The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-06-24
CONGRESSMAN TOWNE.
He Announces His Final Abandon
ment of the Goldbug Repub-
lican Party.

st. Louis, June 19-ConGressman c. A.
Towne has given out his statement sever
ing himself from the Republican party
and announcing that he will run for con-
gress as an Independent in the Sixth dis
trict He sat in the convention up to the
time of the walking out of the Teller fac
ton, but according to promise previously
made, he left the hall at the same time and
went to his room at the ST. Nicholas.
After handing out the statement he said:
IF my friends and former political allies
in Minnesota will be fair to me in the
movement which 1 have taken, let them
say l am mistaken and do not know what
I am talking about, but do not let them
question my entire honesty and sincerity"
Mr.. Towne will be in the Twin Cities on
Sunday. His statement, prepared several
days ago. follows:
Il shall say only few words at this
time. After returning home shall plain
ly and at more length set forth in print my
reason for refusing to act during this CAM
paign with the Republican party, con-
clusion to which self-interest could not
lead me- but which have reached in ODE
dience to a solemn injunction Of duty and
which l announce with pain. In brief, the
reason is this: The party has confessedly
reversed it's position on one Of the funda-
mental articles of it's faith. From bimet-
allism it has gone over to monometallism.
1t is not a case of changing the mere
plete Abandonment Of the end itself. The
party has heretofore held to the doctrine
of two basic money metals. 1t has now
decided for only one. It's old faith was for
gold and silver. 1t now rests on gold
alone.
when party changes it's fundamental
principles no member is bound to follow
it, No honest man can follow it unless
his Judgment and conscience approve the
change. Now my judgment and con-
science do not approve this abandonment
of our time honored position on this great
question. To me the single gold standard
is just as great an evil as it was "a hours
ago, when the platform of 1892 was in eff
feet. To me an approaching money meas
ure is not more lovely now than when the
honest opinion of the Republican party
condemned it. To me the restoration OF
silver to the same mint privileges and debt
paying power as those enjoyed by gold is
as essential to the welfare of the country
as it was when the Republican party be-
came pledged to it, believing that counsel
was not taken of the great body Of the
patriotic membership of the party.
Doubling this novel and revolutionary
Endorsement of the English single gold
standard; being convinced that the pro-
ceeding is not in the interest Of the Amer
lean people but sebversive Of every prin-
ciple by which the affairs of a great pro-
ducing nation should be governed; and
LeellnSs lnat profound lnOuStrlal, social
and moral considerations. affecting not
only our country but the very perpetuity
Of self-government itself, necessitate the
urcompromising hostility of every patri-
otto American toward an alien and ruin
Gus financial system, I shall oppose to
the best of my ability, the success Of the
single gold standard at the approaching
election, remaining of the faith which was
good Republicanism until June IS, 1896
and which in all but name remains 50 till
shall ask the suffrage of the electors of
the Sixth district Of Minnesota as an in
dependent candidate for congress. Very
sincerely, CHAS. A. TOWNE,"