The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1896-08-29
Mrs, Cleyeland's Cousin.

From the Little Rock Gazette.
Hon. Benjamin Folsom. ex- United
States Consul 10 Sheffield under Presi-
dent Cleveland first administration,
is a strong supporter of Bryan and
Sewaii and the Chicago platform. Mr.:
Folsom is a cousin of Mrs. Cleveland
and is practicing lawyer at Buffalo,
NY. He has large financial interests,
and were there anything in the cry OF
debased currency it would naturally lead
him TO oppose the Democratic ticket.
But Mr.. Folsom has studied the tinan-
cial question and is firm in his conviction
that the free coinage of both gold and
silver at the ratio Of Is to l will prove a
benefit to the commercial and business
world. In an interview with Buffalo
Times representative he said:
lam 8 Democrat and have voted for every
Democratic candidate for the presidency since
cast my first vote for Horace Greeley | was
not satisfied with the nomination OF greeley,
but didn't bolt my ticket Atpresent, although
Mr. Bryan was not ny choice. intend 70 give
him nv earnest support Nearly all my property
interests and those Of my family are in Nebraska
ard curing the past three or four years have
spent considerable time in that state, Michigan
and California l have eonYersed with great
number Of intelligent people OF those states and
IN regard to this question OF free coinage of
silver.
That they are earnest and sincere in their be-
Lief that the free coinage Of silver would bring
70 the great masses of toileFs better times cannot
be questioned. These people Of the great West
are not, IS some would have US suppose, an
ignorant rabble, carried away by momentary
enthusiasm. They have studied and discussed
this great financial question for years. They
have sent their delegates to our national con-
Fentions and urged the adoption OF bimetalhe
plank in The platform for the past twenty years
When they have failed in their desire they have
not bolted the ticket that has been nominated
but have given it their earnest and hearty sup
port
one reason why Bryan was nominated was
because Of the ant-CleyelaHd sentiment that
prevailed throughout the West and the South.
but the chief reason why he was nominated
rather than some other candidate was because
ne represents the great masses of the Democratic
voters OF this country.
should be be elected and firmly believe
that he will be- have no fear whatever that we
shall be obliged 10 accept in payment OF our
debts 50-cent dollars.
All the gold Of hi. country is in the hands Of
the bankers and brokers We do lot see a ten.
dollar gOld-pieee in circulation from one end Of
the year 10 another. There is no demand for
gold as money. II you go to the bank aud draw
out 500 what do you get ? Gold By no means.
You are paid in silver certificates. So far as
our circulating medium IL concerned, we arc
practically on a silver basis today. Those patri-
r.
who have IN the past three years MIXED the
treasury dry Of its gold reserve and fattened on
The profits Of S2s6O00,0J0 bond sales came for
ward the other day and loaned the government
s200Ol00O Of their boarded gold in order that an
other sale of bonds might be postponed until
after the election in November. 1t will not be
three months after the election before another
| bond sale for 500, 600 600 will be required
And where is the thing going to stOp2 II Is
! conceded that we are 10 have no relief from the
present administration and the same policy
which was insugurated by the last Republican
administration is to be perpetuated by the next
The vast issue of currency under the Sherman
act which was payable either in gold or silver
at the option Of the treasurer would continue 10
be paid in gold under a Mckinley administra-
ton. The government has no adequate source
under present conditions whereby II can re-
plenish the treasury with gold. except by the
sale OF bonds. which is only a postponement OF
the evil day because both bonds and interest
must sometime be paid.
The Ouly solution of this difficult problem
il seems to me is to return to the conditions
which existed prior 10 our present troubles and
that is in the free and equal coinage OF gold and
| silver at a ratio established by law