The advocate and Topeka tribune. [volume], July 27, 1892, Page 5, Image 5

About The advocate and Topeka tribune. [volume] (Topeka, Kan.) 1892-1894

Image provided by: Kansas State Historical Society; Topeka, KS

                
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5
HYPOCRISY OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
ON THE SILVER QUESTION.
The Republican platform "com
mends the wise and patriotio steps
already taken by our government to
secure an international conference to
adopt such measures as will insure a
parity of value between gold and sil
ver for use as money throughout the
country."
To begin with, the object of the con
ference is an absurdity and its ac
complishment an impossibility. There
has never yet been a time when such
parity has existed and there never
will be, and the pretense of a pur
pose to come to an agreement that
will insure such parity is a sham and
a fraud. It is an insult to the in
telligence of the American people, by
whom it is well known that money is
not a natural product, but a creation
of law. As Henri Cernuschi, French
delegate to the international confer
ence of 1881, well observes:
The value which gold and silver might have as
merchandise, lfjno legislation adopted them as
monetary masses, Is not a constituent element
In the value of money.
So likewise the adoption of any ma
terial whatever by legislation, as a
material of which money shall be
composed, and the impression of the
sovereign authority of the govern
ment upon it makes it money with
out regard to its character or its mer
cantile value. If there is a single
fact that has been settled by politi
cal economists and by the courts it is
this.
But admitting for the sake of the
argument all that is claimed concern
ing the importance of an interna
tional agreement, what the prospeot
of obtaining it?
There have been two international
conferences of precisely the same
character and ostensibly for pre
cisely the same purpose within the
past few years, the latter one in 1881,
and from the proceedings of this con
ference we may judge of the chances
of accomplishing the ostensible pur
pose of the next one.
At the very beginning of the con
ference the delegates made declara
tions of the authority with which they
were invested, and of the object of
their attendance, and in these several
declarations we may find indications
c, of the sentiment of foreign countries
upon the subject of bi-metalism which
will enable us to jadge of the proba
bility that the proposed conference
will agree to any proposition for an
"international bi-metalic standard."
DECLABATION OF DELEGATES FROM GKKMAST.
We recognize, without reserve, that a rehablll
tatlon of silver Is to be desired, and that It
might be attained by the re establishment of the
free coinage of silver In a certain number of the
most populous states represented at this con
ference, if these states to this end should adopt
as a basis a fixed relation between the value of
gold and that of silver. Nevertheless, Germany,
whose monetary reform Is already so far ad
vanced, and hose general monetary situation
does not seem to call for a change of system so
vast (ii scope, does not find herself In a position,
so far as she Is concerned, to concede to the
free coinage of sliver. Her delegates, therefore,
are not able to subscribe to a proposition look
ing to such action.
DECLABATION OF DEL1QATI8 FROM BBITISH
INDIA.
The 'government of British India, In sending
delegates to the conference. Is not to be re
garded as having, by this fact, admitted the
adoption of the principle of bi-metallsm In the
British Indies; and In order that It may be tree
froth responsibility for the conclusions which
may be reached by the conference, ttt delegate
art not authorized to take part in the vote of
that body.
DECLARATION OF THE DELEGATE FROM
CANADA.
Iam Instructed by the government of Her
Britannic Majesty to state, on behalf of the gov
ernment of Canada, that, while It will give the
most respectful consideration to the conclusions
of the conference, the government ef Canada de
sires to reserve perfect freedom of actions In re
spect to such conclusions.
I am further instructed to state that, while
authorized to .vote on the questions submitted
to the conference, such action must not be con
sidered as prejudicing the future action of
Canada.
DECLABATION OF THE DELEGATE FBOM
DENMARK.
As the Danish government has no Intention of
abandoning the single gold standard Introduced
Into the country a few years'ago, I have received
Instructions on the part of my government to ab
stain from all discussion of the manner (quo
modo) by which the bl-metallic system could be
regulated.
DECLARATION OF THE DELEGATE! FBOM POR
TUGAL. The Portuguese government, In accepting; the
cordial Invitation of France and of the United
States of America to be represented at this con
ference, desired while fulfilling a duty of Inter
national courtesy, to give these two governments
a proof In all respects deserved, of consideration
and deference, but It frankly stated to them that
the Portuguese monetary system now In force
would not allow of Its entrance Into the bl-raetat-11c
onion now contemplated.
To this declaration, which I am Instructed to
make to the conference, I must add that the
Portuguese government intends to reserve to
itself, most especially, the ultimate determina
tion and the fullest liberty of action concerning
the conclusions which the monetary conference
may adopt.
DECLARATION OF THE DELEOATE FBOM RUS
SIA. The Russian government reserves to Itself en
tirely its right to opinion upon this whole matter,
and In nothing renounces Its liberty of action by
reason of any resolution of the conference.
Bo far as concerns any personal position In the
midst of this assembly, I cannot do better than
repeat what has Just been said on his own behalf
by my honorable colleague, the representative of
Portugal.
DECLARATION OF THE DELEGATE FROM
GREECE.
The delegate of Greece, In presence of the dec
larations made by the honorable delegates of
England, of Russia, of Poitngal, etc., considers
It his duty also to declare that, In his capacity of
representative of a state which has adopted
mono-metallsm, he would not be able to Join In
any measure which might lead to a change In
this system.
DECLARATION OF DELEGATES FROM AUMTHIA
BUNGARV. Our attitude will be chletly one of friendly re
serve; and while taking, ad referendum, the re
sults of our deliberations, we are not able to
enter lato any engagement uion any particular
point. And, further, If any one of us should
think proper to take part In the discussion, It
would only be to express his personal opinions.
DECLABATION OF THE DELEGATE FROM
SWEDEN.
My government, while reservtng entire liberty
of action upon the subject of Its monetary sys
tem, has given permission to Its delegate to take
part la the discussions of the conference.
DECLARATION OF THE DELEGATE FROM NOB
WAY. You are aware, gentlemen, that the Scandi
navian countries have a monetary union based
upon the single standard of gold; my govern
ment reserves all its rights, but has given me
entire freedom to take part in any discussions,
saving only my obligation to report to it finally.
DECLARATION OF THE DELEOATE FROM
GBEAT BRITAIN.
My Instructions Impose upon me the duty, a
duty which I shall be only too happy to perform,
of furnishing you with all the Information you
may desire concerning the laws and the mone
tary system of England.
They do not permit me to vote upon the propo
sitions which may be submitted to you.
, These are the countries that have
been invited to participate in the in
ternational conference now proposed
by President Harrison, and approved
by the Minneapolis convention, and
to which conference we are asked to
look for a final settlement of the silver
question. President Harrion and the
Republican party know very well
that these nations have not receded
from the position taken in the con
ference of 1881. They know very
well that the proposed conference
will not be authorized by the govern
ments represented to change the
monetary systems that now prevail.
They know very well that bi-metalism
will not be agreed to. It is not de
signed that such will be the result of
the conference. It is simply designed
to provide a grand junketing expedi
tion for a few pet politicians who will
be wined and dined at the expense of
the people, while the real point in
view is to postpone consideration of
the issue at home and fool the people
through another presidential cam
paign. Silver will never be remone
tized until it is done by the People's
party. No other party contemplates
anything of the kind.
TIIAT FARCE CONVENTION. S
The much advertised convention of
the unterrified Democratic kickers
which met on the 21st, at Herrington,
Kan , was a great disappointment to
them, as well as their Republican
abettors. It did not pan out as those
promoters hoped it would. The good
people of Herrington had made great
preparations, and consequently were
very much disappointed.
The newspaper men present nearly
made a majority. Even the delegates
from the Fifth congressional district
did not share the sentiment of the
promoters, but expressed themselves
as satisfied with the action of the
Democratic state convention.
When the multitude of considerably
less than one hundred, including the
brass band and newspaper men, as
sembled in the opera house, they were
inflicted with the thread-bare speeches
of those well known patriots, A. A.
Harris, attorney for the Missouri Pa
cific railway; J. G. Lowe, attorney
for the Rock Island railway; Judge
Humphrey, late of the state railway
commission, and Judge Emery, state
house commissioner, who informed
the masses (?) present that they were
disfranchised and sold out by the
other Democrats, who were traitors,
etc., and as a result predicted a Re
publican victory.
The convention having assembled
felt in duty bound to do something,
so with great unanimity it nominated
a banker of Herrington for congress in
the Fifth district It is believed he
will receive the entire vote of the
kicking patriots, who number less
than 100 in the district
THE ENSANGUINED UNDER-OARMENT.
Republican editors and stump
speakers are making the bloody shirt
one of their chief subjects of discus
sion this early in the campaign. This
was anticipated and desired by the
People's party. It is the only party
that, since the war, has had the cour
age to declare, by its acts, that the
war is over, and that sectional preju
dice shall no longer dominate the pol
itics of the country. We are glad to
see the Republican party give this
matter the prominence it does, be
cause it is proposed to make a final
finish of it in Kansas this year. It
will be buried in the same political
grave with the remnant of the de
funct Republican party. The two
will go down together as fitting com
panions in death, as they have been
inseparable friends in life.
TO TUE ATCHISON "CHAMPION."
In your issue of July 10 you have
an insulting and cruel reference to
Mrs. Lease, in which you call into
question her veracity relative to the
fact that her father and brother sac
rificed their lives in the service of the
United States government in the late
war. Her father enlisted as a private
in the One Hundred and Forty-seventh
New York volunteers, was taken
prisoner at the battle of the Wilder
ness, and died at Andersonville. The
records of the New York volunteers
are not in the State Historical rooms
of this city, and hence we cannot veri
fy this statement just now. We will
do so, however, hereafter. The rec
ords of the Pennsylvania volunteers,
however, are here, and on page 140,
of volume 1, yon will find that Pat
rick Henry Clyens, the elder brother
of Mrs. Lease, and a member of the
famous "Rucktail" regiment of Penn
sylvania, was killed at the battle of
Fredericksburg December 13, 18G2.
In another column we publish an
open letter to you upon this subject
from Mrs. Lease. It appears that in
your extreme anxiety to injure her
reputation you have hastened to pub
lish these cruel statements without
making an effort to verify them. We
desire to ask you if this is to be your
system of conducting a campaign?
The Champion under its former
management has aimed to be truthful
and just. Is the change of manage
ment to change the character of the
paper? Is personal abuse, falsehood
and misrepresentation to take the
place in the Champion of fact and of,
argument? Will you have the fair
ness and the honesty to retract the
cruel words uttered in your issue of
the 10th? Is it not enough that &
father and brother should die for
their country, and that they should
be lost to their families forever, with
out the daughter and sister being
taunted with falsehood because she
dares to refer to her sacrifice and
loss? For shame upon such politics.
It is an everlasting disgrace to our
country. It is revolting to every
principle of manhood. Will you tell
your readers (he facts and do this
noble woman justice?
BUSINESS NOTICE.
The announcement in another col
umn will explain the consolidation of
Tnz Advocate axdTopeka Tribune.
The Adoocate and XOPeKA Tribdjie
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will be given full credit for -the
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the time of their subscription will be
extended accordingly.
Advertisers will be treated in the
same manner, except that the rate
charged for space will be increased
in accordance with the circulation.
Further notice to advertisers will be
given by circular.
IT 13 PAID FOR.
Parties who receive Trra Advocati
and who have not subscribed for it,
need have no fears about taking it
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