Emerson on Sound Money: A Speech, 1896Emerson, Willis George
History
Emerson on Sound Money: A Speech, 1896
Emerson, Willis George
Currency question -- United States; Silver question
This audience is a part of that great jury, who, after the evidence
is all in, will decide one way or the other, with an avalanche of snowy
ballots, as spotless in their purity as the honest hearts of the voters
who cast the verdict into the ballot boxes. As Americans we are justly
proud of our birthright--proud of the air of freedom that kisses the
stars and stripes--our nation's ensign, emblematical of mighty victories
in the past, a guarantee of protection in the present to all who stand
beneath its folds and laden with rich promises of future prosperity.
Our country is greater than the men whose election it is our pleasure
to advocate. It is not men but measures which we are to consider. An
earnest conscientious desire to investigate and determine the right,
should absorb and thrill the heart of every patriotic American voter.
The great parties in the present campaign do not differ so much in
regard to the amount of money as they do in regard to its quality. "It
is not the medium of exchange so much as it is an active exchange of the
medium itself." On the tariff question we do not differ in schedules,
but principles--principles which we, as republicans believe, involve the
welfare of all our people and the prosperity of all classes. Personally
I have every respect for a conscientious, earnest opponent in this
crusade of education, and while honestly differing from them, yet will
endeavor to wound the feelings of none. If I speak bitterly of doctrines
which I believe to be pernicious in theory and ruinous in practice, do
me the justice of not interpreting my remarks as in any sense personal.
MORAL QUESTIONS INVOLVED.
Fellow citizens, this is a campaign embracing both political and moral
questions. It is a political conflict, which the people will sooner or
later acknowledge, to be one of patriotism. A moral conflict, which they
will acknowledge to be indeed sublime.
WE MUST NOT FORGET THAT PATRIOTISM IN TIME OF PEACE IS A SCARCER ARTICLE
THAN IN TIMES OF WAR.
In the guise of citizens men like "Coin" Harvey are attempting
ignorantly or otherwise to undermine and overthrow our nation's honor
and credit, and it is these alone that can perpetuate our liberties and
insure us prosperity.
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY COMES BEFORE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ADVOCATING THE
MAINTENANCE OF THE GOLD STANDARD AND THE USE OF SILVER AS MONEY, IN
THE LARGEST VOLUME POSSIBLE, CONSISTENT WITH SAFETY; ADVOCATING THE
MAINTENANCE OF OUR NATION'S HONOR AND CREDIT; ADVOCATING A TARIFF, NOT
FOR REVENUE ONLY, BUT A PROTECTIVE TARIFF THAT WILL ENCOURAGE
DOMESTIC INDUSTRIES AND GIVE EMPLOYMENT TO ALL OUR PEOPLE; ADVOCATING
RECIPROCITY.
A DOCTRINE WHICH WILL OPEN AN UNLIMITED MARKET FOR THE AMERICAN FARM AND
THE AMERICAN FACTORY A DOCTRINE BEQUEATHED TO THIS GENERATION BY THE NOW
SAINTED JAMES G. BLAINE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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