People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 February 1896 — CH’M. MOTT APPEALS FOR SILVER. [ARTICLE]

CH’M. MOTT APPEALS FOR SILVER.

Voters Urged to Drop Party Affiliations and Join in the Effort to Secure Control or the Government in the Xeit Election. Washington, D. C., Feb. 16. J. J. Mott, chairman of the national committee of the silverparty, has issued the following address: “To the People: As the chairman of the national committee apoin ted by the silver conference lately assembled in Washington city to organize the silver forces in these United States, in the battle which is to take place for the possession of the government this year, it is thought proper that I should make some statement. “As the necessity of a money as a medium of exchange became revealed to the minds of men the two metals finally accepted as the most suitable for money were silver and gold. This was natural, because they were the most precious metals adapted for the purpose and were sufficiently limited in quantity. As mining has developed the fact that these two metals existed in the earth in almost certain proportions, a natural ratio of value was assumed. This ratio has continued as arranged by man under i,he natural order as he found it. It was accepted by mankind as a part of the grand plan upon which the world was to move and approved by the philosophy and common sense of all ages. “From this condition of regular order and contentment,contributing to the gradual elevation of all classes of society, the extention of civilization and the general betterment of the human race, this country and the world has been ruthlessly torn. It has been done by the rejection of one of the precious metals in the interests of greed, and by this act the money changers, have been enthroned and the narrowing of the scope of monetization begun. As monetization has been narrowed money has become scarcer in proportions, and falling prices have been the bane of this world. “It was predicted after the demonetization of silver that great suffering would follow. This suffering is already here. From a contraction of the currency we are now in the throes of one of these desperate stages of human experiences—a period of heartache, canker and sleepless nights as the foundation of prices has crumbled. Obligations resting upon the supposed firm foundation of a price in ready money have crumbled into dirt as the foundation of the price has cnjmibled. The country is confronted by a grave emergency.

“ Further theorizing is futile. The agitation of the money question must be settled by peaceful methods that will give practical results. Long patient and dispassionate reflection has convinced me that an independent American financial system is absolutely necessary to the restoration of national prosperity, and the establishment of commercial conditions in'this country that will give the common people—the agricultural and laboring classes—an equal show with capital and concentrated wealth. How can .it be effected? Can it be done through either the republican or democratic parties as now constituted? No. Both organizations are under the blighting influence of the eastern money power. The record of every national convention of both parties for years is plain proof of the assertion. The legislation of both parties in congress is proof that it is impossible as a party question. “What, then, is to be done? As patriots—as Americans who are for America against the world—what is our first and controlling duty in this Shall we longer heed the false premises of party-platform declarations? Shall we longer submit to the academic discussions of what bimetallism means? Shall it be another campaign of straddling and equivocation? , Or shall the issue be squarely on the free coinage of silver and gold, and a president elected who represents the people on that great question? “The first step —the essential preliminary to the correction of present abuses, the re-estab-lishment of national prosperity and the maintenance of our national credit—is the election of a president whose Andrew Jackson cuurage and inflexible integrity will defy the influences that prostitute presidents and cabinets and make administration of the government a subject of humiliation and reproach. “Strong in character and intention as may be the standard-bearer of the republican or democratic party in the coming campaign, it will hardly be possible for him to rise aboye influen ces that secured his nomination or the environments that must surround him in tne event of his election. The one hope of the people lam convinced is in the election of a president pleged, unc mditionally and unreservedly to the free and unlimited coinage of silver and gold, the same as from the foundation of our government, until 1873. Apd also unconditionally pledged in favor of a national Currency without thfe intervention

of banks of issue and against the issuance of in-terest-bearing bonds in time of peace for any purpose whatever. “I appeal not only to republicans in my own state who can appreciate the sacrifice I make in renouncing party obligations on this question in advance of party action in the premises, but to the people throughout the country without regard to party, to cooperate in this great non-pra-tisan. patriotic American movement to "sustain the industrial and financial independence of the United States in the pending irrepressible con- . flict. “This sentiment influences me to accept the chairmanship of the national silver party. I shall give to this movement my best services and thought, and successful or otherwise, I shall re-

alize the satisfaction of having done rny uuty to the people and the country as I understand it. “In thy own state f confidently appeal to the rank and file of both parties to support my efforts. North Carolina is an agricultural state, and ninetenths of its people a retiree tly ard disastrously affected by the operation of the single gold standard. I appeal to them to lay aside party feelings, ignore party obligations on this social question, disregard party appeals, forget the exasperations of past party contention and spurn the offer of place and emoluments. “We have the example and experience of the last campaign in North Carolina to show the practicability and safety of men of different parties cooperating to carry out a great measure essential to the welfare of the people, where neith-

er of the parties favoring it could effect it alone. That was a cooperation on one issue, the issue of fair elections. It is now arranged to extend such a plan through all the states on another vital issue of even greater importance-to this country. No one party can do this, but, a majority of the people in all parties want it done, and they can do it if they will cooperate. “The peril that menances the people in the election of a president whose administraton of the government means a perpetuation of the financial system can only be averted by the people themselves. It may be too late four years hence. Present abnormal conditions do not warrant belief in the peaceful submission of the people to further oppression and impoverishment. The gold gamblers may deride the popular ebullition as a system of harmless socialism, but if they are wise they will heed the admonition and not persist in their greed of accumulation at the expense of the toiling and suffering people. The plain patriotic duty of every American who loves and honors his country, who would jealously guard its institutions, who would die for the principles that have made it the greatest, the richest, the proudest, the most independent nation on the face of the globe, is to assert his manhood and subordinate party success to the country's welfare in the impending contlict. “Let us have this money metal restored and in the proportion found in nature’s storehouse and as it existed in Washington’s time, when the flag and the constitution were fresh and God seemed to speak t® the people from an open book.

“The people are enraged and justly so. Must they say at last to these leaders: Lo these many years have we sent you after silver and you have returned to us without it; you are unprofitable servants and have led us through the bog and quagmire- of disappointment. “The men who blazed the way to the silver conference did well. The people see the citadel of their liberties and are ready for the battle. The philistines are at our doors. To your tents, oh Israel.”