The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-03-03
MIR. wHIiNEY's DISCLAIMER.

We have no doubt Mr.. william e.
Whitney welcomed the Mississippi op-
portunity to declare his views upon Sill
Yer. even If IL did require him to mako
a modest disclaimer of presidential as
plrations. The disclaimer VIII count FOR
very little II the Democratic party should
really desire his services. while publ
cation OF the sort that he has made
was very necessary 10 clear Whitney of
that damaging utteTance he made when
he landed last yer from long so
journ I'm Europe. We welcome Mr. Whit
ncy's present card. lie is one Of the very
lew really available me9 the Democra-
tic party has for "a presidential candi-
date, and, with this publication before
the world. We could row give him our
standard TO carry with perfect confidence
that the conservative elements OF the
country would DO entirely content with
him. IL IS due to our readers that we
should copy a part Of Mr.. Whtney's lct-
ter, as follows:
?. From the same source Of informa-
ton / learn that some persons have be-
leNcu me a supporter OF the view that
the United States should open its mints
20 the free coinage of silver at 10 TO
], Independently OF the cooperation and
action OF other nat.oIis, and in that
belief have been led into false posi-
ton as regards their own principles. IN
der these circumstances ] ought to say
that / do not believe IN that theory OF
finance. but consider IL unsOund. and II
adopted likely 10 lead TO most evil con-
sequences 10 our people and their IN
dustrios and prosperity. II Is. In my opin-
ion, fundamentally wrong and vicious.
3. / am q believer in gold ana silver
as the metallic basis OF values and OF
tho worlds currency, and / am confident
that within Il time not far distant there
viii be a concurrence OF the nations upon
that subject 10y which the ratios OF
value OF the two metals tor the coinage
and currency purposes will be fixed and
the stability of such values maintained
By an international agreement. am
aware this view is looked upon as IN an
ciai hercsy by some. and as visionary
by others. But such persons must be
themselves ignorant Of the latest de-
vclopmcuts If scientific thought upon
this subject and the rapid advancement
this view rs making where, heretofore,
1t has had little support.
T. Until that occurs / believe any ac-
ton by the United States alone would
be disastrous TO MS, would bring general
ruin 20 our present prosperity, and would
pin The true and final solution OF the
problem.
We should have expected TO ind Mr..
Whitnoy's mind sufficiently developed to
place him far beyond the trokcn-down
old hack idea of free coinage Of silver
by international agreement. All the
agreements Of all the nations IN the
world cannot make u piece OF silver
worth really but fifty cents as valuable
as piece Of gold worth one hundred
cents. None but the Almighty can do
that. Such an agreement might Start
the two coins off at an equal pace, but
the inclinations and passions Of man
would at once separate them. and IN
very short time the world would have
financial system walking upon two legs,
OF which one would be shorter than the
other The world would soon thereafter
have all the disorder and confusion in
troducod into its affairs that we have
had in view for the past few years. we
should have supposed that Mr.. Whitneys
native good sense coupled with his OBJ
seryation of the affairs Of life, would
have taught him this. But even if they
did not. We should have supposed that
he would have learned It in his travels
abroad. lie ought 10 have learned then
that the countries Of Europe understand
the subject too well to tolerate any sug-
gostion Of an international agreement
for the free coinage Of silver. They VIII
not hear Of such thing, and it is
only time and energies wasted to appeal
to them on the subject.
The true theory of the case Is that
there can be but enc standard of value,
and that, mans nature will always make
him select the best for that. we can,
therefore, have but one full money
gold-and silver is TO be used in what
ever quantity Is wanted for subsidiary
coinage. The Government should pur-
chase all the silver that is wanted for
half dollars, quarters. etc, which Should
be legal-tender for s. of debt. and we
should then hear no more about silver.
If the Democratic party Will adopt this
for its platform and nominate Whitney.
Russell or Patuson. il will elect the
President, alter non, as the lawyers
say.