The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-09-26

soon confirmed the the story Of his
part of Mayor Thacher's statement
was away from Albany and at my
country home during the convention, and
did not learn Of nay nomination until
after i've O'Clock Thursday afternoon. 1t
was not until nine O. clock that night
that had an opportunity to learn the
character of the platform adopted by the
convention There had never been sub
mitted to be a press copy a manuscript
copy or any other copy of the proposed
platform If any one had been entrusted
with the duty of presenting such a copy,
the trust had not been fulfilled. I had
no reason to expect after the convention
Al Saratoga and after the attitude of
the Delegates from New York in the Ma
convention would commit the Democratic
party unreservedly to all parts of the
Chicago platform.
E addressed a communication to the
honorable the State Committee at the
earliest moment consistent with matur-
ing my thoughts and two days before its
meeting in New York. In that commune
cation I stated that nv views on the
financial question had not changed since
had publicly uttered them at the State
Convention IN June and that I assumed
my nomination was made with the ex-
pectation on the part of the convention
that as the Governor of the State Of New
York has absolutely no official connection
with the question of national finance, I
cOuiG MAKE the contest upon certain
clearly defined State issues, which I then
enumerated and which | deemed vital and
dominant. While l had not sought the
nomination or requested single delegate
to give me his support, / was willing and
eager to contend against that system of
"bossisn'' which is today in control of
the public affairs of the State of New
York. was prepared to organize the
Democratic party from one end OF the
State to the other on a line of battle
against that system and to wage an un-
renting and vigorous warfare. I be-
Heved that municipal and other reforms
In which the people are interested could
not be obtained until the administra ton
had been wrenehed from the hands of
the political boss.
1t has developed In the consideration
of the resolution by wrich the honorable
the State Committee appointed your
committee, as well as in the public press
and other public and private communica-
tions, that there is a very decided desire
on the part of the Democratic party to
contest the election on the abstract ques-
ton of the unlimited coinage of silver at
pared with gold, and to ignore or to make
awkwardly subordinate any other national
issue and every other State issue. 1t is
apparently the purpose of the party at
this time to make the acceptance of an
extreme political sentiment the sole test
of g candidates Democracy. 1t does mt
seem to be enough that men are willing.
to support the regular candidate of the
required to subscribe to every letter and
phrase of the platform. The Republican
managers invite the support Of a Demo-
crat without formally eXacting of him
approval of high protective tariff and
the principle of controlling Southern cleo
lions by army bayonets.
1t is impossible for me with the views
I hold to make a contest on the coinage
issue. I believe in the good old Demo-
cratic doctrine of the joint free and
equal use of gold and silver This doc
trine is as far removed from the single
use of gold, which enables spectators to
juggle with It's value, as it is from that
other principle which seeks to establish
an impossible ratio for its sister metal.
and now thoroughly Impressed with the
belief that the party will consent to
make the contest only or primarily upon
the silver issue, I feel that as an honor
able man l should make way for some
one who can carry the banner with that
device.