The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1896-10-15
EX-GOVERNOR w. w. THAYER.

HlucH weight Win lNe rank ana lie Oh
democracy. The interviews follow:
EX-GOVERNOR w. w. THAYER.
The Chicago Platform an Expression
of Anarchy.
Ex-Governor Thayer had the following
to say:
Il cannot support the candidates for
president and vce-president nominated at
the late democratic convention. held at Chi
cago, Mr.. Bryan and Mr.. Sewall. They
may be worthy men for the respective po
sitions for which they are candidates, so
far as personal integrity of character is
concerned Very probably they are; but 1
am satisfied that their election under the
circumstances and conditions of the coun-
try at this time, would be highly disastrous
to its peace and welfare. I have long been
convinced that the most serious danger
which threatens the stability of our institu-
tons and the perpetuity of our gov
eminent is not from any encroachment
liable to be made by the government upon
the rights of the people; that the latter
would be perfectly secure without a Magma
Charta even, but that it is from revolu-
tionary and anarchistic spirit which APP
pears to pervade the community to an
alarming extent. And it seems to me that
the course of conduct pursued by the ma
jority of members of the Chicago conven-
ton was designed and intended to encour-
age that spirit They indicated a purpose
and determination to enforce civil and
financial policy of government to suit
their own whims, without care or consd-
Grafton for the opinions of our wisest
statesmen and large body of our most
hlghly-respected and conservative citizens.
Their attitude towards every one opposed
to their vagaries exhibits a vicious tenn
per, and the scheme they propose to carry
out is one fraught with mischief
''The president of the United States
whom, four years ago, they ardently sup
ported, is now, according to their view, too
contemplate to be treated with respect and
the head and front of his offending seems
to have been that he has attempted to en-
force the law and maintain public credit.
THE supreme court of the United States
composed of members whose learning abi-
ity and high character for integrity, the
American people ought to be proud of, they
propose to reorganize in such a manner that
1t Will carry out their wild theories and
caprices. And their whole aim evidently is
to incite antagonism between the different
sections of the country and classes of its
inhabitants.
I'm the name of heaven, have We not
already suffered enough from sectional ami
moSties? 1t seems to me that the Ameri-
can citizen who cannot see that the course
of the majority of the members of that con-
vention, and which they and their adherents
are now pursuing, does not point to an
archy, is certainly blind. Its whole ten
dency is in that direction. And who is to
be benefited by its consequences? No one
but the reckless adventurer, who has
everything to gain and nothing to lose. 1t
certainly will not be the man who by thrift
has accumulated a little property to sup
port himself and family in his declining
years. and is called upon to divide it up
with idle and unthrifty persons
But, say some, we have hard times upon
us and must have relief, and the only
relief to be obtained is the adoption of the
free coinage of silver. A resort to the
free coinage of silver might be necessary
under some conditions or circumstances 1t
probably would be if the volume of gold
together with the silver now in use as
money and being maintained at parity
with gold, were inadequate to transact the
commercial affairs of the world; but to
adopt the free coinage of silver at this
time, instead of proving a relief, would
postpone the return of good times for
years.
There is no such scarcity of gold. The
volume has not only been kept up, but
has increased, and is now being added to
by an output of over $500, OOOO 900 annually
1t is not in circulation as freely as we
might desire, perhaps, and will not be I'M
til its possessors are assured that they can
invest it with reasonable prospects of get
ting it back again, or it's equivalent No
prudent man will invest his accumulations
in times of civil dissension or threatened
changes of the existing system in none
tary affairs. He will sooner wait and see
what the new system brings forth. And
if the free coinage of silver at the ratio
of 16 to l were adopted today, and an
amount issued sufficient to transact bust
ness, who would be benefited thereby? 1t
certainly would not be those who are in
debt, as their obligations as general rule
are payable in gold and they would be
compelled to purchase gold with which to
discharge them. Who would that benefit
but the 'gold-bugs'? They would be in a
condition to exact such amount of ex-
change as their conscienceS would permit,
and the unfortunate debtor who is strug-
Cling along to get out of debt would be
further burdened by this new feature
which would arise.
'The free-coinage silver policy cannot
however, possibly be carried out for years
to come if Mr.. Bryan were to be elected.
law would have to be enacted authoriZ-
ing it, and it would require a long time to
coin sufficient amount to answer business
requirements. In the meantime, gold would
be boarded more securely than now, and
the community be destitute of money en-
tirely. The adoption of free coinage of sill
yer at this time would as / view the
matter, be suicidal. At least, 1 think it
better to endure the ills we have than fly
to others we know not Of
''Nor do 1 believe it prudent to resort to
any legislative scheme to improve the
times. Financial matters, if left alone,
will adjust themselves much better than
can be accomplished by legislative tinker
ing. Good times are only secured by the
active circulation of money, and legislative
enactment cannot accomplish that. The
depression In the money market for the
last two months is due largely to the dis
trust occasioned by the action and conduct
of the Chicago convention and its support
ers since Hundreds of thousands of dol
lars now idle would have been invested
and in circulation in our community were
1t not for the pernicious influence which
that performance melted. And should the
Vaccinations there set OF foot succeed,
the prosperity and progress of the United
States would go backward for at least
decade. It is not pleasant or agreeable
to refuse to support candidates selected by
ones party convention, but we have no
right to sink our patriotism and loyalty to
orr government in our partisanship."
JUDGE e. G. BRONAUGH.
He VIII Vote for Mckinley Because
H> Ia n Patriot.