The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-04
EXECUTIVE MANSION,

WASHINGTON, D. c., April 26, 1895. !
Hon. J. M Stone, Governor-MY DEAR SIR:
Your letter of the 21st inst. is at hand. do
not feel inclined to find fault with your criti-
cism, but l think the matter you refer to
should be judged in the light of circumstances
existing at the time the things were done.
never had an idea of building up or fostering
q personal following, but so far as politics
should properly influence me in making ap-
pointments l have tried to be Democratic and
not proscriptive. l am glad you are frank
enough to admit your participation in bring
ing about condition in ofice-holding which
may not be ell that could now be desired.
Whether those appointments to place shall in
speech and action behave decently toward the
administration under which they hold Office
must remain to a large extent a matter OF
taste and good breeding.
There are, however, some officials who de-
vote themselves so industriously to vilifca-
ton and abuse of those under whom they hold
Office as to indicate that their fidelity cannot
be trusted for the performance of their duties
in manner creditable to the administration,
and who, apparently, assume they may spend
the time they owe to public service in doing
political mischief.
In the interest of good government such
officeholders must not be surprised If they are
summarily dealt with. When 1 received your
letter 1 had just finished reading letter of
yours in which you explain to the citizens of
Mississippi your views on the currency ques-
ton. 1t seems to me you have in that letter
contributed in the best possible style and in
most valuable way to the fund of argument in
favor of sound money.
l have never ceased TO wonder why the peo-
pie OF the South, furnishing so largely as they
do products which are exported for gold,
should be willing to submit to the disadvant-
ages and loss of silver recommendation and to
content themselves with deprecated and
fuctuating currency, while permitting others
to reap profit from the transmutation of the
prices of their productions from silver TO gold.
1 hope this letter of yours will be given the
widest possible circulation, especially among
our Southern fellow-citizens, and that they
will be permitted to see the pitfall which is di-
rectly before those who madly rush toward the
phantom-light of free, unlimited and independ-
ent silver coinage.
If we who profess fealty to the Democratic
party are sincere in our devotion to its prinei-
ples and if we are right in believing that the
ascendeney of those principles is guarantee
of our present liberty, universal care for the
rights of all, non-sectional American brother
hood and manly trust in American citizenship
in any part of our land, we should study the
effects upon our party, and consequently upon
our country, of committal of the National
Democracy to this silver alteration.
If there are Democrats who suppose that our
party can stand on platform embodying such
doctrine, either through its affirmative strength
or through the perplexity OF our opponents on
the same proposition; or if there are Demo-
Gratis who are willing to turn their backs upon
their party associations in the hope that free
and unlimited and independent coinage of sill
yer can win victory without the aid of either
party organization they should deceive them
selves no longer, nor longer refuse to look in
the face the results which will follow the de-
feat if not the disintegratlon of the Demo-
cratic party upon the issue which tempts them
from their allegiance.
If we should be forced away from our tradi-
tional doctrine of sound and safe money our
old antagonist will take the field on the plat
form which we abandon, and neither the votes
of reckless Democrats or reckless Republicans
will avail to stay their easy march to power.
This is as plain as anything can possibly be.
1t, therefore, becomes the duty of every Demo-
crat, wherever he may be, to consider what
such victory would mean, and in the light of
q proper conception of its results he should de-
liberately shape his course. Yours very truly,
GROVER CLEVELAND.