Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-09-03
"A n Al. WILLIAM M'IxINLEY's
MI letter accepting the Republican

- u0minNIlOn TOT l'rcSluent OF the
United States is as follows:
John NJ. Thurston and Others. Mem
bers of thd Notification Committee of the
Republican National Convention-Gentle-
men: lnpursuance of the promise made TO
your committee when notified of my nom
nation ais the Republican candidate for
President, beg to submit this formal
acceptance ofithat high honor and to con-
slider ip detail questions ut issue in the
p~fdsHS cump.fEn. Perhaps this might
be considered unnecessary In view OF my
remarks on that occasion aud those /
have made TO delegations that have Wis
tied me since the st. Louis convention,
but in view of the momentous importance
of the proper settlement of the issues pre-
sen,ed on our future prosperity and stand
ing AS nation, and considering only the
welfare and happiness of our people.
could not be content to omit again calling
attention to the questions which in my
oninion vitality affect our strength and
position among the governments of the
world and our morality. integrity and patA
riotisnl as citizens of that republic which
ior century past has Deen the best hope
OIL the world and the Inspiration of man
KIND. We must not now prove false to
our own high standards in government
nor unmindful of the noble example and
wise precepts of the fathers or of the
conhdence and trust which our conduct
IN the'past has always inspired.
Free Coinage Of Silver.
For the first time since 1865 if ever
before. there is presented to the Ameri-
can this year clear and direct issue rs
70 cur monetary system, of vast impor-
tance in its effects and upon the right set
Element of which rests largely the fnan-
al honor and prosperity of the country.
Ii IS proposed by one wing of the Demo-
cratic party and it's allies, the peoples
and silver parties, to marguerite the free
and unlimited coinage of silver by indie
pendent action on the part of the United
States at ratio of sixteen ounces of sill
yer 10 one ounce of gold. The mere dec
iaration of this purpose is n menace TO our
financial and industrial interests and has
already created universal alarm. 1t in
wolves great peril 20 the credit and bust
ness OF the country-a peril so grave that
conservative men everywhere are break
Ing away from their old party associations
and uniting with other patriotic citizens
In emphatic protest against the platform
OF tho Democratic national convention as
an assault upon the faith and honor of the
Government and the welfare Of the peo-
pie. We have had few questions in the
lifetime of the republic more serious than
the one which is thus presented.
The character of the money which shall
measIre our values and exchanges and
settle our balances with one another, and
with the nations of the world. is Of such
In its consequences, as to call for the most
pains.aking investigation, and in the end
sober and unprecedented judgment at the
polls. We must not b misled by phrases.
rdeluded by false theories. Free silver
would not mean that silver dollars were
10 he freely had without cost or labor. 1t
would mean the free use of the minis Of
the United States for the few who arc
owners of silver bullion. but would make
silver coin no freer to the many who are
engaged in other enterprises. 1t would
not make labor easier. the hours of labor
shorter or the pay better Ii would not
make farming less laborious or more pro-
fable. Ii would not start "a factory or
make a demand for an additional days
labor. 1t would create no new occupa-
tons. 1t would add nothing to the COM
fort of the masses, the capital of the peo-
pie Of the wealth of the nation. 1t seeks
Ia introduce new measure of value. buS
would ndd no value to the thing measured
II would not conserve values. On the
contrary. ii would derange all existing
values. 1t would not restore business con-
fidcnce, but it's direct effect would be to
destroy the little which yet remains.
What 1t Means.
The meaning of the coinage plank adopt
Ell in Chicago is that anyone may take
quantity of silver bullion now worth 81
c'nts to the mints of the United States,
have il coined at the expense of the Gov
eminent. and receive for it n silver dollar
which shall be legal tender for the pay
ment of all debts public and private. The
owner Of the silver bullion would get the
silver dollar 1t would belong to him and
TO nobody else. Other people would get
it only by their labor, the products of their
land or something of value. The bullion
owner on the basis of present values
would receive the silver dollar for 53
cents worth of silver. and other people
would be required to receive II as full
dollar in the payment of debts. This
government would get nothing from the
transaction. 1t would bear the expense
OF coming the silver and the community
would suife.. loss by its use.
The Dollars Compared.
VIC have coined since 1873 moro than
4OO.U0OO00 of silver dollars, which are
maintained by the Government ut parity
with gold and are Il full legal tender for
the payment of all debts. public and pr-
yatC. How are the silver dollars now in
use different from those which would be
In use under free coinage! They are to
be of the same. weight and fineness: they
are 10 bear the same stamp of the Gov
ernment Why would they not he of the
same value? answer: The silver dollars
now in use, were coined on account of
the Goyernment aud not for private ac-
ccsfrsf or gaia, and the Government has
solcmnly agreed To keep them good as
the best dollars we have. The Govern
mont bought the silver bullion at its mar
ket value and coined it INTO silver. Hav-
ing exclusive control of the mintage it
only coins what it can hold at a parity
with, gold. The profit representing the
difference between the commercial value
of the silver bullion and the face value of
the silver dollar goes TO the Government
OR the benefit Of the people. he Il ~
eminent bought the silver bullion con-
tanned in the silver dol.a- at very much
less than its coinage value. 1T paid II out
10 It's creditors OF put IL in circulation
anloug the people ut its face value of 100
cents ora fuH dollar 1T required the peo-
ple 10 accept il us legal tender. and is
Thus morally bound TO maintain IT at n
marty with gold, which was then, as now.
satbe recognized standard, with us. and the
most enlightened nations of the world.
The Government having issued and circu-
lated the silver dollar. it must IN honor
protect the holder from loss. This obi
CATION it has so far sacredly Kept. Not
only is there n moral obligation. but there
u u legal obligation, expressed IN Pubic
ssntute, to maintain the parity. tt!
Could Not BE Kept at Par.
These dollars in the particulars l have
/. named are not the same as the dollars
which would be ISSUED under free coin
age They would be the same in form.
b,lt different in value. The Government
w.ald have no snagt in the transaction,
cxcept to coin the silver bullion into dol
lars IL would. share in no part or the
profit IL would take upon itself no OBJ
i;-ntion. 1t would not put tan dollars
into circulofiou II could only get them