Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-09-12

Special To- the Register
Chicago. lis. Sept mber 1.-THE fo.-
lowing very pointed open letter has
r.ea addressed 10 Candidate William
Mckinley by Hon. II. F. Bartine:
Hon. William Mckinney, Canton, Ohio:
Dear Sir.-You are the presidential
candidate Of the Republican parry upon
tn.-orm uaeq1iyocaly committing
Won to- The policy Of maintaining the
-o.d standard in uts country until BIZ
me.ar.sm can be secured by internal
.o-al agreement.
AS neither You nor the party which
Won represent. offers a suggestion upon
which w- can g-0vEd o hope or o0-1ln-
Ing such an agreement. the hnancal
r,.rE no the platform up0a Wr'cA ECu
stand must ba regarded as 1ecI3iGlioh
., +qv1- 1f 1-~manert.y adher.nS 20 the
pre- ut gold system
In vrlr letter OF accepta1'e yoG treat
rra money question as .le tu'emoS- Is
srs and discuss &c nc considerable
length. giving 20 the pvet cr, monetary
policy of -he republican parry :''' uA-
qualified endors ment-
T. is scarcely necessary t1r me- 30 We
mind YOU. chat by such coarse you nave
assumed d position quite different from
rho ono YOU occupied but "a comparative
ly short time ago.
That very able men NAV cCf ~ NOT
es-rv change their opinions upon Ques-
-i1rs as wisdom and eXpedeucy, no FAIR
minded person Will deny. That When
-bev SD, change -heir opinions. u IS bo,n
their privilege and their duty 20 Shape
their actions accordingly, is beyond AZ
controversy.
Bu- where The subject Involves moral
cons e~1tio0s-where it is simply
question OF riyI, and wrOng-ol honesty
and dishonesty. the same principle can
not apply and the same -2-iude OF
change cannot De allowed.
O. IS This distinction that has prompt
st mo 10 address You through the meil-
I'm of an open letter.
No one can read your published &C
czo.a-.a without being impressed tnat
Won REGARD the maintaining Of tie gold
s.e0f4r- nov merely as wise and Ju-
r.r.1rs oqrcv. but as absolutely essen
t4r -o he preservation or our nnan-
c.aI homer.
You assert that the free coinage OF
silver Q .ha ratio OF rs % l w0nd az
once lead t1 -ha "Geb3sa~ent or our
currency 70 the ,eye Of a 80 cent dol
Tar. mosr.rg the Obligations or exist
inc CONTRACTS" ana bringing long train
of terrible caam.les i'm It's wake
Trr-ueacu- your entire discussion OF
the question. the germinal idea IS That
parity with gold is the iniali0.e test
Of honesty IN money. and that any cur
~eney cheaper han sold al MS present
appreciated value, Is, Of necessity as
honest.
Vou are certainly aware that the cam
~.se1 committee of The Republican
party IS literally
FLOODING THE COUNTRY
with books. papers and pamphlets, in
which i- is readily declared that the
financial issue. as now made. IS simply
question OF "lC1 money vs.. dis
homes money" There is no reason 70
dou5- .lat you are IN perfect and har-
mcnious accord with your committee.
Hence The conclusion comes irreSisiably
taa- you regard the advocates Of I'M
restricted silver coinage as being def
c.r1. FRI personal integrity, and as seek
.uc 10 establish monetary policy that
sci fistoD0r ne American name
Is ing one Of those whose personal
Integrity is thus impugned. 1 make free
OBJ remind you -ha, in The year 1878. as
member of che House OF Representa-
-ives. you voted for The famous BLAND
BIr providing for the unrestricted
coinage of silver az The ratio of 16 to l.
AZ That time the commercial value Of
the bullion which YOU voted 10 coin into
dollar was q ut-le more han 90 cents.
Ii has b.an much lower. but at the
time Your vote was cast, it has risen
considerably as a result of political
agitation and prospective free coinage.
You viii also remember. l am sure.
that the Bland Bin was az the time
denounced Us Reputation" and rank
dishonesty" by many of -he prominent
tnauc..rs who are now giving YOU
tha.r earnest support.
ID view of these facts would you re-