Birmingham state herald., 1895-12-24
EDITORS LETTER BOX.
A Gold Standard Man Talks-He Speaks
 Plainly. To the State Herald:

 Plainly.
 To the State Herald:
 I am not in the habit of intrud1ng my political opinions on the public but I consider the present so full of uncer- tainty and danger that I will venture to do so.
 I am strongly in favor of sound money in the sense of being opposed to the free and unlimited coinage of silver al the ra- tiO of IS to 1, but I regard the supre- macy of the white man of infinitely more importance than any other issue which can arise in state politics.
 Having just visited the black belt, I I am satisfied that the recent coalition between the populites and republicans is Shrewd movement on the part of the latter. Nobody has any confidence in the pretensions of the republicans that they are in favor of free silver or any other populite doctrine, but by uniting with the populiteS they expect not only to get the white vote of that party, but through the instrumentality of those of them who live in the black belt to obtain the ben eft of the full vote of the negro, and thus to defeat the democratic party. Having accomplished this they hope by the vote of the negro (for remember according to the platform it must be freely cast and fairly counteO to control the coalition itself and thus to govern the state and the white men of both parties. This hope is not without foundation. The negro vote in the state is largely greater than any white vote the populites can ever command. The negro votes according to orders. It can hardly be expected he will obey the orders of the popultes in preference to those of his own party. Those of our populite friends who make up their minds to lie down in the same hnd wit hn mo to find him an agreeable, quiet and man ageable bedfellow will be very much dis appointed both cannot lie together long and there is little doubt as to which will be kicked out, so that the prospect Is that when the coalition attains power the white man will fall under the domin- ion of the negro With the negro and other republicans holding the reins of government what will become of the white man, free silver and other populite doctrines?
 But to complain of an evil, present or threatening, without suggesting reme- dy. is fruitless. I believe that the surest mode of escape from the dilemma in which we are placed Is for the next dem ocratic state convention either to leave the currency question entirely out of their platform or else to adopt the free silver policy.
 The two leading ideas of the coalition and the only ideas upon which they pro less tO dSTee dTe lHe Tree anu uIilIHlleQ coinage of silver at the ratio of IS to and a. free ballot and a fair count. A very large portion of the best people of our state strongly favor free silver; many of these would doubtless be forced, con- trary to their inclination, to vote against the party adopting the gold standard while on the other hand, if the democratic party should not burden itself with this issue (which is wholly unneces- sary), but eliminate 1t from state poli- tics, where it does not properly belong, they would leave to the voter nothing but the choice between a party that is likely to be controlled by the negro on the one hand and the democratic party on the other. Reduced to this do not believe that the great body of white peo- p1e in this state would hesitate for mo- ment.
 do not wish to be misunderstood. I believe the sound money men of the state. of whom am one, are called upon to choose between free silver and negro rule. Speaking for myself alone, pre- fer 1000 times the former to the latter. I am particularly inclined to this idea because of the fact that nothing can be done by this state bearing upon the finahcial question, except, perhaps, the election of United States senator. am also satisfied that Joseph F. John ston. on account of his wide and deserved reputation for ability and integrity. and | the valuable services he has rendered the people of the state, would be the most available candidate for the office of gov ernor. I speak from what I have heard of him wherever I have been. Respect fully, JOHN WHITEs