Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-06-23
PREDICTS DEFEAT.
Republican Judge Says Mckinley will
Not be Elected Because Of Sur
render to Gold--Judge Waiter G. Ong
Believes That the Platform will
Drive Many Votes From the Repub-
lican Party.


The stand that several promiAent Re
publicans have taken on The platform
of their party adopted at St. Louis, by
which silver was ignored, indicate Jheir
intense displeasure ami 1he rapid
growth of the silver question. Judge
Walter c. Ong, who has said that he
would never vote fer the gold standard,
was asked by a reporter last night as
to whether he would vote The Republ!-
can ticket Notwithstanding th5 gold
platform.
Il never said that would" replied
the Judge. What l did cay was l
would not vote the Democratic ticke-.'
will YOU vote an independent ticket
il one is put in the fie,d?'
"UnQuestionably / will If -he plat
form contains a free silvec plank and
other Republican doctrines
You are in favor then OF the free
coinage Of silver and opposed TO the
money plank in the 81. Louis plat
form?"
y am unalJerably So"
What effect will the god plank in
the Republican platform have on the
success Of the ticket?'
1T will, in my judgment. drive ~
psr cent. of the votes OF ;ne farmers,
30 per cent. of the merchants ana 90
per cent. Of the laboring classes from
the Republican party. / tsh YOU, ne
common people want and demand the
free coinage Of silver wi,h gold, and
not until they &c, il Will their labor
and products again command reason
able wages and prices. Unc5r the
present system and especially under
the st. Louis platform, gold has not
and will not cease to be money, bu. has
been and will be commodity in which
both American and English capital
speculate. Ii is beyond the reacn ot
labor. products or property. II MS IS
not true. viii some distinguished adNo-
cate of the gold standard tell me why,
under a fair protective tariff, with tn!5
great country of ours a peace, with an
abundant production, fer four years
mast our whole peop,e-eXcept me
banker. Wall street Spectator and
mil,ionaire-haye been in thc midst or
a financial panic and depressed conal-
ton of business?"
"How do you account for the gold
plank in the platform?
Indeed. il seems almost Impossible
To account for it, especially when we re-
member that only last winter the Sen
ale of the United States, the most
distinguished and learned legislative
bodv in the world with republican
majority. passed an absolute free COIN
age bill: also when we remember the
demand OF the great West on this suo-
iect and with the withdrawal from the
yartv of some OF the ablest men in il on
account Of the sold plank. Yet, net
vithstanding all tAis, the Republican
convention assembled at s.. Louis not
only adopted the single standard but
mt il in such language as was never
written before in any platform from the
first. which. | believe, was written
by Mr.. Madison in 1898, until the con-
yention at 81. Louis. The platform
prcvides that until the happening o.
something that vii! never occur, the
existing sold standard must be pre-
served 1t IS nc; a declaration of prin-
ciples. but a command 10 the money
power of the United States. | can ac-
count for this strange action and de-
rarture Of the Republican party from
Republican principles by one theory,
and one only. That is, Senator Platt
of New York, went to St. Louis deter
mined to defeat Mckinley OF the nom
ination or ruin his chances OF election if
nominated. He failed in the first, but
succeeded in the latter Plat, aided by
Lodge. Quay and some others whom l
need rot mention, saw at a glance that
NIcKinley's nomination was an as
sured fact and. indeed, had been for at
least four weeks before the convention
met. Yet, with his great political sa-
gacity and foresight, almost single
handed and alone, Platt controlled that
convention over Mckinley and his man.
ayers on the only issue before 1.-THE
money plank. Talk about managing,
There was nothing 10 manage bnt the
platform cn the one question. and in
this Plat outgeneraled them all.return-
ed TO mis- home il New York conscious
OF one fact at least, that with the Nc
Kinlsy men in absolute charge, ne dug
their political graves. His political
ability and shrewdness must be admired.
but his success at St. Louis must be de-
precated.'
What will be the result if the Demo-
chrats adopt the gold standard at Chi
cago?"
"A free silver organization which will
be crowned with success in November" p"