The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-03-23
MORTON ON THE ISSUE.


The views of all probable and even
improbable candidates for the presiden-
cy of the United States are now con-
sidered important. Though every effort
is made, by eastern Republicans at
least, to shift the issues from money to
tariff, yet the course of the press in
hunting and publishing every utterance
Of the respective candidates upon the
question of sound money" free coin
age" or international agreement y
while comparatively but little attention
is paid to or said of the tariff, plainly
indicates, despite all protestations to
the contrary, what the real issue before
the country is.
Ever since the rumor went into circu-
lation that Major Mckinley either
wrote or dictated the financial plank of
the Ohio platform, and in either event
became its author, there has been fur
Their efforts made to obtain more ex-
plicitly the views of this man on the
great question. All efforts, however
have failed. When the New York
World sent out special correspondent
to Ohio TO learn more definitely what
the views of the major were. he an
swered by imperiously referring them
to his record in congress, a record by
the way, that looks in as many direc-
lions and is equally as indefinite as
the financial plank of the Ohio plat
form.
But the reference of Major Mckinley
to his record in congress, has started
other prospective candidates, probable
and improbable, to hunting up their
congressional records to see what they
have said on the subject. Among 9TH
ers the record Of Governor Morton of
New York in congress is published TO
show where he stands on the money
question. This is what the record dis
closes:
Our only safe way is. instead of in
creasing the coinage of silver, to stop
it altogether, and wait the result of
negotiatiationS with European nations.
Let us secure such joint action with
other nations as will restore silver to
its old Steadiness of value, and thus
provide a market throughout the world
for our silver product. 1 am in favor
of bimetallic currency whenever such
joint action can be secured. and a dol
lars worth of silver is coined in a sill
Yer dollar. We can, in my opin-
ion, only maintain double standard
by joint action with European nations
The only safe way, in my
opinion, is to say to the leading nations
of the world: I'VE will not attempt
to help you out of your troubles until
you agree with US to use silver as a
measure of value. We are ready to en-
ter into such a mutual compact with
you as will have the effect of restoring
silver to its old steadiness of value,
so that it again may be a measure of
other values
This the New York papers call "a
firm stand in favor of bimetallism to
be fixed by international agreement"
but which firm stand is well charac-
terized even by number of New York
Morton leaders as ''chimerical
dream"
How matters would be simplified if
these Republican candidates-McKin-
ley, Reed, Allison and Morton-would
accept advice of the Chicago Times
Herald. Which in effect suggests that
they stop mincing words and with
frankness and courage of their con-
victions declare in so many words I'VE
are opposed to the free and unlimited
coinage of silver at ratio of sixteen
to one, or at any other ratio, by this
country alone"