The Butler weekly times., 1896-08-06
DR.. JOHN CLARK RIDPATH
TELLS WHY HElS FOR BRYAN
The Ht-;"'idn and Er-iWllie Republic
GAIA ~,Eirat,!' Zrs with L4bnrrrs,
mt not l0ieI~

/ IndIGnapo!j-, Ii, Aug DIR.
John Cia,a R,3Ya.l, tie veil known
scholar, histori+u ana writer, who
/ was uusnlmoGs', 81 ectet bv the
| Democrats OF tbs T4f,n District as
tGefc cat dld,t- :rr co. srs SIS at their
yenti0n 1t B,az.t July 30, was
visited at his home in Gyeencastle
yesterday ani asked ion al express.
sion upon his nomir at:ou and the
monetary question He said: In
regard to my nomination fer Con
gress, | strovo in every way l could
to avoid that aud prevent it. NY per
soual affairs and some public duties
shat lie ahead seemed to preclude
the ptopriety or possibility of my
being a candidate for any office. 1
never sought Office in my life and
never expect to do go for the reason
| that it seems to me clear that the
people have the absolute right OF
| iniative in such matters. have
always contended that the people
should have the initiative in choos.
ing those who should become their
servants in Office. The political life
is not at all in my profession, though
have profound interest in the
public welfare. 1 have always sym.
pathized with the people-by which
l mean the great masses of our fell
low beings engaged in the hard task
of making a living. l sympathize
with the laborer and do not with the
idler.
According to my way of thinking
our government has been steadily
drifting away from the people and
getting into the power OF special
interests. The circle of government
has narrowed apd narrowed till it
appears to me the highest absurdity
to call it any longer government
of the people, for the people. and
by the people want 10 see the
process completely re. ersed. | want
to see the government restored to
the people. 1 believe precisely what
Webster and Theodore Parker and
Lincoln declared, viz: That our re-
public is, or ought to be, a govern.
ment OF the people. for the people
AID hy them
How can there be any harm III
such doctrine? In the name CT
common sense, has it come TO pass
that patriotic citizens in the United
States Of American cannot advocate
the right OF the people to goverr
themselves Has it come to this
that we have sure enough lot o
self constituted master who shall tel
US what is good for US and how We
shall obtain it? Are we Americans
a lot of younslings who are unable
to lead ourselves. but must be lee
rather as with string and fed OF
porridge as with spoon?
!. Among the methods as it seem:
to me By which the government ii
to be recovered by the people is
first of oil, &c the matter now stands
the restoration of our currency. W.
want our currency system put bacl
precisely where it was under The
statute and constitution for tie frs,
81 years OF our existence as q nation
!, Our statutory bimetallic system o.
, currency was taken from Us in 1877
| by ocess-which I do not care tc
characterize IN fitting terms Now
We propose to have it back again
The restoration Of our silver money
10 the place it he'd before is the
peoples cause. and the people il
this Contest ace gong 10 triumph
They are going to triumph IN tL.
open light Of day under the cleal
g.eam OF light and truth.
SILVER DOLLAR UNIT.
Tie silver dollar was from OF Gle
the unit Of money aud account il
the United States. That dollar t.
] tLis hour has meyer been altered by
the fraction of grain in the quantit,
of pure metal composing it. Ever,