The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-08-21
President of the Topeka Paper
Company,
Tells Why He Goes Over to the
Bryan Ticket.
8Tr. Samson Takes Occasion to Cen
sure John ]. ingalls, Position
Says Two-thirds of Republi-
can Delegates Were in
Favor of Free Silver
Favor of Free Silver.

ara pOllCX Is L. b. samson president
the Topeka Paper company and one of
the oldest business men in the city.
Mr.. Samson says in a letter to the
Journal, announcing his intention to
vote for Bryan:
Topeka, Kan. Aug Is, 1896
To the Editor of The State Journal.
I am a Republican ard have always
voted the Republican ticket. but they
have so far gone astray after false
gods, I cannot vote that ticket this
time. The Republican party has al
ways been in favor of free silver and
have embodied it in their platforms
until this year but now they have
moved over onto the Grover Cleveland
financial policy platform, which has
proven so disastrous to business inter-
ests that the whole country, east and
west, is tired and sick of it, and are
clamoring for a change to save the ma
ton from bankruptcy.
In the face of this condition of things,
a few of the party fiXers have UNDER
taken to continue this kind of a poll
| icy at the expense of the best interests
| of the Republican party. They may
| fix up platforms by buying up dele
/ gates, but they cannot compel the vot-
/ ers to follow it. The honest sentiment
| of three out of every five of the dele
| gates tO~the St. Louis convention was
| for free silver. but the pulse of every
| delegate was examined before the time
of voting and enough votes were bought
| to carry out the plans of the money
| changers. and instead of the wishes of
/ the Republican party we have the ex-
preston of a few mOneyed leaders. Ours
| is a Republican form of government
| when the wishes of the majority is
( supposed to be the law of the land.
! but in this convention the minority by
| the use of money has fixed things its
own way, and demands the people
/ shall carry out their plans.
On account of this bold change of
/ front in putting in a gold plank in their
platform, all parties have forsaken
! every issue except the money question,
| and have forgotten party names; and
! party leaders will for the first time
! vote for measures instead of men, and
! the November election will show that
! the common people have begun to
think for themselves, and vote indie
! pendent of party dictators.
When politics get so low that dele
| gates sent to vote the will of the peo-
/ pie are bought with money, it is time
for the public to turn down these party
| fxers and vote for their own interests.
| The interests of the poor and unen-
| ployed demand more and cheaper mon
ey that corresponds more nearly with
| the material products of this country.
We respect the wit and brilliancy of
J John J. ingalls,, but we are ashamed
| of him and for him. when he makes
this most foolish statement that the
| Republican party cannot make a plat
form so mean that he cannot stand on
/ it. When he admits that he has been
/ on both sides of the silver money ques-
! ton, and has changed his mind, not
for any good or sensible reason, but
/ for the sake of position and because
the party leaders so decreed. This
be be good politics, but it is poor
| principle and will not buy intelligent
votes from respectable people.
1t is time for politics to make a show
of honesty and responsibility in order
| to secure a following, and All things
to all men fellows be given the go by.
| It is time for business men to settle
this money question.
Silver has been treated as money
since the days of the Patriarchs and
there is no good reason why it should
not be now, and if it We're all coined
and put in circulation there would be
none too much to meet the present
needs.
When free coinage is adopted a new
electric current will run through busi-
ness circles. The machinery of the
east will be set in motion, the laborer
will find employment,-a better mar
ket will be furnished for the products
of the west and at better prices-the
| and the sound of the returning pros
perity will again be heard in the land.
If Mckinley should be elected. he is
pledged to and bound by the gold par
ty and therefore helpless to do any
thing to relieve the present distress
and we would have four years of dull
business and hard times with no show
of relief in sight.
The tariff question needs public con-
sheraton but we can expect as much
from one party as the other as neither
Of them will do anything with the tar
IF until this money question is settled.
Under the present gold standard pOI~
icy, business of all kinds has stag
mated as by the touch of palsy, prices
have declined and the farmers are
compelled to dispose of the products
of the farm for less than cost of pro-
duction, and multitudes Of the produce
ing class are unemployed because our
high priced money is locked up in
vaults and out of the reach of business
demands.
Victory was within easy reach of the
Republicans if they had held to their
former faith. but by this rank and radi-
cal change in financeering. they have
sealed their doom and defeat stares
them in the face in every state west of
the Mississippi.
All this talk about comforting with
foreign nations to establish a money
standard is mere nonsense for it never
viii be accomplished. This nation is
old enough and strong enough to die
tate her own policy and to provide for
all the needs of her people without go
ing outside for anything, and the soon
er we assert our independence in this
direction the better.
c. 3. SAMSON.
FIFTEENTH SENATORIAL DIST.
Clark of Franklin, Noninated by the