Omaha daily bee., 1896-08-28
mkrNLE1-S 1ccEprANcE

MKTNLEr7S ACCEPTANCE
Major McKinley's letter of accept
ance should receive the thoughtful con
sidcration of every American citizen. 1t
is worthy of this as an earnest, patriotic
and statcsmanlike exposition of the is
sues before the country. His discus
sion of the silver question is ample,
lucid and logical and what he says Of
the wOrkingman ana the farmer in this
connection should have the intelligent
and unprecedented attention of those
classes of the people. He points out
that free silver would not mean that
silver dollars were to be freely had
without cost or labor. at would not
make labor easier. the hours of labor
shorter or the pay better. 1t would
not make farming less laborious or
more profitable. 1t would not start a
factory or make n demand for an adj
ditional days labor. 1t would create
no new occupations. 1t would add moth
ing to the comfort of the masses, the
capital of the people or the wealth Of
the nation. 1t seeks to Introduce Il new
measure of value, but would add no
value to the thing measured. 1t would
not conserve values. on the contrary,
it would dcrangc all existing values.
1t would not restore business confidence,
but its direct effect would be to destroy
the little which yet remains" Every
one of these propositions is absolutely
sound and true. The wage Garner who
imagincs that in some way his interests
would be promoted by free silver is
deluding himself. Equally certain is 1t
that the farmer who believes he would
be benefited by such debasrment of the
currency is nursing Il fallacy. Major
Mckinley clearly and forccfully explains
what must he the results of silver mono
metallism, as the inevitable consequence
Of the free and unlimited coinage of
silver at the ratio of 16 to |, and says
he is unalterably opposed to any such
policy. This declaration should fully
satisfy every friend of the existing
monetary standard. Referring to the
demand for paper money, to be issued
exclusively by the government, Major
Mckinley says that a graver menace to
our financial standing and credit could
hardly be conceived.
In regard to the question OF
protection the republican candi-
date speaks with the courage of convic-
ton. He believes it an issue of SUI
prcme Importance. While the peril of
free silver must be averted, the effects
of partial free trade must be corrected.
"'rhe republican party" he says, lis
welded to the doctrine of protection
and was never more earnest i'll its sup
port and advocacy than. now" finding
ample argument i'll. the lesson and eX-
perience of the past three years. Major
McKinley's treatment of this question
will be entirely satisfactory to all re-
Dublicans.. though it doubtless will dis
please those honest money democrats
who contemplate voting the republican
ticket, but are opposed to protection.
These have hoped that the republican
candidate would ignore the protection
issue and discuss only that of the cur
rency but they ought to see that he
could not have done this without being
faithless to his convictions II to Il
cardinal principle of his party's creed.
To any honest money democrat VINO
may feel disposed to withhold his sup
mort from Mckinley because of his at
titude regarding protection, we would
commend the following declaration by
that distinguished Vermont democrat,
Hon. Edward J. Phelps: 81 do not be-
lieve in protection and l shall never be
converted to it. But in the throes of
n deadly malady | cannot afford to re
ject the only physician who is in Il stu
alton to help me because his polltl-
cal opinions are different from mine or
ever because | think there are better
physicians than he, if they could only
be had in time. | shall therefore vote
for Mckinley That is the true posi-
ton for every democrat who is opposed
to currency debasement, regardless of
what his tariff views may be.
Major Mckinley earnestly deprecates
the appeals that are being made to
class prejudice, which he declares TO be
Dtlltillh ll' SlIliiN INV
n free people. The following should
commend itself to he hearty approval
of all good citizens: Government by
law must first be assured; everything
else can wait. The spirit of laWlesS-
ness must be eXtinguished by the fires
of an unselfish and lofty patriotism.
Every attack upon the public faith and
every suggestion of the reputation OF
debts, public or private, must be re-
buked by all men who believe that
honesty is the best policy, or who love
their country and would preserve I'M
sullied its national honor" his latest
and most important utterance of the
republican standard bearer cannot fail
to make an excellent impression on the
country.