The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-07-22

4 Vigorous Appeal To Merchants and Bust
ness Men.


The shipping and Commercial List
and New York Price Current tho Oldest
| commercial paper in America. which has
| been in existence ever since December
| ~. 1876 in its number OF last Saturday
published a very interesting article, head
ed The National Duty OF our Business
Men" in regard 10 the present financial
situation The article is as follows:
For the second time in the history
! OF this paper = political crisis has been
! precipitated upon the country. winch
transcends all normal party consldera-
tons. forbids the indulgence of all party
sympathios and summons every CONNER
ciai paper. every trade journal and
every business man 20 the rescue Of our
threatened financial integrity and com
incrcai honor. II is a challenge and d
defiance to the commercial security of
The country. j. raises more than party
issue II presents TO every intelligent
merchant and tradesman a tremendous
public peril and a duty TO be- discharged
with regard TO H.
with this view Of the situation, we
propose from now on until the current
rational contest closes 20 devote por-
ton of our editorial space each week
10 the good work q arousing the mer-
! chants and business mon 10 put forth
their utmost efforts ana Influence IN
| every legitimate way mat is open 10
| them to compel right settlement OF
! this issue at the polls INA November
tho gravest issue 10y all odds that has ever
concerned the American people with me
single exception of the one which We
had TO face in 1851.
1T seems 10 us that the action Of the
so-called Democratic National Convention
I
business man in the United States TO ac-
lively exert himself IA defence OF the
threatened business interests. The
finances OF the nation must not De
thrown into disorder our honor as a
people who have always paid their debts
IN full IN money that was worth It's
face value in every market place ~ the
world must not be sacrificed. our vast
foreign trade must not be 1isOrganizcd
! and subjected 20 o. lOag period OF waste
! and loss. caused by fuctuatlng currency
changes our st1 vaster internal trade
must not be thrown into the abyss OF
imitation that is always produced By the
issuing OF a dcbasod currency, and the
inevitable driving out of gold, whereby
AN values and prices are inst forced
/ upwards 10 fictitious figures at which
! they cannot be maintained, with the
result that when they drop. as they
| must when the reaction comes, disaster
/ ana ruin mark the path OF the recon
| from the dcbauch of imitation through
out the Union All these things viii come
to rass if the reserved forces of the con-
sentative business classes are not CALI
ed into effective action tor prevent them.
There are. it is true gratifying Signs
| that the cause Of sound money Is al
/ a.. al God
| the pending cont 81. Democrats who
have stayed IN their party ranks all their
! lives are coming in thousands TO the
direct support Of William Mckinley, OF
| ohio. II is now seen. with growing dis
! tinctness. that Mckinley is no longer the
mere candidate Of "a party carrying the
| standard Of protection, but the candidate
/ of am the people who desire TO sees The
nations honor and credit Kept unspotted
| by the stain OF reputation, and u pre-
/ vent the success of party, when, j IL
| secured the control OF the National Gov
| eminent, would carry 10 INTO the widest
! financial experiment ever attempted hy
/ a civilized nation. The disastrous cuecis
! Of such a mao venture would Dee ielt hy
! AN classes OF the community and would
| extend themselves so far INTO the COM
| ing century mat their full consequences
| are beyond human powers Of compute
ton. business men must not DE content
| with the fag prospect that now exists OF
preventing such catastrophe Ihey
should organize themselves for SPECIAL
campail1l work and Doe on the alert also
! as individuals. every man Of them acting
as "a committee Of one to make the de-
/ feat OF Bryan and Sewall. and of every
candidate running Tor Congress on that
Whelmingy SO.
'''rhe one thing that stands IN tho way
Of a revival Of business OF every kind Us
lack OF confidence This lack OF con-
ndence proceeds from the protracted agi-
tation and consequent uncertainty con-
corning the maintenance OF the existing
/ gold standard and the possible subsu-
tuition therefor OF the single Standard of
silver II the Chicago hybrid ticket, with
lis frcs-silyer platform, Is defeated by
| only a narrow majority, 10 Will be q
misfortune only little less grave than
its success. The frce-siver snake VIII.
/ in that case. be only stunned, not Killed.
The election will be no sooner over tnan
the agitation and the attendant uncer-
tainty and insecurity In all branches OIL
business VIII 20 on as before.
ITO awaken every merchant who reads
! these columns 10 n lull ltttil-liH ""iiN' "a
TINS fact. and OF the plain duty 10 winch
| il points. we will present each week as
/ clearly and as vigorously as possible all
! sides OF the issue that bear upon the COM
mercial welfare and prosperity OF the
country. And we invite every one OF our
! subscribers 10 help the good work OF
rallying the intelligent thinking men or
their acquaintance TO the side OF ma
| tonal honor and safety IN this crisis IL
! is 10 be "a campaign OF education Men
who hold sound opinions must be rous-
/ ed 10 make them felt for all they are
! worth Men who are wavcrlng between
sound and unsound opinions must De
reached. reasoned with. and convinced.
! The time 20 begin this work is now and
il every business man does his share
! of il we shall see IN November next
not merely a narrow defeat or the free
! silver coinage crusade but its utter de-
/ structlon and the final disappearance or
the currency question from the list ot
/ open political controversies that con-
! stantiy vex and menace our financial and
| commercial peace
Must Get Their Stamps.