The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-06-18
GOVERNOR BRADLEY'S INTER
VIEW TURNS OUT TO BE
VERY TAME.
He IS A GOLD STANDARD MAN.
And He Wants That Distinctly Under
ood-Insinuations About Mckinley
Are False-Docs Not Want the
Vice Presidency.

Frankfort, KY, June 1O.-During the
past week statements have been sent out
from Washington that Governor w. D.
Bradley, who was last year elected gov
ernor of Kentucky on a gold standard
platform over Democratic free silver
candidate, had originally been in favor
of a compromising policy and that Gov
crnor Mckinley had induced him to adopt
the gold standard policy; that he has
since negotiated with Mckinley and
other candidates, and this has been fol-
lowed by statements purportinG to come
from Frankfort that Governor Bradley
had in his possession letters written him
in confidence from various Republicans
of national prominence which he would
make public in retaliation for the aspcr-
sions against his sincerity.
1t has been intimatcd that the expected
disclosures would create n great scnsa-
ton in national politics, and in conse-
quencc the governor has been over
whelmed with inquiries on the subject.
Concerning these reports, Governor
Bradley today made the following state
ment
II can not permit the Washington dis
patch to pass unchallenged. In response
i deny that / was ever the representative
of Mr. Hanna in any way. Nor is it true
that my action was ever controlled or
governed in the slightest degree by what
is politically called in that dispatch the
-Clarkson crowd.
There never was any combination be-
tween those gentlemen or any of them
and myself or any of my friends have
not attempted to make terms with Mr..
Mckinley or any of his managers or with
any one of the presidential asprants or
any of their managers.
Il have not offered to trade sixteen
vote or any vote for the vice presidency,
nor will l be candidate for the vice
presidency, nor would accept Il cabinet
position
II did write Mr.. Mckinley and at the
same time wrote to number of lead
ing Republicans throughout the country
concerning the Kentucky campaign. The
insinuatiOn that | wrote favoring a strad-
die on the currency question or that Mr..
Mckinley advised me not to pursue such
n course or said that the silver agita-
ton was the result of hard times just
as the greenback craze was the result
of the panic of 1873 is totally false.
did not write him that a majority of the
people in Kentucky were in favor of free
coinage or that both parties were rap
idly drifting that way
my expressed opinion was that the
Minneapolis platform was too general
and that the party should make clear
and distinct declaration. My views con-
corning the currency question are too well
known to require explanation in Ken
lucky. Weeks before the convention the
Louisville Critic announced my declara
ton that | would not accept the nomna-
ton on a free silver platform. The Dem
bitz interview in the Couricr-Journal was
almost equally explicit. | have time and
again declared in favor of the gold stand |
ard with every dollar made of equal
value and against the free and unlimited
coinage of silver. My canvass was made |
ON platform cmbodying those IDEAS,
and | adhere to that platform now.
Il believe that sound currency will be |
the leading issue of the coming cam
paign. The honor of the republic and the |
welfare of the people demand its correct |
solution. 1t is far above personal success |
or individual advancement and in this |
hour Of supreme trial the Republican |
convention shall declare unhesitatingly |
i'll favor of the single gold standard. 1t |
is no time for quibbling or evasion. We |
may lose some western states, but this |
loss will be more than compensated in |
the old states and border states. But |
if | thought that such declaration |
would cause the Republican nominee to
be defeated, | would none the less favor
1t, for success at the expense of national |
welfare would be neither creditable nor
profitable. In justice to Mr. Mckinley,
will add that the statement that he |
wrote recommending the adoption of IL
platform with strong silver tone is |
not true, nor has he or any of the gen
tlemen addressed suggested anything of |
the kind"
Close friends of Governor Bradley say
the interview given out to the Associated |
Press was very much modified from that
prepared yesterday. After long con
ference with his political friends today,
ii was revised and much of the original
statement was also omitted. No refer
ence is made TO the announcement last
week of Governor Bradley's withdrawal
as candidate from the ST. Louis nomi-
nation and close friends are reticcnt as
TO what the Kentucky delegation will
do ut st. Louis. They do not know
whether the governor will 20 to ST.
Louis or not