The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1896-02-29
Ex-Governor Boies Writes.

Ex-Governor BOies Writes.
The following letter from the pen OF
ex-Governor Boies, of Iowa, demon
strates clearly his position on the
money question. He would be a
satisfactory man for tho west and
south for president.
"WATERLoo, To-, Feb. %. To the
Editors of the Leader: The kindly
mention of my name in recent issues OF
the Leader and other newspapers OF
the state as a possible candidate of my
party for the Office of president of the
United States seems to require some
statements on my part to avoid the
conclusion, which silence would fairly
imply, hat 1 desired it to be under
stood, by my friends in Iowa at least,
that / am q candidate for that distin-
guished honor. Permit me, through
the columns of your paper, to say to all
who entertain a desire to see me thus
honored that 1 cannot consent 10 be
so considered. 1 want the delegation
from Iowa to the next National Demo-
cratic Convention to go there, not only
u~ninstructed, but wholly uninfluenced
by any consideration of a local char
acter.
s'I am thoroughly impressed with
the belief that we AVE reached a crisis
in the history of our party that is to
determine Its future for many years, if
not for all time to come, and l could
lot possibly consent to be silent or
inactive upon an issue that, in my own
judgment, so vitality involves the
welfare of this nation.
81 am quite willing to confess that l
have been one OF the number who read
recent declarations of democratic plat
forms in my own state, and of both
democratic and republican platforms
by national conventions adopted by
both of these parties, as solemn prom
Uses by each to restore silver to the
position assigned it in the fundamental
law of this government, as money of
redemption, and 1 conscientiously
believe that to neglect to do this both
in theory and practice alike, is an open
fragrant and continuous violation of
the highest law of this land.
sI know, too, that upon this vital
issue, that In my own judgment, in its
Importance to all our people, COM
pletely obscures every other, my own
party is unhappily divided, while
overwhelming preponderance of sentl-
ment in the National republican party
is in favor of ignoring the plain man
date of the constitution, and substitu-
ting for the principle of bimetallism,
upon which u financial system by
that instrument is based, a single
standard of gold; and L believe that If
successful in it's undertaking, as it
surely will be if aided even by the
passive assent of the democratic party,
the death knell of prosperity for the
great struggling masses of manual
laborers in all theiields of industry in
this republic will proclaim the victory
thus achieved.
at is useless for me to try to believe
that the adoption of England's meas
ures of values does o necessarily
imply the adoption of England's scale
of wages.
al know that high-priced labor and
products thereof are abso-
lutely contradictory and ~irreconcilable
both of which cannot
possibly endure in the same country
any considerable length of time,
and 1 know also that if our financial
is to be wholly based upon the
intrinslc value Of the worlds markets OF
the number of grains of gold in our
present gold dollar or unit of value,
we are absolutely at the mercy of the
money lenders of our own and other
countries; for the very necessities of
the governments adopting this one
metal as money Of redemption will
c instantly increase the demand for it,
and irresistibIy continue to enhance its
value, and 10 h same extent depress
The price of everything it measures;
and if this were moi true the market
value of no commodity on earth is so
susceptible of manipulation by inter-
parties as that of gold, and no
of men was ever formed
or eyer will be equal in power to
at their will the value of their
own property, and thereby control the
price of the great staples of
industry, to that already organized in
he banking systems OF the principal
commercial countries of the globe.
elf we need an object lesson to con-
US of the absolute truth of this
statement the history of II country {
during its civil war furnishes that
for in the hour of supreme need
he great volume of gold in the United ,
States found q hiding place in the
vaults OF banks, and refused to come 6
forth until in times of greatest peril
he credit of the whole nation was I
only sufficient to exchange three dollars :
Of Its most solemn promises to pay for
l single dollar in gold. ! cannot shut
ny eyes to the real issue involved in I
his contest. {
81 know If the policy of a portion of
ny own party and of the great majority
If the republican party prevails we are !
% retire $500, 900 900 of noninterest ,
national currency as sound as
vas ever issued by any government on =
earth and substitute for it $500, 000, 900 v
If interest bearing bonds, and l know
hat the annual interest on these bonds, i
,Yefy cent of which the toilers of the e
must provide, will not he less !
han $15, 900, 900 to be paid in gold in j,
to the principal sum when due. :
s.To such o wrong, rs it appears to I
ne, can never knowingly assent.
want it, therefore, understood by every G
riend l have in Iowa that to the @
extent of the ability | possess !.
will do all | can to restore the =
syatem adopted by our fathers r
nd guaranteed to their daseendents in :
be most solemn form that human b
lghts OF any kind a be secured to a r
rec people. Respectfully yours,
(Signed) "HORACE B0IES."
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