Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1894-03-15
CLEVELAND AND COINAGE.
Position of the Party and the Presi-
dent Stated by a Distinguished
Democrat,

We publish below a very interest.
ing letter from Hon. l.. W. McMul.
Ian, of the First district, which APP
peared several days ago in the Ra-
leigh News Observer, on the coinage
question.
Mr.. MCMILLAN addresses himself
to those who contend that the cur
rency plank of the national Demo
cratic platform demands "the free
and unlimited coinage of SILVER" as
the term is generally used, and de-
monstates that no such intefprete-
ton Of the platform a reasonably
be made, We commend this letter
to the thoughtful consideration et
our readers. It is a complete an
swer TO the false theories which we
hear proclaimed in the name of De-
mocracy.
HEREFORD, N. c., Feb. 22.-It has
been charged that the Democratic
speakers and the Democratic press
of North Carolina promised the PEG,
pie that if Mr.. Cleveland was elected
President and the Democratic party
had a majority in Congress and the
Senate a free coinage bill would be
passed; aud the Democratic plat
form declared for free silver.
| do not know to what extent this
charge isptrue, but as the chairman
Of the Democratic Executive Com
mittee of the First Congressional
district, [ was careful to correct any
impression that Mr.. Cleveland or
the Democratic National platf,rm
favored the free and unlimited coins
age Of silver. as that term is gener-
ally understood by the people. And
[ believe that any statement that
Mr., Cleveland or the National Dem
ocratic platform had declared for
free coinage of silver las free silver
is generally understood,) was a mis-
representation of Mr.. Cleveland and
the platform. Every honest Demo~
crat demands and expects those who
have been elected as their represen-
tatives to redeem the promises made
to the people by the Chicago con-
vention. Mr.. Cleveland is not res
sponsible for legislation except as he
may use the veto power given the
executive by the constitution. l
know that it is said that Mr.. Cleve>
land uses patronage to coerce mem.
bers Of Congress and the Senate to
vote for his measures. This charge
is more reflection upon the members
Of Congress and the Senate than the
president, and I do not believe that
Senators and Representa- yes can be
bribed to vote for measures they be-
lieve to be wrong or refuse to vote
for measures they believe to be right,
therefore the people should hold
their representatives, and not their
president, responsible for legislation.
Every Democrat who Insists that
legislation shall be in accord with
the party platform, will honesty in
quire what the true meaning of the
platform is. and every individual has
the right, and it is his duty, to read
and interpret it fer himself. The
ADVOCATES Of free coinage have
pressed the question to the atten-
ton of the people, some for the pur-
pose of dividing and defeating the
Democratic party, others to make
votes fer themselves, and many be-
cause they honestly believe that free
coinage of silver would be to the
advantage of the people of this coun-
try. The question must be cons1c-
cred, and the Democratic party
should not hesitate to express clearly
and positively its position. There
should be no doubt in the answer to
the question, what is free coinage?
Some understand it to mean the
right of any owner of silver or gold
to carry it to the minis and have it
coined with money. Others under,
stand it to mean whatever gold or
silver the government coins should
be without charge. But it is geners
ally understood to mean that any
holder of gold OR silver coin have
25.S grains of gold 900 fine on 4124
grains of silver 900 fine coined by
the government into a dollar, and
they assert that the stamp of the
government will give to the coined
silver dollar the same value of the
coined gold dollar. It is evident
from the language of the national
platform, and the fact that Mr..
Cleveland was the choice of a large
majority of the delegates to the ma
tional convention, that the Demo-
cratic party was opposed to the free,
Unlimited and independent coinage
of silver, or the compulsory coinage
Ct any silver dollar, that was. not
worth one hundred cents.
The platform say;: eve hold OF
the Use of both gold and silver as
the standard money of the country,
and to the coinage of both gold and
silver without discriminating against
metal or charge for mintage."
The advocates of silver say that
gold is freely coined and it is dis
eliminating in favor OF gold and
against silver, not to allow silver
to be freely coined, but to allow the
owner of sixty cents worth of silver
to have it coined into a dollar and
to require the owner Of gold to
furnish one hundred cents worth
OF geld to have a dollar coined