The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1895-03-16
HON. VIM. G. MCLEAN'S LET.
TER TO THE PEOPLE.
HE DISCUSSES POLITICAL ISSUES IN
MISSISSIPPI
The Report That He Would Enter the
Race for Governor Denied-He FavOrs
the Free Coinage Of Silver at the
Present Ratio.
Special to the Memphis Commercial-Appeal,

Special to the Memphis Commercial-Appeal,
MarchS2.
Grena Pa, Miss, March 12.-The
following open letter to the people Of
the state, from Hon. William G. Nc
Lean self-explanatory:
GRENADA, MISS, March IL, 1895.
To the Democracy Of Mississippi:
In reply to the calls, both public and
private, that have been so generously
made upon me to become candidate,
I will ray that, while some of the
newspapers have announced my candi-
dacy, yet these announcements we're
made without any knowledge and
without my authority, and to settle
the matter definitely, I now declare
that I am in no sense a candidate. In
thus declining to become candidate I
do not underestimate the strength and
influence Of those who, unsolicited,
have offered me their support; nor do
I any the less appreciate this evidence
of their friendship and esteem; and
Iwould not if l could conceal from
them or the public my qualification and
pleasure at the expression Of approval
from both the press and people which
have followed the announcement of my
probable candidacy.
To be the Governor of Mississippi
ought to be sufficient TO fill the measure
Of any ones ambition, and in speaking
for myself will add that to be the Chief
Executive of my native State would be
the acme Of my aspirations.
While am not candidate in any
sense, yet my interest in the success OF
my party and iu the welfare and pros
Iperity Of the people of the State is in
no degree ]essened or abated, and con-
seduently trust that will not subject
myself to the criticism OF being pre-.
sumptuous by briefly calling the atten.
tention of my party friends to certain
principles and rules OF action which.
in my Judgment, should be persuasive
if not potential, in the selection o1
candidates.
lifelong to that class of individuals
who believe it honorable for him who
desires al Office to publicly and openly
avow hiseandidacy, anatAssn rs to follow
| L , 1ry
straightforward canvass, conducted
in the spirit of fairness and upon al
elevated plane. The people have the
right to be informed of the principles
which will move and govern the candi'
datein the discharge of his publ.
duties If elected. 1t seems, therefore,
proper and advisable for the candi'
dates for gubernatorial honors Govern.
or and Lieutenant-Governor) to canvass
the State and from the hustings to
discuss those principles of political
economy 10 the rigid maintenance and
enforcement of which abide the honor
and the glory rs we'll as the happiness
and prosperity of the people.
believe in the unlimited coinage of
silver at the present ratio OF l6 to ],
and further that this question in the
present campaign should be fully ard
freely discussed before the people, in
order that their will and wishes can be
ascertained and determined. While
this is national question, and while
ordinarily national issues should not
be injected into State campaign, yet,
| in view Of the magnitude of the ques-
tion and its universally, coupled with
the fact that some difference OF opin-
ion exists in the party in the State, 1t
seems to me that the time is ripe when
the matter should be firmly and de-
fnitely settled in the ranks OF the
party: and, whatever the decision may
be. since individual sacrifice Is the
price Of party unity and strength, let
US abide the arbitrament, and thus
close up the ranks, presenting solid
front to our common enemy. One
thing is sure, and that is that TIE
financial ouestion will not down. We
cannot escape or avoid it: it is the
overpowering, overshadowing, burn
ing. living issue Of the day, and IN
stead OF being towards, let US bravely
| and manfully grapple with this great
question, whose proper and final solu'
ton is so vitality necessary to the pros
perity Of the people; and when the
will Of the party is ascertained,. lei
us write that will in the State platform
| in words unequivocal; and thus having
avowed our policy, stand to our guns:
The Democratic party has fought and
| in a large measure wen its great battle
upon the tariff; now, let US wheel into
| line and be victorious upon that Other
equally important issue, bimetalism
It is impossible for want OF space in q
letter of this character to enter into Il
discussion Of this question, and l leave
the matter by simply calling your at
tention to the fact that since the de-
nomit!zation of silver the fluctuations
| in the price OF cotton, wheat and other
farm products have kept pace with the
fluctuations Of silver bullion, with the
regularity and precision which the
clock ticks to the oscillation of Its
pendulum; and add that in my judg
ment, the low price Of these products
| Is attributable more to our financial
legislation than to all other causes
combined.
The most important matter Of State
policy is internal improvement and
Industrial development. There is ne
| &h0 sun ,yhran nutOrn