The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1896-09-17
HE DOES NOT LIKE IT
w. f. SHEEHAN HAS NO USE FOR
THE CHICAGO PLATFORM.
New YorIS's Ex-Governor Criticize.
the Democratic Campaign
Document.

view Olhi oepl. I'LL reply 10 q re- |
cent letter of inquiry from Joseph 3.
Mayer of Buffalo rs to the attitude of
Ex-Governor William T. Sheehan in
the present campaign, the governor
makes his position plain in the follow
ing interesting statement.
The proceedings of the recent Chicago
convention were unparalleled in demo-
cratic history. Radicalism, and not pa
triotism. dominated its course. The guild
ing, and in a large measure the control
ling, spirits of that body were republican
United States senators-men whose votes
made it possible to enter upon the stat
utes of the country the objectionable
and disastrous Mckinley law. When be-
fore were rock-ribbed republican protec-
tionists given, in a democratic conven-
ticn seats of honor and permitted to die
tate and shape the policy of our party?
The patriotic advice of men who had
grown gray in democratic services were
spurned, and the judgment of these new
found apostles of undemocratic creed was
enthusiastically accepted.
Under Guise of Democracy.
"A platform was adopted under the
guise of democracy from which all
thoughtful democrats should recoil. There
never has been a moment since its adop-
ton that l could support 1t, except by
loss of my self-respect What is that
platform? There is not a line in it that is
| democratic. that is good. There is not
ord in 1t that is not bad, and therefore
undemocratic. that has not been stolen or
taken from the populist platform. Base
as repubicanism is, subversive as it has
generally been of the best interests of the
country, it is infinitely preferable TO pop
| ulism, which is next of kin to socialism.
We should examine our past platforms
| in connection with the teachings of tie
| founders and statesmen of our party TO
ascertain what is the test of party faith
| Democratic principles took root with
| the birth of the republic; they are as
sound and as lofty today as they were
| when first expounded by Jefferson All
| democrats should give their hearty sup
! port to the candidates who stand upon "A
| platform which reaffirms and upholds
| these principles. When was it ever a
| tenet of democracy that, by the fiat OF
| the government, SO cents worth of silver
| should be made equal to 100 cents worth
of gold in payment of public and private
debts? What democratic convention has
| failed in recnt years to justly condemn
republican paternalism? Where is there
a more wicked form of paternalism than
| for the government to stamp for the ben
eft of mine owners SO cents worth of sill
yer bullion as one dollar in coin? Where
| in democracy is proposition that allows
our mints free of charge at a ratio far
beyond it's intrinsic or commercial val lie,
and compels our citizens to accept this
false and dishonest coin at its face value
in extinguishment of their debts and i'm
payment for their labor?
The Single Proposition.
THE advocates of this platform hazard
everything on single proposition, that
the enactment of a law for the free coin
| roll atf flnn IN IF fC
l. without the aid or assistance of other
nations, will bring gold and silver to a
| parity We consider our silver dollar to-
day as good as gold, because 1t has back
of 1t the credit and faith of the nation
pledged to maintain its parity with gold
Under the free coinage of silver. tni.
credit and faith will be withdrawn iron
the new coin. The government will have
no interest in responsibility for ii
These men propose, however. that tn
power of congress be increased to conpe
our citizens to accept in payment of thei
| debts a dollar that is iEtrinsically WORT
but SO cents, without being able to com
| pel corresponding relief to the American
debtors, when foreign crelitors deman'
| of them payment in gold. No law H.
been able to make all men honest. bu
no law should compel them to be dishon
est.
But more sacred to every citizen thai
the honor and business interests of in
dividuals is the honor of the nation.
the United States Is a debtor by yirtu
, of bonds it has issued; If for these bond
gold was paid justice, morals and ma
4 tional honor all cry out for redemption
/ principal interest-all-in the same coir
But 1t is claimed that on the face o
| these bonds the government is given til
| legal right to redeem in coin, and there
fore may redeem them in silver COIN
IA question of morals should alway
rise superior to a legal question. 10
the $3.50 600 900 of government bonds no'
| outstanding we have received gold oil
and unless the intelligence OF this lia
ton be blunted and its patriotic impulse
paralyzed these obligations will be r'
deemed in similar coin.
What He Has Heard.
..I have heard it said that an attemI
j. would be made to affect existing obigt
tions IL the work of the Chicago CONVEX
tion be ratified at the polls. The prop'
sition not to repudiate these obligation
was overwhelmingly defeated by II
convention after Bryan had concluded h
speech which resulted in his nomlnato
Under free coinage. gold would be e.
= ported or boarded, and silver would b
come the money of the country. WI
silver or fiat money as our only meal
\, of revenue how can these millions
United States bonds be redeemed
gold?
with a legitimate pIOpoSitioh W
e. crease the number of United Stat
supreme court judges, or to abolish with
constitutional lines the life tenure of {
flee. | may have no controversy; nor
,oo | object to proper criticism of judges
wv nublic officials. But when an open, be
attempt is made to increase the numt
of these Judges with the avowed purpo
,r, | oe securing a decision on any question
n. n nre-determined plan, patriotism and
IS. tcilisent men may well hold up tn
Of hands in horror.
~ vote this indictment of the work
a thc Chicago convention; l can not 81
mort its candidates except upon the p
Of marty regularity. The claim that
democrats should support the ticket
the sake of regularity would nave M
weight II II were urged on behalf OF
y candidate whose democracy was uns
led admit the impossibility of dra
- ing platform that in all thlhss wiz
ss, satisfactory to all democrats bu' II
~ O.. before have we been asked 10 in'
q n compromise between national hohoi
lQ national degradation. The democrats
81 RESPONDED to President Lincoln can
~ take up arms for the maintenance Oh
~ nations honor, did not cease TO De u'
~ ocrats because they proved themsei
~ patriots.
Cannot support Chicago Pintior'
ry, 1T is not pleasant to break old assn
tions. / wish / could bring myseii
believe that the Chicago convention
rirht and that national blessings mi
uo flow from the ratification OF its W.
INa