Mexico weekly ledger., 1896-03-05

and a fair division of honors between
the different sections of the State. All
these selections have always been re-
ported to the whole convention for
confirmation, and the delegates get
their commission, not from the district
caucus, but from the convention. Those
selected have no authority to act until
their selection has been ratified by the
whole convention. But the right to
confirm also necessarily implies the
right to reject.
If the conven ton has the right
either to confirm or reject, then it fol-
lows that it has the right to select
whomsoever it pleases. If a district
caucus recommends men out of har-
mony and sympathy with the party
sentiment IN the State, l not only re-
gard it as the right but the duty of the
convention to select others in their
stead. For what shall we send dele
gates to Chicago? If the free coinage
men control at Sedalia and have the
honest courage of their convictions, l
presume they will commission dele
gates to the Chicago convention to
express their convictions in the con-
struction of a platform and the nomi-
nation of candidates. Is it wise to Sc
lect men to represent you who are
avowedly opposed to the cause which
you wish promoted? am told we car
instruct them. Certainly; but if you
should send an agent on some impor-
tant private business, would you Sc
lect a man who had your interests at
heart, or would you select a man OPP
posed to you,and rely on instructions?
If such men went to Chicago and
obeyed instructions, both in the spirit
and letter, they would either stultify
themselves or be mere ciphers on the
delegation. But you know they would
not be ciphers. They might allow
their votes to be cast under the unit
rule, but they would in every other
way strive to defeat the very end
their votes would tend to advance.
Why do gold standard men want to so
as delegates? Is it to promote the
of silver coinage or to obstruct
it? The question answers itself. The
Missouri Democracy has taken its po-
sition on this coinage question. We
must press resolutely forward if we
mean to achieve practical results. 1t
is worse than child's play to beat tom
toms and do all we have in the pre-
iiminary struggles if we r to strike
our flag now when we are come to the
real battle. A step backward is to in
vite if not to insure defeat. Talk of
reading people out of the party is non
sense. Nobody is read out, unless a
man chooses to say he is read out be-
cause he is not elected a delegate.
The proposition is simply to elect del
egates to the National Convention
who are IN accord with the party en-
timent, and who will strive, as a
matter of conviction, to execute the
will of those they represent. If the
gold men are in control at Sedalia |
will throw up my hands, and, SO far as
1 am concerned, give them what they
r entitled to-a clear field. If the
gold men are in control at Chicago
they will adopt a gold platform and
indorse Mr.. Cleveland's policy. That
10 DIS Uortain as fate. 1 am In favor of
preventing that if possible; but it can
not be prevented by sending Cleve-
land men to represent silver constitu-
encies in the convention.
Thus I state my own views frankly.
The hour demands that all of us should
speak with the utmost candor, and
without evasion. | state my own
views, which I know, are concurred
in by many others. Some of our sill
yer coinage friends have expressed
themselves in favor of allowing the
districts to select their own delegates,
without reference to their views on
the coinage question, and then to
instruct the delegation to vote as a
unit for free coinage. l am, as you
say, personally opposed to that; but
if a majority of the convention favors
that view,I can only acquiesce. What
eve your views may be on this phase
of the question, l still urge you just as
earnestly to organize our forces so
that the free coinage men may have
the power and opportunity to do
whatever they deem for the best when
the convention assemblies at Sedalia.
The friends of the single gold stand
ard are actively organizing, and we
must be vigilant and active if we ex-
pect to win. Take nothing for granted.
Lay out for yourself a work to do, land
do it. As already stated, l have no
more reason to work than you. | am
not a candidate for any official or po-
litical promotion. l want nothing for
myself or any other individual. But
my dearest rights are at stake as are
yours, and I mean to do my utmost
for the cause of true Democracy and
good government, although in doing
this / know l subject myself to all
kinds of misrepresentation and as
PERSONS. Respectfully,
WIN. j. STONE.
&c., NJ