Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 October 1892 — VORHEES ON SILVER. [ARTICLE]

VORHEES ON SILVER.

What the Democratic National Platform Says and Means —Earnest Words Addressed to Advocates of Free Silver. I have no trouble this year as a Demo crat. and in line with my party, on the subject of silver money. My position ii regard to the coinage and use of silver is well known, and has undergone nt change. It is the money of Jefferson and the fathers, and it is not now ii the slightest danger of being driven from its proper place as an honored branch of the currency of the United States. In 1873 the leaders of the Republican party undertook to secretlj stab it to death, and succeeded in mak ing it the legal tender for no more that the sum of $5. This was its humiliated condition when I entered the senate in November, 1877, and my first speech ii that body was in favor of its restoration to its former dignity, equality and fret coinage. From that time to this, in one form or another, the contest has con tinned, until now it is beyond dispute that silver has a substantial victory. Silver money in the shape of standard silver dollars, subsidiary coins and silvei certificates is now in circulation in this country as full legal tender, and at pai with gold, to the extent of $445,346,805. It is met with everywhere, in every branch of business, and at every hour in the day. It buys the same that gold buys, dollar for dollar, and the man who says it is not honest money is himseli simply dishonest or very ignorant. 1 think the friends of silver have done wonderfully well, and need not be much disturbed on the subject, at least for the present, when we are threatened with absolute slavery on the other issues mentioned. But let us see further, whether the position of the Democratic party as declared at Chicago on the money question is such as to cause any friend of silver to feel ill at ease this year, or to'look around for a third party in which to take refuge without the slightest chance or even hope of accomplishing anything there. You have all read our national platform, but the following sentence can not be read toe often or studied too carefully: We hold to the use of both gold and silver as the standard money of the country and to the coinage of both gold and silvei without discriminating against either metal or charge for mintage, but the dollai unit of coinage of both metals must be ol equal intrinsic and exchangeable value oi be adjusted through international agreement or by such safeguards of legislation as shall insure the maintenance of the parity of the two metals and the equal power of every dollar at all times in the markets and in the payment of debts, and we demand that all paper currency shall be kept at par with and redeemable in such coin.

This plank of the platform declares squarely and unequivocally that both gold and silver shall be our standard money; that no discrimination shall be made between the two metals in their coinage, one being as free for coinage at the mint as the other. The only condition attached to this declared equality between the metals is that one dollar shall be as food as another when putin circulation. can and do stand with both feet on this declaration of the platform. It is all I have ever looked for or wanted. No one but the counterfeiter wants money of different values in circulation. Silver never did and never will circulate in its debt paying, exchangeable value, or purchasing power, a farthing below gold. It is the peer of gold now in every transaction in the United States and it will remain so. If in this connection you ask me as tq Mr. Cleveland’s position on the silver question I only need answer that he stands as I do on the platform, and that the whole civilized world knows him to be an honest man. If elected in November next, as I believe and pray he will be, he will be true and faithful to the principles embodied in the platform on which he succeeds. During all of his great and noble administration there were coined each month by law $2,500,000 of silver. The coinage of silver now in Harrison’s administration is wholly discontinued by virtue of the Sherman silver enactment, which was a fraud from the beginning, and intended as such. Let no Democrat be misled by the silver issue. This is the best year I ever knew in which to stand firm. The monstrous dangers which menace free government itself demand that the old guard shall close up and go into battle once more shoulder to shoulder. This done, and victory is certain.