The San Francisco call., 1896-10-15
McKINLEY'S
VIEWS.
The Republican Candidate
on the Pending
Issues.
AOur Contest Is for the Good Faith
Of the Nation and the We'll
fare of the People"

request from the editor OF that journal,
gives his views on the pending issues OF
the day. He says:
1t is not possible for me to find time, in the
multiplicity of my other engagements, to
write anything tor publication in the Inde-
pendent, or elsewhere, on the issues of the
pending National campaign. As you prob
ably know, I have made numerous short
speeches to visiting delegations here at my
home in Canton, and if what follows, selected
from them, serves your purpose, or you think
IL Will pc OF interest to the readers OF the inoe-
pendent, you are at perfect liberty to publish
1t in your excellent journal
The Republican party stands for reunited
ana prosperous country; 1t STANDS for the
American factory, the American farm. the
can wages and American thrift throughout
every part OF our much loved land. 1t stands
1or protective tariff which protects every
American interest; it stands for reciprocity
that reciprocates-that gets something for
what we give to the nations OF the world. 1t
stands now, as it has always stood,
with which to measure the exchange OF
the people, Tor dollar that is not only good
at home, but good in every market-place of the
world 1t is with these principles emblazoned
On its banners, this year OF 1896, that 1t ap-
peals to the deliberate judgment OF the Ameri-
can people.
The questions to be settled in the National
contest this year are as serious and I'm portant
as any of the great Governmental problems
that have confronted US in the past quarter
OF century. They command our sober judg-
ment and settlement Tree from partisan pre-
judice and passion beneficial to ourselves and
Dehttlng the honor and grandeur OF the Re
public. They touch every interest OF our CON-
mon country. Our industrial supremacy, our
productive capacity, our business and COM
merclal prosperity, our proud financial honor,
and our splendid free citizenship-the birth
right of every American-are all involved in
the pending campaign, and thus every home
]
nected with their proper settlement
Recent events have imposed upon patrf-
otic people responsibility and duty greater
than they have known since the Civil War.
Then 1t was struggle to preserve the Govern
ment of the United States; now IL is a struggle
to preserve the financial honor of the Govern
ment OF the United States. Then 1t was con-
test to save the Union; now it is contest to
save spotless its credit. Then section was ar
rayed against section; now men OF all sections
can unite, and Will unite, to rebuke the re-
pudiation OF our obligations and the debase-
ment OF our currency. In this contest patriot
ism is above party, and National honor dearer
than any party name.
1t is proposed by one wing of the Democratic
party and its allies the Peoples and Silver
parties, to inaugurate the free and unlimited
coinage of silver, by independent action on
the part oil the United States al ratio of six
teen ounces of silver to one ounce OF gold. The
mere declaration OF this purpose is menace
to our financial and industrial interests, and
has already created universal alarm. 1t in
wolves great peril to the credit and business
of the country, peril SO grave that conserva-
tive men everywhere are breaking away from
their old party associations and uniting with
other pa riotc citizens in emphatic protest
against the platform OF the Democratic Ma
tional Convention as an assault upon the
faith and honor of the Government and the
welfare Of the people
The farmer could not be helped by the free
coinage of silver, because if the nominal price
OF grain were to rise through the imitation of
would rise also and the farmer would be rela-
lively no better OFF than he was before. He
would not get any more real value for his
grain than he gets now, and would suffer from
the general generalization which would fol-
low free coinage. The farmer can only be
he Cannot be helped by Tree trade, but he can
be seriously hurt by the free importation of
competing products into this country Better
thousand times enlarge the markets Tor
American products than enlarge our mints for
the silver product OF the world. You cannot
add value to anything by diminishing the
measure OF the value with which the thing is
sold or exchanged.
If you can increase the value by lowering
the measure OF value, and you want 10 benefit
the farmer, then make the bushel smaller, the
pound lighter and declare q less number than
twelve a legal dozen. Free silver will not
cure reproduction nor under-consumptfon.
Free silver will not remove the compel etition of
Russia, India and the Argentine Republic.
Free silver viii not increase the demand for
wheat, or make single new consumer. You
do not get new consumers through the mtnts;
you get them through the factories. You will
not get them by increasing the circulation of
cneap money in tue United States; you viii
get them by increasing the manufacturing es-
tablishmenis in the United States.
Whatever the farmer is suffering to-day he is
suffering because his competitors have in
creased in numbers and his best customers are
out of work. do not know that we can de-
crease the mum Der OF his competitors, but
with the adoption OF true American protect
i've policy we can set his best customers to
work. We have suffered in our foreign and in
our domestic trade both during the past three
years. The home market is the best friend of
the farmer. 1t Is his best market, his only re-
liza Bile market, his own natural market. He
should be protected in its enjoyment by wise
tariff legislation and his home market should
not b. permitted to be destroyed by lessening
the demand for American labor and dimin-
ishing the pay of American wor kingmen, and
thereby diminishing the demand for agricul-
tural products.
The Government of the United States must
raise enough money to meet both its current
expenses and increasing needs. Its revenue
should be so raised as to protect the material
interests OF our people, with the llgh htest pos
silie drain upon their resources, and maintain
that nigh standard of civilization which has
distinguished our country for more than q GEN.
tury OF its existence. The credit OF any Gov
ernment is imperfed SO long as 1t expends
more money than 1t collects. The credit OF the
Government, ike that OF the individual citi-
zen, is best subseryed by living within its
means and providing means with which 10 live.
The complaint of the people is not against
the administration for borrowing money ana
issuing bonds to preserve the credit of the
country, but against the ruinous policy which
has made this necessary. Its but an incident,
and q necessary one, 10 the policy which has
been inaugurated. The inevitable effect OF
such policy is seen In the deficiency of the
United States treasury, except as it is re-
plenished by loans, and In the distress OF the
people. who are suffering because OF the scant
demand for either their labor or the products
of their labor.
The future is the sacred trust OF all, South as
well as North. Honesty, like patriotism, can
neither be bounded by State nor sectional
lines. Sectionalism has given place to a true
National spirit, and patriotism has smoothed
the asperities of partyism, until the preserva-
tion OF the National honor constitutes the
great aim and purpose of all patriotic American
citizens.
Our contest is for the good faith Of the
Nation and the welfare of the people, and we
can proclaim with confidence the same
supreme faith in the people which upheld
Lncoln in every trial OF the war. AS ne ss1d:
Intelligence and patriotism, Christianity and
firm reliance in him who has never yet for
saken this favored land are still competent to
adjust in the best way all our present difficult
ties" Good citizenship lies at the foundation
OF our true greatness free Government
and those who promote it are indeed Christian
teachers and public benefactors. The better
the citizen the better free government and
the better its laws.