Willis Emerson - Emerson on Sound Money

Lockerby Hall, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

October 29, 1896.

Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen – I am indeed pleased to meet such a magnificent audience in this manufacturing city of Grand Rapids, noted from ocean to ocean for her culture, commerce and progress. Especially am I pleased to speak in your city in behalf of sound money, protection and reciprocity, under the auspices of the Young Men's Republican Club. I bring you greeting from the state of Illinois, and promise you that she will give a majority of 150,000 on next Tuesday for William McKinley. I am proud to hail from the grand old state of Illinois – a state that gave to our common country in the darkest days of our nation's history, Logan, that matchless civilian general; gave the unconquerable Grant, the tanner from Galena, and offered up as a holy sacrifice the "rail-splitter" president from the Sangamon bottoms – Abraham Lincoln. But to-night I remember that I am in the state of Michigan – magnificent commonwealth – almost illimitable in her resources, unconquerable in her courage, phenomenal in her progress, invincible in her pluck, unswerving in her patriotism, the home of the gallant Alger, and the former abode of that matchless statesman and patriot – the gifted Zach Chandler. Fellow citizens, we are in the closing days of the most momentous political campaign ever witnessed in our common country. He who would question the sincerity or honesty of a political opponent's views in this crusade must for the time being forget the school house on the hill and the high plain of intelligence of American citizenship.

Hon. W. H. Harvey, author of Coin's Financial School, is a gentleman I have known for many years, and for as many years as we have known each other, we have been warm personal friends. Toward the man I entertain the greatest respect; toward his theories I regard them as idle, visionary sophistries as unstable as "the house that was built upon sand." The student who really gives thought to the financial question will early discover that Coin's Financial School rests upon a false foundation and the superstructure must surely fall when beat against by the irresistable and truth capped waves of facts and history. No better answer can be given to these misleading and false theories than a plain, truthful statement of our coinage laws and the effect of legislation relating thereto. Fellow citizens, whatever else we may be, we are all Americans, either by birth or adoption; we respect and love the same flag and the undying principles which it represents. We do not differ in a desire for good government. We may differ and differ widely, however, in our opinions and ideas as to what laws will insure the greatest blessings to the people of this nation. Fortunately for the Republican party the American people are a reading and a thinking people, and the problems of the present campaign are now on trial before a jury of 70,000,000 of honest peers, not one of whom am I willing to believe would wantonly strike down the flag of our country, or any of its cherished institutions.

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.

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.

Upon these issues the Republican party comes confidentially to the people, asking for their suffrage, appealing not to their prejudice but to their reason, not to their passions, but to their judgment. In this holy crusade we are lead by that valiant champion of the people's rights, "that advance agent of prosperity," Maj. William McKinley. On the other hand we find the Bryanized democrats, populists, and believers in Coin's Financial School arrayed in a solid phalanx against these cherished principles which we so ardently believe in.

The repeal of the McKinley law in 1893 closed down factories and manufactories by the hundred and deprived tens of thousands of American workmen of employment.

UNDER THE OPERATIONS OF THE MCKINLEY LAW THE WAGE EARNERS OF THE UNITED STATES WERE RECEIVING EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT A LITTLE OVER $41,000,000. UNDER THE OPERATION OF THE WILSON LAW THEY ARE RECEIVING A LITTLE LESS THAN $19,000,000 AS A SATURDAY NIGHT PAY ROLL, A FALLING OFF OF OVER $22,000,000 PER WEEK TO THE WAGE EARNERS OF THIS COUNTRY.

If you ask me what has been the most unfortunate and appalling result of this wonderfully shrunken pay roll, I will answer by saying that American workingmen by the thousands have lost the roof that covered their heads for themselves and families, have been turned into the highways and are beggars to-day in the most unfortunate sense of the word. The questions of free trade and protection however, have practically been relegated into the background this year, and the sixteen-headed monster of free silver pushed to the front.

FELLOW CITIZENS, FREE TRADE AND FREE SILVER ARE TWIN SISTERS OF INFAMY, THE ASSERTIONS OF MR. HARVEY TO THE CONTRARY NOTWITHSTANDING.