween gold and silver using e,,..ntries;
but recognize, as do all other bimet-
allists whom / have met abroad, that
the unexpected and unprecedented in
crease IN gold production has for the
present removed the silver question
as an issue
while the money question has
waned in importance other questions
have been forging to the front, and
to these questions we must apply
the same principles we applied to the
money question and seek to secure
the greatest good to the greatest
number by legislation which ;on-
forms to the doctrine of equal rights
for all and special privileges for none.
Smashed the Machines.