The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-06-29
HON. T. L. J0HNS0N'S VIEWS
DUTY OF DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION
 1T CHICAGO.


 Party Declared for Protection at the In stance of Trusts Convention Should
 Adopt Free Trade Plank.
 Cleveland, O., June 2S.-,Hon. Tom l.. | Johnson has addressed the following letter to Hon. George P. Fithian of Hi nos setting forth in detail what he con- ceives to be the duty of the democratic convention at Chicago in dealing with
 the financial and tariff questions. The letter is as follows:
 The convention of Ohio having adopt ed the unit rule, my vote as a delegate
 to the convention must be counted in
 that of my state As the best way of | expressing views that differ from those | of the extremists on either side of the line likely to be drawn on the currency question: and with some hope of help ing towards a simple and just solution, l send you a copy of my speech in the house of representatives, January 8, 1895, embodying a bill to reduce he interest upon the public debt, to pro- vide flexible and convenient curren- cy, and to avoid all necessity for god | reserve"
 l wish thus to lay before you more fully than l could hope to do in the | convention the argument for what I believe 50 be the best and most demo- cratic currenCy-a paper money of con- Venient denominations, issued directly
 by the United States to it's citizens without the intervention of banks, and made directly Interchangeable for it's bonds, thus avoiding all need for the boarding of any kind of metal and sup plying to our people a currency that cannot be cOrnered and that will auto matically contract or expand according
 to the need :or its use.
 While such a solution of this YeXed question will not commend itself to the ultra partisans of either side, it is, I | feel sure, the one which will ultimately be demanded by the people and that will be .ound to afford the best medi- um of eXchange-a currency that will fill all requirements without encourage ing monopoly.
 For reasons given in this speech l think a real bimetallism is impossible. And since no matter how it was DIOuSIlI -dlJtul, Spltl IS IpN anu lICL1 been for many years the basis for our monetary unit, I would not willingly favor any depreciation of that unit first, because the interference with eX- isting obligations thus caused would be in itself unjust; and, second, because the appreciation of prices that would ensue would be to the disadvantage of that great body of citizens who get their living by selling their labor-for of all things that men have to sell, that which responds most slowly to gen
 eral increase of prices is labor.
 I, however, desire no straddle. If the question that comes before the conven- ton is simply that of gold or silver (and this seems likely to be the easel, I, who am neither a gold man nor silver man. but hold that the national credit directly issued is a better and more convenient form of money than either gold or silver. will find little to choose between. and must be content to bow to the will of the majority. For money question as the most important of the issues to be brought into the coming campaign by our action at Chi ca go.
 The democratic idea expresses to me something larger and more important than the currency question, and if the majority shall determine on an expres- sion on money that I cannot fully agree with, 1 shall still support it's candidate, for however I may regret what ] shall deem their errors l would rather trust democratic expression to those who feel that there is a deep injustice in exist ing conditions than to whose who would maintain these conditions. While l believe it impolitiC and unnecessary to change the present unit of value, I would rather support those who pro pose even that, than those whose de- fense of the present unit is a defense of the present stupid and abomnablc money scheme and of all the other schemes of robbery with which it iS linked And I cannot but rejoice at the prospect of the adoption of plat form in Chicago that will force out of the ranks of, the democracy those who do not really belong to it; those repre- sentatives of the money kings and pro- teCted monoplists. who have so long governed the national democratic ma chine as a side show to the republican machine, and who have during the present administration brought the democratic name to the last pitch of contempt-"our distinguished leaders" who after fixing the conventions of both parties for the 'prOtection' of special interests, can go off to Europe in the comfortable assurance that no matter who lOOses, they will win.
 My opinion of the so-called demo- cratic administration of MT. Cleveland is not matter of the present moment, as you may see from my speech of Aug ust 13, 1894 in the house of represen- tatives. entitled "The Democratic Sur render" and my address to the Young Mems Democratic club of Brooklyn, N. Y. at their Jefferson dinner, in April last. l believe that the coming conven- tiOn should as matter of good faith and good policy repudiate this admin istra tiOn-its surrender to prOtectiOnism with which its official career began; its surrender to trusts and rings; its subverSion of all that is democratic in sending federal troops into the states without call from their executives; its attempts to make a great standing army and navy an engine to force gov ernment by injunction upon the people; it's maintenance of eXtraVagant eXpen- ditures by the issuance of bonds at the will of the president, without real con stitutional sanction; and the fragrant