The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-10-25
GENERAL WIN. BiRNEY
THE VETERAN REPUBLICAN, AND
WARRIOR FOR BRYAN.
Once an Idol of the North. He Quotes
Chase For Bryan's Policy.

Washington, ID. c., Oct, 24.-(Special.)
Gen. William Birney, of this City,
famous as an abolition leader in ante
bellum days, and steadfast Republic
can since the Fremont campaign, has
bolted Mckinley and the gold stand
ard. He has offered his services on
the stump in behalf of Bryan and
bimetaIlism. At one time during the
war Gen. Birney became the idol of
| the North, for a time even eclipsing
Lincoln.
Il want it understood that l am a
| Republican, said the General, in his
law office, yesterday, to Post re-
porter. at is, indeed, painful to break
| away from the associations OF life
time, and | shall not do it. l stand
now. as ever, on the Republican plat
forms of 1892, 1883, 1884, and all pre-
| ceding platfronss. All of them af-
frmed and taught the principles of
bimetallism, of American indepen-
dence. | love this country. i delight
to contemplate its grandeur, its in
tellectual advancement, its volume of
internal commerce, and the bounteous
future in store for it, if only the right
course is pushed.
but, sir, how can / look any man
in the face and preserve my self-res-
pect, or respect for the traditions of
my party, or respect for American
manhood, by telling him that surren-
der the bimetallic principles / have al
ways stood upon with my party
surrender the right to legislate for
ourselves as we deem beneficial? / cam
not do it. No, sir, I cam
not, and never will. | never will sur
render my citizenship to a little
coterie of stock brokers in New York,
who despise everything American and
take their cue from London"
Perhaps l would not feel as [ do
If | did not happen to know some
,4ing about the secret operation of
this coterie of coupon clippers. Dur
ing the war ! was frequently thrown
INTO close relations with Salmon p.
Chase, Secretary of the Treasury. We
were intimate friends. Time and again
Secretary Chase told me the opposi-
ton of the Southern armies did not
cause the administration so much con-
Germ for the future as the rapacity of
that gang of pirates in New York who
constantly aimed to embarrass the
government and control it's finances.
Chase deplored it, and so did Lin
coin, but they were almost powerless.
When the greenback measure was sub
mitted to Congress Chase and Lincoln,
the exception clause was not included
The money power fought the bill, and
threatened vengeance if it should be
passed. The House enacted it just
as Secretary Chase recommended, but
when it reached the Senate the excep-
ton clause was tackled on at the de
! mand of the money syndicate. l have
this from the tongue OF Salmon p.
Chase himself.
From that time to She present the
efforts OF the bs al,iag, bond-ogning
syndicate have been L Tree ed to the di-
minution of MISUNDERSTANDING green
backs and their conversion into inter-
| est-bearing bonds, which they wish to
add TO their already enormous hold
ings.
Il think the chief cause of the hard
times from 1878 to 1879 was the inn
| mense contraction of the currency, eff
fected by Secretary McCulloch. Now
since l873-'79, having accomplished all
POf7oaC4N AllCN SOulN III INSPECT
| to gTeenbacks and bonds, they aim to
strike out half the metallic money by
discriminating in favor of gold, which
they control
Mckinley / regard as the repre-
sentative, or friend, of the banking syn
dictate and other great trusts, mono
poles, and corporations, in restraint
OF trade, and he would go into office,
If elected, pledged to perpetuate the
policy of Grover Cleveland. That policy
is the endless repetition of bond is
sues, increasing national debt, the plac-
ing of this government in perpetuity
under control of the money power.
AS a resultant of tnis policy the pur-
chasing power of gold would be con-
stantly increased, Involving falling
prices, and rendering it imprudent for
any one to go into industrial enter
prises with probability of making
profit.
IF this policy should be made per-
manent ! regard the farming class as
doomed to be changed from owners to
tenants change which would i'm
yolye a revolution in the affairs of this
country.
i look, too, with alarm upon the in
crease in all parts of the country of
mortgages payaule in gold. This prae-
tice of taking gold mortgages has be-
come almost universal When these
obligations mature debtors will be at
the mercy of creditors and of brokers
who command gold, and who will exact
as large premium as possible from
the debtor. | would regard McKinley's
election as inevitably causing con-
tinlla ton of hard times until other
popular elections, Congressional and
Presidential, should reverse his policy
and bring Tellef.
"Mr. Bryan is a safe, intellectual
man, whose heart is with humanity. /
am for Mr.. Bryan and American indie
pendence, American prosperity. Our
Internal commerce is GO per cent of the
total, the foreign commerce being only
4 per cent. / don't believe in allowing
the 4 per cent to dominate the 90 per
cent"
THE WRONG MIR MOORE