The herald., 1896-08-28
M'KINLEY'S MEANDERINGS

yesterday, the InOuHldlH HAS ptSu OC-
livered of a mouse, although of gargan-
tuan proportions. 1t is safe to say that
not ten per cent of the intelligent read
ers of tlAs country will wade through
the unnecessarily winded and I'M
interesting columns that comprise Mr.
McKinley's letter of acceptance. 1t IS
an elaborate and carefully weighed ef-
fusion. but it is characterized through
out by timid line of defense, that is
in itself confession of weakness.
A feature of the letter that is, how
ever. a matter of relief lies in the fact
that Mr.. Mckinley could not shirk the
one vital issue of the campaign. He
gives the all-engrossing silver question
its proper and predominant position.
thereby belying the fallacy. which
many of his adherents have attempted
to interpose. that the tariff was the
burning question. 1t may. in truth. be
burning, but little beYo. its smoke will
be visible during this campaign.
Mr.. Mckinley starts with a half
hearted apology for his consideration in
detail of questions at issue in this cam
paign. He thinks that perhaps it
might be considered unnecessary in
view of my remarks" on the occasion OF
the notification of his nomination and
chose I have made to delega tions. :"
Certainly no one will be found to share
Mr.. McKinley's diffidence on this score
So uncertain, so ambiguous, and so in
comprehensive were those remarks that
it is a matter for general congratula-
ton that despite his previous record he
now declares himself to be, for all prac-
teal purposes, a goldbug Of the gold
bugs.
Mr.. Mckinley first strikes the already
exploded note of universal alarm" by
which the capitalists of Wall street did
their utmost to promote a panic at the
mere declaration of this purpose" to
inaugurate the free and unlimited coin
age by independent action of the United
States. Mr. Mckinley believes ''it would
derange all existing values" the only
value that it would permanently de-
range would be the false and inflated
premium that is now put on gold at the
dictation of European financiers.
The Republican candidate seriously
considers the dictum which no sane ad-
vocate of free silver was ever guilty
of denying that free silver would not
mean that silver dollars We're to be
freely had without cost or labor" No
such ridiculous suggestion has, of course,
ever been made, although it has been
contended, and rightly, that the heart
less domination of syndicates, stock ex-
changes and other great combinations
of money grabbers in this country and
in Europe" have found that under mono
metallism gold dollars were to be freely
had without cost or labor" What the
free silver men do contend is that the
restoration of silver would restore the
value of products, which. under the ap-
probation of gold. have fallen, while
interest and taxes have remained as high
as ever. AS the value of the gold dollar
has appreciated. the value of bushel
of wheat has deprecated
Having the exclusive control of the
mints,' says Mckinley. "the government
only coins what it can hold at a parity
with gold" Does Mr.. Mckinley hon
estly believe that the free coinage of
silver would impugn the present parity?
II the government had not abrogated
the use of silver by the deliberate misin-
of the word coin" the
treasury would never have been driven
to such straits nor would the country-'s
credit have been shaken by perpetual
issues " bonds.
Mir. Mckinley is responsible for the
ipse dixit: "Bimetallism cannot be Sc
cured by Independent action on our
part" Well, we shall see. In the mean
time the most eminent bimetallsts in
Europe. whose opinions have already
been quoted in The Herald, assure us
that not only it can. but that the United
States, by reason of its great wealth and
power of resources, is best qualified to
take the initial step, and they are also
confident that the adoption by the Unit
ed States of a bimetallic standard will
ultimately force the great nations of the
earth to an international agreement 1t
IS curious, indeed, to find the great
prophet Of protection prating about the
assistance OF other nations, and it is
still more curious to find him talking
about the recognized and sole standa.d
of the great commercial nations of the
" orld. with whom we trade" when, if
ever he carried his pet theories into ef-
feet, those nations on whom he pre-
tends to rely for assistance in the solu-
ton of the financial problem would be
practically barred from trading with the
United States.
Mr.. Mckinley INDUCES in many and
vain platitudes, He tells US that I'VE
have much more silver in use than any
other country in the world except IN
dia or China or what value is the
comparison of the amount of silver in
use by Il nation of population of TO-
G09,000 with q nation of about half that
size? The per capita amount of silver in
the United states is $925; in France
$1305.
The Republican candidate is satisfied
to balance his bimetallic reputation on
the old qUadrennial bubble about in
tcrnational agreement which every one
recognizes is the surest device to indeh
nitely shelVe the question. II interna-
tional bimetallism is ever TO be attained
the first great step will be realized by
the example Of the United States. and
it is idle for Mr.. Mckinley to tell the
nation that If elected president, it will
be my duty to use all proper means to
promote it, The only proper means he
has positively abjured, and, further
more, he does not pretend to give the
country the faintest idea how he wonld
promote it otherwise.
There is LITTLE fresh II, NJ, TrLri,,1o,,,-