Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-25
SENATOR STANFORD WOULD RUN.
a Letter From Him Discussing tho Third
Parry Platform and Nomination.

Letter From Him Discussing tho Third
Parry Platform and Nomination.
TrOm ;he New York World.
ST. IoUis. July 24-CoL Hickey OF Fulton
has received from senator Stanford of Cali
!Ornia letter which Is the first authorized
statement Of the Senator'S views on various
questions OF tie day and of his attitude to-
ward the third party nomination fer President
Ihs letter reads thus.
Col J. h. Hickey. Fulton. No:
OFFICE or LELAND STANFORD.
MEMO PARK. Cal. July l.
Ny DysR COLONEL: have had yoUr letter OF
JuHe before me on several occasions. and have
no. answered IL earlier for the reason that II
suggested So much and foIt inclined to con-
shirr the main question in detail.
IL seems 20 me that the peoples party are
making mistake in inserting 80 many ques-
tiOus In their platform. People may agree upon
two great issues and differ upon others
not essential IL YOU remember. when the
republican party was formed II had but one
plank IN is pla;form-Upposition 20 the extern
sion of slavery. Both free traders and pTotec-
to1ists joined the party; their standing
net questioned on account Of any opinions they
SHIT hold outside the one great issue.
In the platform adopted at the recent Cincin-
natl convention the people might all agree on
the money plank and entirely differ on the
railroad plank. The latter is "a mOmeutous
question / can readily appreciate that the
consolidation Of all the railroads of the eOun-
try under one management would render their
operation less expensive than under divided
and conflicting interests ~ at present and pos
silly more satisfactory 10 the patrons.
lhe burden of transportation ultimately falls
upon the producer. and IL Is plain that If the
government could substitute say per cent
bonds in exchange fer the existing bonded in
de5teGness Of the railroad companies the bene-
IT 10 the patrons of the roads would be the
difference between = per cent ami per cent,
the interest generally borne by railroad bonds.
Then. again. II the governments were content
to operate the railroads without profit the
amount now paid TO stockholders in dividends
would be saved To the patrons of the roads.
But before all this could take place there
would have to be revolution in our civil
service system IL would be necessary TO
select men OF account of their competency
managers And operators, and to retain them
long as they efficiently and faithfully discharged
theIr duties.
20 far. believe. government control of rail-
roads has not been such success anywhere
lhc cheapest railroading in the world Is in the
laIlsd States, where. far, railroads have
substantially controlled their own rates and
have been very free from any interference.
Our vast system Of railroads our varied and
constantly Increasing productions, the long
distances that freight has be 10 hauled. make
The railroad question Of more importance here
than III any other country.
Aside from the great question of developing
Jul +coOU-CGe Can DtsG Do alDTC-
cla.ed by considering Tie gross earnings OF the
railroad sy stems of the United States. which,
Ia "a year, probably amount To much over
sl.OuO. 100000 (but / have no figures at the
present moment before me to TO enable ME to
dCt-rmIne with certainty Whenever this
great question arises for consideration II should
be without passion party prejudice.
Whatever might be the advantages of gov
eminent ownership, great many people would
hesitate to favor II on account OF the vast po-
Its neans by ali administration desiring To per-
Pei1..te Itself in power.
have great faith in the ultimate triumph of
night where the questions affecting It are fairly
considered and thoroughly discussed, and think
that the people party organization, without
nominating tickets of its own, can exert pow
erfUl influence on the existing parties, which,
at last, only live while they have the appro
baton Of the people.
receive many letters approving my land
loan bill. some OF them very complimentary
and some of political character, suggesting
my name a presidential candidate, > much
50 that II has caused me to reflect upon the pos
sibIllty az IA nomination. / have made up my
mind not voluntarily TO be a candidate and
much less to seek nomination.
am much pleased with your interview pub |
hshec Ia the Cincinnati Enquirer or Nav - |
IL seems to me that your EHgUr.T- inter- |
views are III themselves ample 10 place tine ques-
ton of government loan real estate fairly |
before the people
1 have seen no adverse criticism as vet that |
has affected my judgment Ia regard to the |
measure. and no objections that 1 cannot |
answer readily to my own satisfaction. What
We want Is more discussion.
The old question of the tariff can hardly be !
called strictly party question. The free |
trader susperds his principles when he admits
the necessity OF tariff for revenue: does |
the IrotectiOnist when he admits the same |
thing and ADV coates a tariff not sufficiently high
To prevent any competition with our own pro-
duets. since the democrats abandoned their |
al yalOrem theory 1 do not see but what the |
two parties meet upon the same basis when /!
they propose tariff Tor revenue SPECIFIC in Its |
character.
Tie money question is live issue. Every !
one Is made TO feel almost daily the import /
snce OF a circulating medium sufficient to make ]
easy the exchange Of commodities III them |
selves useful and necessary to mankind 1t is. |
OF course. very important that gold and silver |
should be coined into money. They have a !
recognized value according to their weight all
over The world. When TIE government makes
paper dollar its value il measured by a gold
dollar. but II there were no gold silver would
HHeve- the same purpose.
Nrs- SANFORD has seen your interview in the
Eissfft"'t- ami Is very much pleased with it.
Remember Us both to Mrs. hickey. With kind
resaris. yours very truly,
LELAND STANFORD.
n