Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1896-09-24
SICRLES and SOLDIERS.
A Stirring Appeal for Mckinley
and the National Honor.

General Daniel F. sickles, q soldier |
whose personal courage and devotion to
his country none doe gainsay, and who
heretofore has been s,aunch adherent OF
the Democratic party, has addressed
strong letter in favor of MCKINLEY and
national honor" TO those comrades who
fourht In the battles Of the rebellion. 1t
is certain that the words Of General
Sickles will not fall unheeded on the ears
of soldier or civilian, for the brave and
gallant warrior who commanded the
Third army corps, and who left leg on
the field at Gettysburg as an earnest of
his devotion, is second in popular esteem
to no other living general of the Union ar
mics.
The letter is rs follows:
My Dear Comrade: 1 ask you to con-
slider and reflect upon the sacred interests
involved In the present situation OF our
public aft . I know W. love your
country. Ynu have given to 1t the best
proof of ds,.. On man can givo-you have
defended i, "a 52ttle.
Let me ur,s4 "a and every Union vet
eran to lay aside party feeling now and
unite for Il ional honor and for law and
order, as you did in 61-'65 against treason
and rebellion. The present crisis seems to
be as vital to the welfare Of the country as
that which called us to the field before.
Some of the principles for which we
then contended are again at stake. Sec
tionalism, Reputation and mob rule are
threatened Many Of US were obliged to
ffhttpeSa pllr and our
time when all true patriots should stand
together, preferring their country, its
honor, good faith and untarnished name
above all mere partisan considerations.
Hateful Sectionalism.
Mr.. Bryan and many of his supporters
are trying to combine the south and west
against the north and east. This is sec
tionalism-of which the rebellion was the
offspring. VIII you follow these guides
into dangerous paths, or will you not
rather follow Washington in "frowning
upon the first dawning of every attempt to
ALLEVIATE one portion of our country from
the rest, or to enfeeble the ties which now
link together the various parts2" SEQ
tfonalism has become hateful to most
of our old adversaries in the south, who
have outgrown the asperities of the
war and are now as loyal to their united
corntry as any of us. Union veterans,
who fought for one Union, one constitu-
ton and one destiny, can never favor any
candidate or party seeking to array one
section of our com mon country against
another.
Mir. Bryan proposes to pay all the cred
itors of our government in silver. Thisis
population. 1t would degrade and dis
grace us as n nation in the eyes Of the
whole world. Ameng the creditors of the
nation a.e the pensioners. If you consent
to pay in debassd silver the bondholder
who lent his money to the government to
arm and feed and clothe Its troops, you
consent at the same time to reduction
of one-half of the pensions awarded to the
war veterans and to the widows and or
pilans of those who are not living. All the
creditors of the government must stand
or fall together. Many of you are PEN
sioners or the friends of willows and or
phans who arc pensioners. Many of you
have deposited your savings in savings
banks,
Injuries the Toilers.
Most Of you are toilers at the plow, or
In the workshop, or dependent on small
salaries, in public or private employment.
To all SO situated the payment of wages
and pensions and your savings in silver,
not redeemable in gold, as proposed by
Mr.. Bryan and his hybrid allies, would
involve severe losses and hardship. The
cost of all the necessaries of life would be
@5led, while the value Of the money in
which wages and pensions would be paid
would bo reduced nearly one-half. On
the other hand the farmers would not be
benefited, because they must sell their
products for money worth only a little
more than half it's present value, based on
q gold standard. Every producer and
every workman would thus suffer. All
business would be deranged. Employ
ment would be difficult to find. Wages
would advance very slowly, If ut all.
Mr.. Bryan sssails the obligations of
public and private contracts. He would
not pay the public creditors in the money
they have the legal and moral right to de-
mand and receive This would destroy
the public credit. Mr.. Bryan says the
government has no use for credit-which
is foolish. Washington, in his fare
we'll adG"cis to his countrynen, ad-
monished us to Cherish public credit
as very important source of strength
and security" Mr. Bryan would de-
spoil the citizen of his right to re-
cover what is due to him from his neigh
Dor according to the tenor of an obliga-
ton lawfully made This would destroy
confidence between man and man. Pub
lie credit and national honor are insep-
arabic. When our peoi,le cease to feel q
patriotic pride in the honor of their coun-
try they will surely lose a just sense Of
personal honoe-and when both of thes
continents are lost the nation is lost.
Must Maintain Credit.
The constitution of the United States |
declares that 'the validity of the public |
debt of the United States, authorized by |
law, including debts incurred in payment |
Of pensions, and bounties for services In |
suppressing insurrection OF rebellion, shall |
not be questioned" This pledge to all the |
world is consecrated by all the sacrifices |
and suffering of the secession wan We
must make it - ;od.
Mr.. Dryun threatens to reorganize tho |
highest court in the land so that Its de- |
cisons shall satisfy the demands of the |
Populists. If elected he would make the |
judicial department Of the government |
obedient to his will. He would destroy |
the independence of the courts of justice. |
This would overturn the framework of /
our constitution. This would be revolu.
ton.
MIR. Bryan proposes that silver shall be
the money OF this country. There is no
nation, in which silver Is the standard of |
value, where the wages paid for labor are
more than fraction Of the wages paid to
the American workman. Nobody under
stands the evils Of depreciated currency
better than the veteran soldier and sailor
because they were paid during the war in
paper money not then redeemable in gold.
This was tho best our government could
do for us during the war, and we made no
complaint Often this paper money was
worth less than fifty cents on the dollar,
while the cost of every thing you bought
was double, but your pay was not In
creased.
Mr.. Bryan denies the authority Of the
president and the courts Of the United
States to interfere with mobs They may
Il lt.-t,t III, 4