The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-11-15
DEBATE ON FINANCE
A Little Word Encounter TinctUred
With Bitterness.
HENRICHSEN AND HEsING
The Democratic Chairman Says
He Will Fight for Silver at
Ratio Of Ia to l-Other sa
Pointers.

Springfield. Ill, Nov. 14.-An interest
ing and somewhat acrimonious cores
pondence has sprung UP since last eiec-
ton between Postmaster Washington
Hesing Of Chicago, and William n.
Henrichsen, secretary Of state ana
chairman of the central committee. 1t
was begun by Hesing, who, In an ef-
fort to harmonic the factions OF the
democratic party of Illinois invited
Henrichsen to abandon the so-caned
'16 to 1 heresy." and bring his crowd
back into the fold of orthodox democ-
racy and sound money. Henrichsen
did not take kindly to the insinuation
that the 16 to 1 doctrine was q heresy.
He said In part: e9f
you ascribe the defeat of the party
In the Eighteenth congressional district
to the adoption of a free silver plank.
This Is absurd. and I can say to you
as one who Is thoroughly acquainted
with the district, that without this sill
yer plank the democrats could not have
carried a single voting precinct. The
causes which brought about our de-
feat were the same as those which pro-
duced such enormous republican ma
Jorities in all the states where elections
were held. except Mississippi, where
tncy HdQ q Tree SilNcT pidtlOilis " NJ
enumerate the causes briefly: Failure
Of the national administration and con-
gress to carry out the promises made
by the democracy In 1892; the evident
intention OF the president to force gold
monometallism upon the country: the
Encouragement of public patronage by
the president; the feeling either right
or wrong. that a clique-of New York
or London bankers are controlling the
financial policy of the administration:
the unpopular foreign policy OF the ad-
ministration; use OF courts in case OF
strikes; general hard times, which
many insist are the result OF the presi-
dents policy, and the evident intention
of the followers OF Grover Cleveland to
force him upon the country as the
democratic nominee for president in
1896.
I'm the Eighteenth the republicans
received aid and comfort from demo-
Gratis in high places. Men like Presi-
dent Cleveland and Senator Palmer re-
Joiced openly over Lanes defeat, and
that the gold men in the party were
pleased over this republican victory is
shown by the tone of your letter. You
make the suggestion we bury the past
and get together. That would perhaps
be easy for you, II we would get to-
gether on your platform. but you have
never indicated what the platform
4
est money Every man Is for honest
money, but what do you mean by the
term? President Cleveland has shown
clearly that he is in favor of gold mo-
nometallism and 1t is presumed you
agree with him, although some men,
bers OF your faction call themselves
bimetallists. We have defined our po-
sition. you should define yours. I be-
| lieve in the free and unlimited coinage
of silver at a ratio of 16 to 1, and shall
maintain my belief to the best of my
ability, but should the democratic con-
vention decide q am wrong I shall sup
port the democratic ticket Just the
same. Can you say as much? I have
pretty fair acquaintance among
German-born American citizens, and
find them as a rule much the same,
barring professional Germans, as other
American citizens. Your attempt to
| separate them into a class with inter-
ests at variance with these other citi-
zens sundemocratic and ridiculous. In
trying to build class within party you
| forget half a million democrats in the
state of Illinois will not surrender a
principle in order to placate any class.
| 1t Is not true as you say the Germans
are opposed to free silver but IL they
were. would 1t be good politics to sur
| render principle and thereby lose half
our vote in order to satisfy a small
fraction of the party?"