Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-08-28
LIFE OF THE NATION
In the Issue That is at Stake.
Il. j. Phelps, vermOnt's Leading Demo-
crHt, Tells why he Shall Vote the RE-
publican Tickets.


Tuesday letter written Aug, % at New
port, r. l., by. Hon. Edward j. Phelps,
ex-minister TO England, to G. G. Benedict.
Mr.. Phelps says:
"The attack that we have to resist is
not upon the policy, but upon the life of
the nation. For they would take its life
who destroy the means by which it lives
the business of many thousands and the
industry of millions. On these we are all,
whether rich or poor, high or low, alike
dependent. That there should be prosper
ty in some empoyments and not in others,
or among one class of people and not
among others, is impossible.
Business of whatever sort in a country
| like ours, rich in resources, full of energy,
and vitality, rests chiefly upon public con-
fdence, and sound and stable currency
When either is, and much more when both
are impaired or even gravely threatened,
business suffers, general depression comes,
labor declines and the wolf approaches
many a door. Without confidence there
can be no credit, no enterprise; capital is
boarded, sent abroad, or lies idle, and all
industries diminish or cease, and the surest
way the world has ever seen to destroy
confidence is to debase the currency and to
make it uncertain from day to day how
|
is going to count for in the near future, to
take away, as is now proposed, one-half of
| its value and TO set the other half to fluct-
mating to an indefinite extent.
"There is, therefore, in my judgment,
no man more criminal, or who is a worse
public enemy than he who engages in or
countenances that Infamous and destruct-
i've attempt. And he is ten-fod a criminal
who seeks success in 1t by playing upon
the prejudices and the passions of the less
intelligent, and stimulating a warfare of
classes, that most desolating conflict that
can come upon any nation, well knowing,
for he has all the experience of the world
to teach him, that he Is not composing
the destruction of one class, but of both,
since those whom he dupes into serving
his purpose must inevitably be the earliest
and the worst sufferers by its consequences.
Because the less man has or the less he
earns, the more necessary it is TO him that
the value of that little should be maintain
ed, and made sure and that the few dol
lars in his pocket should be as good dollars
as there are.
"Aside from the financial decisions of
the Chicago platform its other features are
almost equally objectionable. 1t proposes
to repudiate a great part of the national
| utDL, W utSlIOl Ilt ploICNbloi VIC NiiJo1
under the supreme court of the United
States to restrain the arm of the national
| executive from the repression of lawless
violence and even from the preservation of
the very agencies of the government itself;
to violate the obligation and sanctity of eX-
isting contracts, and to restrict the freedom
| of private contracts in the future.
at seeks, in short, to break down the
| dykes which the constitution and the law
of the land have with long assiduty raised
for the defence of the common interests and
welfare. and to let in upon us the seething
and polluted flood of communism, mob law,
bankruptcy, reputation and anarchy which
it is the chief object of all civilized govern
ments to exclude.
"Can sensible men contemplate these
proposals without perceiving the destruc-
ton they involve? The only men who can
profit by the success of this crusade are the
plutocrat silver mine owners, already rich
almost beyond the dreams of avarice, who
have set it on foot and diligently propagat-
ed it, and their followers who, if it prevails,
will get into Office by its means. The rest
of us will be common sufferers in the gen.
eral ruin. / do not believe there is any
man whose experience is large enough or
whose Imagination is vivid enough to pre-
|
which, if adopted, the theories of these men
will entail upon us.
There are those, strange as it may
seem, who, concurring in the views have
tried to present, are still considering
whether adhesion to the existing organiza-
ton of the Democratic party is not more
important than the salvation of the public
interests With man who is content to
place his party, right or wrong, above his
country | cannot reason, for We have no
ideas in common. But the question still
remains, will the sacrifice preserve the par
ty that makes it?
1.-THE party is already hopelessly dis
rupted on the issue presented. We cannot
follow both its divisions at the same time,
since they are moving in opposite direc-
tions. On the one side are the old time
honored principles of the party, and its
most trusted present statesmen and lead
ers, and very large proportion of its bet
ter and most instructed element Which
way shall we 90 then? With its states
men, or its camp followers? With its
principles, or with its organization, STAN
peded and guided by its enemies? In
which direction lies the future of the par
ty if it is to have any future?
"Let no man be afraid to be right on
this question, for it is the fight that will
triumph in the end, whether it reforms the
party or destroys it.
81 shall therefore vote for Mr.. Mckinley.
l am not Republican, and l never shall
be. l do not believe in protection and
shall never be converted to it. But in the
throes of deadly malady cannot afford
to reject the only physician who is in a sit
uation to help me, because his political
opinions are different from mine, or even
because there are better physicians than
he, if they could only be had in time.
~ shall go further and shall vote at the
September election for the Republican can
didate for governor could not vote for any
Democratic candidate, however estimable
his character, and however sound his per-
sonal views, who permits himself to be run
on the Chicago platform of fraudulent
money. The amount of the majority at
the September election in Vermont may
be of much significance. 1t may inspire
or may discourage those who in other
fields are bearing the burden and heat of
the fight for the right l wish my vote to
be so cast as to count for the most it can
wherever it is counted.
"And if my voice, which does not trou-
BILE them often, and will not trouble them
ong, should reach any of those with whom
have stood so many years in eXertions
that we have a right to claim were disin-
terested, because in our own state they
were always hopeless, l should ay to
, them: Stand, as you have always stood,
for what you believe to be right and for