The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-05-04

can fairly be attributed to him is
the plank of the Ohio convention, and
that is not clear and does not explicitly
commit him to the gold standard. While
it may be said he is a platform himself
Oh the tariff question, it cannot be said
that he is platform on the currency
question. Should the national convention
leave the platform blank on that subject
nobody could infer surely from the can
didate, if Mckinley were the candidate,
exactly what it's views of that subject
were, and the precise attitude of the COM
ing administration would be at least
dehatable
| But apart from the present non-com-
initial attitude of Mr.. Mckinley
here are :other reasons why the
party should declare itself very plainly
on the currency. A while ago it looked
as if the Democratic party were going to
espouse free silver coinage. But the VIC
| tory of the sound money men in the Mich
igan convention renders this far less cer-
tain. Indeed it gives the sound money
men good fighting chance of defeating
silver and getting declaration in favor
of the present standard. With tree
silver plank IN the Democratic platform
the Republicans could hold the sound
mon ~ vote with such a platform as that
adopted in Ohio, but with sound mon
ey resolution adopted by the Democrats,
the Republicans must adopt something
much more definite and clear than the
Ohio declaration or they will put in
| jeopardy the electoral vote of the great
state of New York which will have
great influence, If not a controlling one
on the result of the coming election. A de-
olaration that can be tortured into In
dicating a willingness to compromise
with the silver men in the slightest de-
gree, will do mischief. The plank must
be so clear and explicit as to precludesthe
possibility Of its being misunderstood OF
successfully misrepresented. There is still
another reason why the platform should
bind the party tightly the gold stan
dard. In all probability for two years at
least after the election the Senate is to
be SO made up that 1t will be impossible
to pass high protective tariff measure
| there without the help of the so-oalled
silver Senators, and these gentlemen have
already declared in most solemn fashion
unless they are promised free silver
coinage or something approximating it.
Hence there is going to be strong temp
tatien to give something to silver, and
q strong pressure from a certain class of
protaotiouists, who regard the question
of protection much more important than
that of the currency, to yield to it. If
there are any weak points in the defen-
ces with which the convention surrounds
the currency thess people will be sure to
find them and make the most of them.
The way to guard against all these
dangers is to make the Notifications
about the currency so strong that every
body will see at glance the hopelessn ess
of attacking them. This can be done by
adopting at ST. Louis the Maine resolu-
tion or the New York resolution. or the
Connecticut or Rhode Island resolution.
Nobody will undertake to get over or I'M
der or around any one Of those resolutions,
|
courage everybody from attacking them.
But If the Ohio or Iowa resolution be
adopted everybody that believes u sound
currency should be subordinate to a
protective tariff will set to work to show
that it is not incompatible with some
sort of a compromise with the free sill.
yer Senators. and the chances are that
they will make some impression espec.
tally if they are able to claim, as they
will be If Mckinley is nominated, that
the majority Of the Republicans put
protection above oil things.
With protection and the maintenance OF
the present GOLD standard inscribed upon
its banner the Republican party will cas-
lily conquer. Indeed if the Democratic
party finds the Republican platform cop,.
mits the party explicitly to the gold
standard it will make little more than
a show of fighting, for it knows that its
tariff for revenue only theory, which will
be the only weapon left it, is spiked
gun.