Birmingham state herald., 1896-10-07
SEWALL STRAIGHTFORWARD
Ills Letter of Acceptance Leaves No Doubt as to Where He Stands on the
 Money Issue,

Bath, Me, Oct. 5.-In his letter of ae- eeptanee today Hon. Arthur M. Sewall, democratic nominee for president, says, among other things:
 Gentlemen: I have the honor to accept in writing, as I have already verbally done, the nomination rendered by you on behalf of the democratic party as it's can didate for viee-presideht of the United States, and in doing so I am glad, first, to express my satisfaction that the plat form of our party which has commanded my lifelong allegiance, is honestly and fully declaratory of all it's privileges, and especially of the absorbing financial issue upon which, as you say, l tooksmy stand "when the hours of triumph seemed re- mote, and when arrogant money changers throughout the world boasted that the conquest of the American masses was complete"
 These principles have been of late in abeyance, only because those whom we trusted to maintain them have failed to do so. These principles can never die. We have rescued our party from those who, under the influence of the money power. have controlled and debased it. Our mission is to now rescue from this same power and it's foreign alliances our own beloved country. This is the first and highest duty imposed by our partys platform. Upon the performance of this duty all other reforms must wait.
 ''The test of party principles is the gov ernment they. assure; the proof of good
 government is a contented and happy
 people, and the supreme test of both of
 the ability to guide. the country through
 a crisis as well as to administer the gov ernment in ordinary lines.
 Our people now face a crisis--a crisis
 more serious than any since the war. To
 what party shall they turn in their dire
 emergency? It is true that the present
 crisis may not involve all equally; that
 there are those who do not suffer now
 and who may not suffer should the crisis
 threatened by the gold standard come
 on in all it's fury Human selfshness
 makes those deaf to all appeals, but to
 these, fortunately, the democratic party
 has never needed to appeal to win it's
 battles, nor does it now, save as there
 are some among them who can rise SUI
 perior to self in the sacrifice which such a crisis demands of every patriot. We are told that the country has pros pered under the present monetary stand ard; that it's wealth has enormously ln- creased. Granted But in whose hands?
 In the hands of the toilers. the-producers,
 the farmers. the miners, the fabricators in the factories the creators of the na- tion's wealth, in peace, it's defenders in war? Have they the prosperity which was theirs so late as even two years ago?
 
 save those whose interest it is to whose profits would diminish as prosperity re- turns to those on whose distress they thrive.
 All is indeed right between capital and labor. The best money in the world is none too good for those who have got 1t, but how is it with the 90 per cent of our people who have 'got 1t to get?' How is it with those who must buy this "best money'in the world" with the products of IaI,A hn nln for whom the democratic party would legislate What is the best money for these ia the question for all to ask who really love this land. How, also, can you increase labors purchasing power, but by increasing the price of labor pro- ducts? Us it fair measure to value that | in our great producing sections ten bush- els of potatoes must be paid for dollar, | ten bushels of oats for dollar, six bush els of corn for a dollar three bushels Of wheat and all other products of the soil and the labor of all wage earners at the same ratio? Does any fair minded man say this is honest money that forces such an exchange, and if it is not fair ex- l change is it honest? Is 1t less than rob- l bery?
 This is the condition to which the single gold standard has brought US. Under 1t | the appreciation of the "best money in l the world" has increased the wealth of | the rich. and for the same reason has in- creased the debt or the debtor. 50, un- l der the present standard, it must con- | tinue to be With these object lessons about us, little need have we for history and statistics and the study of scholars. Little satisfaction it is to us that they have warned us long since of the deadly evil of the gold standard. It has brought us at last to the parting of the ways. Whither shall the people go? In the way that has led to their enslavement or into that which offers them their only chance to gain their individual liberty, lasting prosperity and happiness? Let not our opponents charge us with creat- ing class distinctions. Alas for the re- publlcans, they are already here created by the republican policy of the last thir- ty years created by the very system we would now overthrow and destroy. Nor do we raise sectional issue. The nomi- nation you tender repels the charge. None know better than I that this nomination is meant as no personal tribute, but as an assurance that our party is non-sec- tional party. Not by our policy, but only by the continuance of the gold standard can sectionalism be revived. Neither shall our opponents be permitted to ter rify the people by predictions that tenn porary disturbances or panic will come from the policy we propose. The Ameri- can people will be loyal to the nations money, will stand behind it and main- tain it at whatever value they themselves may put upon it.