People's Pilot, Volume 6, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 July 1896 — YIELDS TO JOHN BULL [ARTICLE]

YIELDS TO JOHN BULL

REPUBLICAN PLATFORM AN UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER. Condemn, tbo Prrteot A<lministration — Hot Adopts a Platform Which Declares for • Continuance of the Pro,* out Infamous Financial Policy —Cowardice and Treason. The longest platform ever written — but the money plank is all that attracts any attention. Commences with tariff and endß with taffy for the women folks —but the main point is a gold standard. Slobbers over the old soldiers and weeps crocodile tears over, Cuba —but through it all the same song runs—“sound money.” Eulogizes the American flag and recommends a strtmg navy—but we must ask England’s consent to coin the silver that lies in our own beautiful mountains. Deplores the Armenian massacres and asserts its faith in the Monroe doctrine —but surrenders unconditionally to the financiers of Europe. Talks about a fr|e ballot —but nary free silver. Denounces sectionalism —but lets the eastern bankers write the pkmk in its platform upon which hangs tne destiny of the whole nation. Condemns the present administration —but adopts a platform which declares for a continuance of the monetary policy that caused the ship of state to be now stuck in the mud. About twenty planks for show —and one for a see-saw. Here it is: “The Republican party Is unreservedly for ‘sound money.’ It caused tho enactment of the law providing for the resumption of specie payment in 1870; since then every dollar' has been as good as gold. We are unalterably opposed to every measure calculated to debase our currency or impair the credit of our country. We are, therefore, opposed to the free coinage of silver except by international agreement, with the leading commercial nations of the world, which we pledge ourselves to promote, and until such an agreement can be obtained the existing gold standard must be supported. All our silver and paper currency now in circulation must be maintained at a parity with gold, and welavor all measures designed to maintain inviolably the obligations of the United States, and all our money, whether coin or paper, at the present standard, the standard of the most enlightened nations of the earth.” This is what drove the western men out of the party. This is what Wall street was willing to pay twenty million dollars to secure. Nobody cared what the tariff plank might be. The whole cowardly surrender of thp Republican party is embodied in this one plank—and on that the party will go down to destruction before the hosts of an aroused and intelligent patriotic people. No great party ever before in the history of the United States came out thus boldly to defy the wishes and best interests of the American people. The money power has spoken plainly through its treasonable tool, the Republican party. But the American people will not surrender their blood-bought liberties to the metal god of misery, crime and oppression. The doom of despotism is sealed — and that in its most defiant hour.