The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-07-08
Repudiate N'KinIey.
Minnesota Silver Republicans
Will not Support him.

most sensational manifesto in Min
nesota's history was that issued this
afternoon by the Silver Republicans,
who refuse to support Mckinley for
President, Clough for governor, or
any of the Republican candidates
for congress. The prominence of the
menlsigning it attracts to it wide
spread attention. Among the number
are Lieutenant Governor Frank A.
Day. Congressman Charles A. Towne,
ex. Congressman John Lind and sew
eral State senators The address is
issued to the Republicans of Min
nesota and says:
"The greatest issue which has
arisen in this country since the
! abolition of African slavery now con-
fronts the American people. The
common people have viewed with in
creasipg alarm the attempts Of
foreign money aristocracy to fasten
upon this nation the single gold stan
dard of value In the past they
turned with the inspiration of faith
to the Republican party for protec-
tion against that power which seeks
to strike down one-half the redemp-
! ton power Of the world that the
other half may purchase double the
amount Of the products of toll They
had right to expect such protection.
The Republican party was born of
the common people. It's mission has
been to dignity labor. to secure to
him who tolls IN the field or mine the
Just fruits of honest labor From the
day Of the party's birth until the
present time no article of Republi-
can faith has been more pronounced
than the beliefin bimetalism 1t has
been written in its platforms and
taught by all its great leaders. In
its national convention in 1888 it
condemned "the policy of the Demo
cratic administration in its efforts to
demonetize silver
"In 1892, in its platform adopted
in Minneapolis, it declared in favor
of gold and silver as standard money
In 1894 the Republican party of
Minnesota reafirmed its beiief Ia
bimetallisnl, and that the restoration
of silver as ultimate money to the
currency of the world is absolutely
necessary for the prosperity, proper
rate of wages and the wa!fare of the
people.
Nearly every Republican State
convention in 1894 condemned,
either in express terms or by impli-
cation, the single gold standard.
James G. Blaine will expressed the
belief Of the RepublicaA party when
he declared I belive the struggle
now going on in this country aid in
other countries for single gold stan.
dard would. if successful, produce
widespread disaster in and through.
out the commercial world
"The action of the national Repub-
lican convention at st Louis has
repudiated this fundamental doctrine
of our party The single gold stan
dard has been endorsed The Re-
publican party no longer stands for
both gold and silver as primary mon
ey, but for gold only. We can not
accept the new faith, and we vii!
hold steadfasty to the old. The pol
icy of gold monometallism means
prolonged and intensified depres
sion an endless and popeI@ss era
of falling prices for our farmers and
other producers ; continued uncer-
tainty Of employment for our
workingmen, with lessening wages
following the fall in prices of the
products of labor Encouragement of
all enterprises, and in the end univer-
sal bankruptcy and grayitation of all
money into the hands Of money bro-
bers. 1t means the obliteration of
the great middle class. the yeomanry
of the nation. the division Of the
people into the very rich and the
very poor. These Republicans who
believe in the use of both gold and
silver as the money of ultimate pay
ment and their free coinage in our
mints must either submit in silence
or speak out boldly in condemnation
of this policy so disastrous to the
people. On matters of vital princi-
pie no man can be asked to submit to
party dictation. Every man who
places country above party, and
whose sympathies are with the
producers as against the money
brokers and bondholders, owes duty
to his conscience and to his country
which can only be discharged by put
ting forth every effort in his power
that the blight Of the single gold
standard may not be fastened upon
this people"