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September 14
Belleville, IL (Excerpt)
Omaha World-Herald (Morning Edition), Omaha, NE, 15 September, 1896.
"If the people of the United States deliberately throw their influence upon the side
of the gold standard it simply means that they raise the value of an ounce of gold throughout the
world. If we succumb to the influences which are opposed to us, the great money influences, these
same influences will be turned upon weaker nations and nation after nation will be driven from the
use of silver as every new nations that joins in the crusade for gold will make our property cheaper
and our money dearer and give unearned advantage to the men who own money and change money, and add
certain distress to the people who toil and produce the wealth of the world. (Cheers.) We are here
in a great laboring community. I call your attention, men who toil, to the fact that not a single
instance in the history of recorded time has the gold standard ever received the voluntary
indorsement of those who labor. (Cheers.)
It has been supported, it has been defended by those who, instead of producing wealth,
live upon the toil of others, and by holding and cornering the money of the world, charge what they
will for it those who must have it to do the business of the world. Take away the gold standard, the
support of the money owning classes and money changing classes, and it will not stand for a single
day with any nation on earth. (Cheers.) I appeal to you to do your duty as you see it and let no
threat and persuasion swerve you from making each vote register a free man's will."
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