The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1896-09-18
AN OPEN LETTER.
some Pointed Questions for Nal. Nc
kfnley 20 Answer.

What the nominee for presidential hon '
ors on the republican ticket will say To !
IL remains 20 be seen:
Hon william Mckinley. Canton. O. = ,
Dear Sir. You are the presidential candi-
date OF the republican party upon plat
form unecuivocally committing you 10 the ,
policy OF maintaining the gold standard
in this country until himetallsm can be
secured hy International agreement
As neither you nor the party you repre-
sent offers a suggestion upon which We can
grOund.a hope Of obtaining such an agree
ment the financial plank OF the platform
upon which you stand must be regarded as
a declaration In favor OF permanently &C
herring 20 the present gold system.
In your letter OF acceptance you treat
the money question the foremost Issue.
and discuss II at considerable length. Civ
ing 10 the present monetary policy OF the
republican party your unqualified indor"e-
ment.
II Is scarcely necessary for me 20 remind
you that by such course you have ns-
snmeG a position quite different from me
one you occupied but a comparatively short
time ago
That very able men may and do honest
IN change their opinions upon questions 81 Il
wisdom and expediency. no falr-minc"d y
rerson Will deny That when they 50 \
change their opinions. II Is both their priv 4
ilece and their duty TO shape their actions !
Z accordingly. is beyond all controversy
Rut where the subject involves moral
considerations where II IS simply qu"s-
ton OF right and wrong. OF honesty ara
dishonesty. the same principle cannot op-
PLY and the same latitude OF change can
not be allowed.
II Is this distinction that has prompted
me 10 address you through the medium
OF an open letter
No ono can read your published accept
ance without being impressed that You re-
gard the maintaining OF the gold stancara
not merely as a wise and ludlclous pot
.cy but a. absolutely essential 10 the pres
. ervatson Of our financial honor.
You assert that the free roinage OF silver
al the ratio of sixteen TO one would at once
lead 20 the aebasement Of our currency
10 the level II q '-53 cent dollar, impair
ing the obligation Of existing contract
ana bringing a long train 81 terrible cana VT
itics In its wake Throughout your eniir
discussion 81 the question the general lrea
Is that parity with gold IS the infailibie test
81 honest money. and that any currency
cheaper than gold az is present appEecl-
At.d value IS. % necessity. iishVrt~l
You are certainly aware that the cam
yaign committee OF the republican "a. ~
l. literally aocainE the country with books
rarers and pamphlets. IN whichit ~ broad
~ declared that the financial issue r. nov
made .s simply question q none
money" SIS. dishonest money. 4htF- d
rr reason rs doubt that you are ia peiicc
ana harnhonlcls accord with your com
mittse. Hence the conclusion comes iffe
s.stlniy that You regard the advocates ~
uurestrlctcl silver coinage as beins 81"
hcieut h personal integrity, and AZ see -n'
10 establish a monetary policy that vi.
| dishonor the American rame.
Being one Of those whose personal n
tegrity is thus mpugned, make Tree (
| remind you that in the year l>'s' ~
member OF the house Or representative
Won voted for the famous Bland bili.
providing for the unrestricted coinage
] silver al the ratio 81 sixteen 10 one.
that time. tho commercial value or the ~
/ lion which you voted 10 coin into -
4 lar was "A little more than ~ cents
had neen much lower but al Abe TN
| Your vote was cast Il had risen consiae
| ably. as result Of poNucal asitAuoh a.
| prospective free coinage. You VIII also z
II member I am sure that the HAND uil w
al the time denounced as repudlRne,
N nnH rank dishonesty by many OF u
II monument fnanciers who are now giNil
A YOU their earnest support
Il a. view az these facts. would you '
card IL as impertsnent for me 10 request
public statement Of your opinion as
| whether or not the Bland bill was ~
- hor.est's measure. calculated 20 debas
our currency and "Glshonor' the counii
we III YOU answer in the Affirmative ~
ttce 10 yourself. you should INFORM !
country why You voted for i. IL your q
any sy.er u. IN the negative. II should be 81
ul.nented ~ an explanation ~ no"
act that was honest in isas can be dishon'
Ga lSb
N y true the vote in question was cast
lred ,-ars auo but even then you were
hat ,ratirh 10 know the difference betM'
uta- ri.ht and wrong. IL j. also true tha1
: 4, yer was not az that time so ias oeio~
gold level as u Is no", pct ~ TINS COM,
am ZION YOU VIII allow me 80 suggest Y
th.re j. no difference whatever ~ IT
49,, 4 s.i.,ia uur even OBJ degree. 50 far as
- question 81 honesty Is concerned; Ls
tug larceny Involves the same moral opil
ne tiln as grand larceny. A. l, = M,
-ue. coin 5s cents worth Of silver INTO = uoii
W, 4. k equally dishonest 10 coin " Gel
worth into a collar
fed rs,t neither Is. these explanations
-an, available, because OF othst Hisi"S
.;or rirsant circumstances in your congr
- si0mAl career
hey Won have probably not forgotten =
,.,,t were a member Of the Fitty-iirst 81
With rress and candidate fer the ~ItaAeIs
FOR 81 the house. 4 am very certain that
. republican members Of that boGs from
y - 49, vest have not forgotten how ankle
and YOU were FOR their support. ana how ca
sed. .stiy YOU reminded them tEat you !
r. x~,t..4 for free silver nearly j. years peie
was one Of those western MenDers.
ran Al that time lssp. when silver bull
in t.I fallen 10 less than IS cents on
him dollar M gold. you certainly never gave 2
tfs token that Ia your opinion law pFovih
FOR the free coinage Of that metai VIC
% Involve financial dishoror
n 0F10A'A
ont- ty-nrst congress you distinctly recogni
-. the fact that the demonetizauon Ok
eir Yer was wrong. that the Bland Nilsson
ien- ,xas too narrow In its scope. and that sol
am. thing further must be done toward sii
restoration Your utterances at the y
mainly showed that you were prepared
- any length In that direction, II the
pr,hllcans in congress would only Keep
asT company
Gets You Of course. remember that there
fau a very earnest demand throughout
~. country FOR silver legislation, ana !
! .He th.re was a strong silver sentiment w
Their house Of representatives: that the REP
sing ltcan side was Itself deeply tinctured
-. ,he free silver idea, and That nes
..,.rv member on that side conceded !
MT. sor. legislation must be had. You
ices. also recall the circumstance that ue
~itv. rt,blicans In caucus appointed comm
.5.' "a IN 10 endeavor 20 frame pili
DOuS which republicans could unite
long That committee consisted % the eigh'
pub,lran members o. the coinage conn
-. ~ whom l was one. and seven iea'
,euthtirnns ~ the house. not mempet
~. .tarttuffffe. or whom you