The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1878-07-04
Thurman Interviewed.
What He Said to an Enquirer
Commissioners.
THE DEmOCRATIC PLATFORM M
SQUARE WITH HIS VIEWS.
His Opinion OF the Result.

rHE saG... RH.eGnaz'G WITT a,s sHhEEs" Views. NJ
-O--
His Opinion OF the Result.
COLUMBUS, June Ex-senator Thur
mau was found at his room, III, Neil
House. 1t is known as the Senator's
room, and whenever he is in the city
he is usually to be found there. Here
one of the Enquirer correspondents
who had fingered after the Conven-
ton found him to-day, looking re-
markably well, and discoursing on po.
litical matters in remarkably good
spirits.
sThe Enquirer would be glad to have
your views, Senator, upon the plat.
form adopted on Wednesday, as well
as the prospects of the party for sue
cess this fall
sThe doctrinal part of the platform,
he said, is substantially the same as
the platform last year. 1 have never
seen a Democrat in Ohio who found
fault with that platform, and l DOM
think any fault will be found with
this. don't see why you ask for my
opinions, for they are well enough
known to every one who has paid at
tcntion to my speeches and votes. Fol
instance, l spoke and voted against
the Resumption Act when 1t passed
the Senate. haye repeatedly spoken
against it since, upon the stump and
in the Senate; and only about one
month ago l voted in the Senate to re-
peal it, -,
Then as to the silver question
sAs to the silver question, every one
knows that have been the advocate
of unlimited silver coinage, and no
one worked harder to bring about the
reconciliation of silver than l did.
AS to contraction of the currency, i
have steadily opposed it during my
entire service in the Senate, now over
nine years. As to the gradual substi-
tuition of greenbacks for National
Bank notes, 1 bclieyc that wrote the
first resolution that eyer passed q
Democratic State Convention in Ohio
favoring that substitution, and 1t am
not mistaken Mr.. WOolley SO stated
in card published in Cincinnati pa
per soon after the adjournment OF that
Convention
when was that, SenatOr?'
Il don't recOllect what year 1t was,
but think it was three or four years
ago. 1t was the Convention in which
he (Wo0lley) was q member of the
Committee on Resolutions. see no
good reason why the people should
pay the banks more than $2O,OOO,OOO q
year for the use of bank-nOtes when
their place can be supplied by green
backs and that money be saved. The
great objection made to greenback
paper currency ia that its volume will
depend upon the action of Congress,
and may be subject to great fiuctua-
tions owing to improvident legislation
But our platform insists upon giving
it stability, and if that can be done the
objection loses it's force. Now. if Con-
gress should be so disposed, it can
produce the evil spprehended, no mat
ter whether we have greenbacks or
bank notes. For instance, it might re-
peal the tax on bank notes, the effect
of which would be that q multitude
of banks would spring up in every
State and Territory, and great infia-
ton would take place. Or,<on the
other hand, it might retire greenbacks
and compel the Nation Banks to retire
In whole or in part, their circulation,
and thus produce great contraction.
So you see that, whatever may be our
paper money, it is in the power of
Congress to contract or initiate it. In
q word, if Congress has neither sense
nor honesty it may ruin the country,
but to assume that Is to condemn our
form of government. Great care and
wisdom will undoubtedly be required
on the part of Congress in dealing
with the subject, but the task is not a
hopeless one: But while these are my
opinions L am not for ostracising
Democrats who entertain different
opinions. For instance, some of the
very best Democrats in the country
in the constitutionality OF
making greenbacks legal tender. There
are some Democratic Senators from
the East who are of that opinion.
Well, l am not for ostracising them
because on one point they may think
one way and 1 may think another,
while IN all other particulars that con-
Germ the party. we stand together. The
Democratic party of the Union must
be preserved, and to do SO there must
be q spirit of mutual fOrbearance.'
you made gallant fight on the Pa
cific Railroad Bill, Senator that ought
TO make you very popular in the
West here?'
Il did my best, and had a very la.
boriOus task, but the result was SO
gratifying that l feel we'll repaid for
my labor. Those bills will, in my
opinion, save to the government more
than 500, 600, aud, what is gilmore
consequence than even that great sum
they preserve the control Of the Gov
ernment over those powerful corpO.
ratiOns.'
you'll go in the fight this year
won't you?
Certainly; always do that. dc
not suppose that l will be required tc
make many speeches. That is the duty
of the younger men, but will make
as many as can.'
What about the prospects p
Il think we can carry the State. The
party is perfectly harmonious, aud we
have splendid ticket but it must nO
be supposed that we can succeed
without hard work. This is year ol
Congressional elections, and they al
ways bring out pretty full vote. W.
are not then likely to be aided as mucl
as in some years we haye been by tht
stay. at.home Republicans. Besides
Republican ascendency in Ohio is in
dispensable to the existence of the
Republican party, aud they will figh1
hard to obtain it. Nevertheless, l fee
very confident that it is IN the power
of the Democracy to succeed, and
believe they will do s0.'
The Prospect BrighteMs.
A correspondent IN London writes
on the commercial relations existing
between this country and Europe, anl
says: This year l understand you