Mexico weekly ledger., 1896-07-02
WHITNEY USES STRONG WORDS.
Says the Adoption of a Free Coinage
Platform Will Disrupt the
Democratic Party.

NEW YORK, June 27.-William @.
Whitney, at his home, to-day, gave
out the following interview:
allow is the campaign progress
ing?"
"Like 1860, if the truth must be
told.n
"What are the chances of Sound
money in Chicago?"
"Unless the situation changes and
our Southern and Western friends are
disposed to reason with us, no chance
Whatever
"What do you hear from the South
and West9"
"Judging by the letters I receive,
there is no apparent disposition to
discuss the matter at issue, l fear it
has G one beyond that point"
"Have you asked Senators German
and Brice to attend the convention as
a party duty?"
"No; they have no reason to be-
lieve that they could accomplish any
thing. None of us have.''
"If a free coinage candidate is NOM
mated on a free coinage platform,
what will be the result?"
practically, it will disrupt the
Democratic party. No power on earth
can coerce or persuade sound money
Democrats to forsake the fundamen-
tai principle of Democracy. They do
mt raOorl fhyu p,aatsar. nc astbar fo4
tional, sectional or political. The
a matter of national honor. The Sar-
atoga platform emphasizes this fact.
1t says that rigid maintenance of the
present gold standard at the present
time is essential to the preservation
of our national credit, the redemption
of our public pledges and the keeping
i~nviolate of our country's honor. That
is New York's position. 1t is as posi-
tive as words can express, and it can
not be changed"
"Then you do not look for a COM
promise?"
Compromise is impossible. De-
basement of the currency would be
more than monstrous in effect. 1t
would be abandonment of principle.
1t would disgrace every citizen. 1t
would be not merely dishonest-it
would be dishonorable. And you can
not compromise a question of honor"
What do you expect to do in Chi
cago?"
"Do everything in our power to
save the party and protect the coun-
try. That is the plain duty of every
Democrat who goes to Chicago, and it
is none the less the duty of those who
atQv af hnnQ MT fn hamnar the Of
forts of those that go. By those who
stay l do not mean only Democrats,
but all good citizens of all parties or
prejudices. The crisis which has come
upon us is the most serious menace to
national prosperity and the welfare of
the people since 1850. This is a time
when all men who love their country
must stand together to avert, if posi-
bic, public disgrace and the wreck of
hundreds of thousands of homes
throughout the entire country"
"You do not despair of success,
then?''
ono. We cannot yet tell whether
the knowledge of the attitude of East
ern Democrats will affect the determ-
ination of the Southern and Western
Democrats, who have not known un-
til the last week how strong the feel
ing East is. The vigorous expression
OF our position may cause hesitation,
especially among the rank and file of
the Democracy, who,I cannot believe,
want to drive all Eastern Democrats
out of the party. l know some of the
leaders of the movement assume that
attitude, but | am not yet convinced
that the people are behind them. And
il not, they will make their wishes
known and felt.,-