People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 August 1893 — THEY WANT FREE COINAGE. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THEY WANT FREE COINAGE.

Over 800 Delegate* in Attendance at th* Silver Convention in Chicago-Allan W. Thurman Elected Chairman Several Addresses Made. Chicago, Aug. 2.—Gen. A. J. Warner called the silver convention to order in i the First Methodist church at 11:30 a. m. Tuesday. The auditorium was well filled, a large number of delegates represent ing many states being present The only credentials required of any man as to his right to set as a delegate was an unqualified belief in the free coinage of silver. • After Gen. Warner had secured order, he invited Mayor Harrison, who made

an address welcoming the delegates to Chicago as citizens bent on the improv em e n t of our common country. He asked the convention to deliberate well to put the money of our fathers,

gold and silver, side by side. Thomas Patterson, of Colorado, responded to the mayor’s address on behalf of the silver people. j Gen. A. J. Warner read a report from , the Bi-metalic league, and followed it with a brief address. After the appointment of various committees a recess was taken Until 2:30 p. m. Tiie committee on permanent organization met immediately after the adjournment of the morning session and decided that future sessions should be held in Central Music hall. Accordingly it was there that the delegates assembled at 2:30 p. m., and, after being called to order, the following •were recommended as the permanent officers of the convention: Chirman, Allen W. Thurman, of Ohio; secretary, Joseph 11. Hutchinson, of Colorado; assistant secretaries, Lee Crandall, of Washington, D. C., and Amos W. Simpson, of Illinois. The officers were unanimously elected. Champion S. Chase, of Nebraska, was ' appointed sergeant-at-arms, with power to select assistants.

The committee on resolutions was announced as follows: | Arizona, J, M Murphy: Alabama, J. C. Manning; California, Daniel M. Burns; Connecti1 cut, C. B. Whitcomb; Colorado, Thomas M. Patterson: District of Columbia, Lee Crandall; | Georgia, Henry Jones; Florida. J. McAllister; ; Indiana, M. C. Rankin,; Idaho, G. B. Bryan; Illi- ' nois, Benjamin Goodhue; lowa, C. C. Cole; , Kansas, Harrison Kelly; Nevada, H F. BarI tine; Massachusetts, C. F. Washburn; Monj tana, E. B. Matts; Michigan, Benjamin Col- ! vin; Minnesota, Ignatius Donnelly; Missouri, 1 E. F. Hines; Maryland, H. C. Saffell; New i Mexico, Hiram Hadley; New York, H. Alden ! Spencer; Nebraska, W. J. Bryan; North CarI olina, James H. Stanton: North DakoI ta, William H. Standish; South DakoI ta, C. A. Tripp; Pennsylvania, John M. I Davis; Ohio, George A. Grubb; Utah, C, C. I Goodwin; Texas, J. H. Reagan; Tennessee, J. i C. Roberts: Virginia, I. L. Johnson; Washington, Patrick Clark: Wisconsin, Robert Schill- ' ing: Wyoming, Joel J. Hunt; Oklahoma, C. W , Smith. I Mr. Washburn, of Massachusetts, i chairman of the committee on creden- ; tials, made a report as follows: Total number of states represented, 42; total j number of delegates, 810. Allan TV. Thurman, the permanent chairman, was escorted to the platform and introduced, lie began his address ■ coldly, but before he was through he had the delegates howling. During the ( course of his remarks he said: “Should the Sherman law be repealed with- ; out substituting anything in lieu thereof it means the final destruction of silver money as i a measure of value, and no man can. tell when it will ever be restored to its former i place. No matter what may be said to the | -contrary this means for years and years to come its reduction to token money, after ) which the issue resolves itself down simply , to the question whether the paper money 1 of the country is to be Issued by bank ; ing corporations upon the debts of the peoI pie, 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 vhich the amount of circulating medium required by the people of the country can safely rest" Mr. Thurman did not believe any circulation basis upon debts could be so sound as one based upon gold and silver. He thought that inflation and contraction of the currency could not be prevented unless Its volume were regulated by the output of the precious metals It was asserted that unless the country agreed to the perpetuation of : the national debt the national banks would have to come to a basis of gold and silver or some kind of corporate security. In the latter case inflation ebuld not be prevented. The speaker said he wanted a money having the ! stability of value, and denied that gold alone i possessed that virtue. The following plan was suggested foi*the consideration of the convention : u “First, let our adversaries agree to the free coinage of silver at either the ratio of 1554 or 16 to 1. I prefer the former. If they do we will agree to the unconditioned repeal of the Sherman law. Next, amend the national banking laws to permit any national bank to issue its notes up to the face value of 100 per cent, upon the deposits of 90 per cent with the United States treasury in either United States gold or silver coin other than subsidiary silver. Fur ther amend by repealing the tax on national bank circulation. It must be perfectly apparent to those who control the national banks of this country that their very existence depends upon a wise solution of this question, and that in any event they cannot bring about the repeal of the Sherman law and get the people to consent to the issue of more bonds without a long and desperate struggle, during which time all industries will continue to remain paralyzed. luCt them meet us in a spirit of fairness, and upon equal ground enter with us upon the development of some such plan as the one suggested.” After a speech by Ignatius Donnelly, of Minnesota, a recess was taken until 8 p. m. The evening meeting was more for the purpose of educating the people. Addresses were made by Senator Stewart, of Nevada, Congressman Bryan, of Nebraska, and by Gen. James B. Weaver. Mr. Thurman presided.

ALLAN W. THURMAN.