Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 August 1893 — FOR FREE COINAGE. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FOR FREE COINAGE.

SILVER MEN FROM FORTY-TWO STATES MEET. they Declare for the Restoration of the White Metal to Its Place as Part of the Money of the Nation—Eight Hundred and Ten Delegates In Attendance. Demands Made by the West. Chicago Speolal: The attendance at the National Silver Convention which met in Chicago was larger than that of any previous assembly of like character in the history of financial agitation. The army of delegates assembled overcrowded the First Methodist Church auditorium an hour before the meeting was oalled to order, and it was early apparent that a larger hall would have to be sought for future sessions. Eight hundred and ten delegates from forty-two States and Territories, representing all political parties and every shade of political belief, rallied to discuss silver. It was an enthusiasts body of men. They had met for a single purpose, and they kept that purpose steadily in mind. A grave crisis, as they viewed it, had called them together. When Chairman Warner of the Bimetallio League called the. convention to order, scores of delegates were obliged to stand in the aisles, but all took the inconvenience good naturedly,

as the convention was so largely attended. After a few opening words, Chairman Warner introduced Mayor Harrison of Chicago, who welcomed the delegates to the city. Among other things he said; In almost prehistorlo times wo know that gold and silver were the money metals of the world. Oold is found in pockets, it is the fruit of chance, but silver is worked out of the rocks by hard, methodical, inevitable labor. They say that those who believe in bimetallism are crazy. If the aot of 187!) could bo blotted from the annals of American political action, I believe that silver would he worth 121) cents an onnee. Be wise in your deliberations, but be fearless. Congress is about to meet. Give the benefit of yonr deUberations to Congress, and tell Grover Cleveland what the people of the United States want. I weloome you all. Thomas M. Patterson, in responding to Mayor Harrison’s address, said: I know that the Mayor of Chicago Is heart and soul in the cause. Chicago is not a “goldbug" city. Those who so assert know only the opinions of the bankers of this city. The bimetallists are the conservative element of the country. They oallns lunatics; crazy lunatlos. Do we ask for anything new? All wo ask for is that the law of 17tf2, the law framed by Alexander Hamilton, the law approved by George Washington, shall be restored to tho statute books without blotting out a letter or the omission of a line. When-the Chicago Clearing House Association hankers meet, let them recall that it Is not the tariff measure that adds to the circulating medium of the country, hut that it is thotr policy that has strnok down silver and has paused those who have lost part of their money to fear for the remainder and to withdraw it from circulation. Gen. Warner Makes His Address. Gen. Warner called Judge Miller, of Illinois, to the chair while he delivered his address as President of tho Bimetallio League. The address was an exhaustive discussion of the causes of the present financial depression, tracing them directly to the demonetization of silver in 1873, which he characterized as a crime. By it the money of the world had been decreased onehalf, thereby reducing the value of everything but the evidences of debt.

(These it had enhanced. During the course of his remarks he said: How the United States could ever have been 6d snared into snch a plot aB that of 1873 I cannot understand. My only explanation of it is that they were taken unawares. Nobody at that time knew that Ihe Sherman act demonetized silver. The .President did not know, the Senate didn’t know it, the presiding officer didn't know it—there was only one man who knew it, and he has not been hanged or Indicted for treason. If ever a sepulcher stalked abroad it is the perpetrator of that measure. That act will be known In history as “the crime of 1873.' Let the names of those who are connected with It rot In oblivion. The compromise we offer is to pnt ns back under the laws that obtained prior to 1873. At the close of Gen. Warner's speech the delegates jumped up in their seats and gave three wild hurrahs for him. A committee on credentials was then appointed, consisting of one member from each State. On motion of exCongressman Symes, of Colorado, “the Chairman was authorized to appoint a committee of five on permanent organization. As this committee, the Chairman named Symes of Colorado, Reagan of Texas. Washburn of Massachusetts, and Fullinwider of Illinois. A committee consisting of one delegate from each State was authorized to be appointed on rules and order of business, this appointment to be made by the various State and Territorial delegations. The Committee on Permanent Organization was also authorized to select a larger hall in which to hold the sessions of the convention. The convention then adjourned until 2:30 p. m. The afternoon session was held at Central Music Hall. The various State delegations filled the entire lower floor. Colorado, with its big delegation, took up a portion in front and to the left oi ine stage. Immediately back of ®Colorado sat the Nebraska men, and behind them a goodly number from California. lowa and New Mexico sat side by side to the right in front. Back of them Illinois’ big delegation kept up Its quarrel during most of the meeting. Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Washington had to find seats back of the rafllti|.

The committee on permanent organization reported commending Allen W. Thurman, of Ohio, eon of the “Old Roman," as permanent Chairman of the convention. The report was ratified by a unanimous vote, and Chairman Thurman, being introduced by the-re-

tiring Chairman, was recoivod with great applause, and spoke in substance as follows; Mb. Chaibman and Gentlemen or the Convention— The tlpht -between those who believe that the circulating medium of this country should be hard money—that is, real money, gold and silver, and paper redeemable in the same—and those who believe in the use

of soft money—that is, paper promises to pay money, redeemable in other promises to pay—is on. Binoe the late demand in the East to have the Government issuo bomlH, and the ory that is now mado for the unconditional ropeal of the Sherman law. charging It, rogardless of facts, with all the ills that flesh is heir to, ought to make it perfectly apparent to every thinking man. that should thefthemNUi law be repealed without substituting anything in lieu thereof, it means the fluakdestructlon of silver money as a measure of valuo, and no man can tell when it will evor be again restored to its former place. No matter what may bo said to the contrary, this means, for years and years to come, its reduction to token money, after which the issue resolvos Itself down simply to tho question whether paper money of the country is to be Issued by banking corporations upon the debts of the people or upon other kinds of corporate securities, or whether it Is to rest upon the broad and safe basis of gold and silver. This is so because gold alone certainly cannot afford a sufficient basis upon whioh the amount of circulating medium rc-

qnlred by the people of this country can safely rest. T. V. Powderly, the labor leader, was called upon to spoak. Mr. Powderly said he was here to represent labor. “Being an Amorican, I believe we are capable of managing our own affairs and making our own currency without heeding any demands from across the water,” said he. "Governor Waite has been criticised because he referred to the people across the water. Ho was right. If there ever was a time when there was need of cool and calm deliberation now is the time. The entire membership of the Knights of Labor stand a unit on the question, and they are in favor of free and unlimited coinage of silver at the ratio to gold of 10 to 1.

Ignatius Donnelly kept the delegates applauding for an hour. He said in part: “This is the most significant event of our era. It is the people rising to the occasion of a groat calamity. We are in the midst of the most anomalous condition ever seen on earth. Our country is stored with every treasure that can make us rich—a most fertile soil, an industrious people, la-bor-sax ing inventions. And yet, with all these elements, we are staggering into universal bankruptcy.” After the close of Mr. Donnelly’s speech the convention adjourned until 8 o’clock. Free Coinage Rwolutlons. The Committee on Resolutions, at the night meeting, practically determined upon a report, the nature of which was outlined in the speech of Congressman Bryan at Central Music Hall. It was agreed to ignore all questions with the exception of that of money, and to demand free coinage and the remonetization of silver. Ex-Senator Reagan, of Texas, was made chairman, and Robert Schilling, of Wisconsin, secretary. A sub-committee consisting of Senator Reagan, Congressman Bryan of Ne-

braska, ex-Congrossman Bartine of Nevada, Ignatius Donnelly, George Washburn of Massachusetts, Thomas Patterson of Colorado, and ..Mr* Manning of Alabama was selected to draft the resolutions and report to the general committee at 9 o’clock the following morning. An order of Secretary Smith reversing the practice of Pension Commissioner Raum in disability oases is found to be in lino with a previous decision of Assistant Secretary Bussey. In attempting to release his impounded cows near Louisville, Edwin Graham shot Marshal A. J. Blunt and was in turn killed by the officer. The steamer Dorset arrived at New York from South American ports and reports that five of her crew died on the voyage of yellow fever. Cherokee Indians are threatened with destitution.

GENERAL WARNER.

THE CONVENTION IN SESSION AT CENTRAL MUSIC HALL.

CHAIRMAN A. W. THURMAN.

R. P. BLAND

GEN. WEAVER

GOV. WAITE.

SENATOR PEFFER.