The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-05-05

question of the honest or dishonest
dollar. it would be better that the
sound money Democrats and the
sound money Republicans should get
together. -Ex-Congressman Isador
Straus, in speech before Democratic
club, New York City, reported in New
York Herald April 20, 1896.
On the same occasion Mr.. Civil JUS
tice Wanhope Lynn, is reported in the
Herald as saying. "the Democratic par
| ty needed a new Moses to lead it out of
the land of bondage and the plague
house of despair"
Mr. Belmont says ''the money ones
ton should have precedence over every
other issue"
Mr. Straus says he would rather see
a split in the Democratic convention
= than see the Democratic party
adopt platform which would not de-
clare for sound money"
Yet, Mr.. Henderson says, "the free
coinage question is not as important
as it is believed to be by it's most earn
est advocates" and that. as for him
self. he does mot know of more
worthless issue"
Here are expressed, by prominent
members of the Democratic party, ex-
congressman. divergent, inconsistent,
and irreconcilable views. one of whom
goes so far as to say that he would pre-
fer to see a split in the national conyen-
ton rather than see the party adopt
platform which does not declare for
sound money"
Would it be possible. with such views.
for these gentlemen to agree upon and
enunciate a financial platform upon
which, as Mr.. Henderson says, all of us
can ''get together and help save the
State and the whole country"
Says he: "Populism and the new sill
YER party will be unimpor-
tant factors but that sound
money Democrats and free
coinage Democrats at is to / must
abide in the Democratic Ship" and
except these THAT is, the sound mon
ey Democrats and free coinage Demo
Gratis at 16 to y abide in the ship. the
Democracy cannot be saved from polit-
zeal and party shipwreck."
A good mariner to avoid shipwreck
must take soundings and bearings,
observe the clouds and winds, and not
| suppose that every breeze to be en-
countered comes frem the east, laden
/ WIFI bttC iJGi1 vi SoEEN SltAEtAiAAE
spices and golden fruits.
Our distinguished President, for
whose ability, sincerity and high in-
| tegrity have the profoundest respect,
evidently does not agree with Mr.. Hen
derson, that the coinage question is
a worthless issue" for has he not de-
livered with all his might, his heaviest
| blows for Sound money in the
speeches of his cabinet officers, Messrs.
Carlisle and Smith. Certainly Mr.. Isa-
| dor Straus, the friend and European
| travelling companion of Mr.. Postmas-
| ter General Wilson, "does not think
| the money question worthless issue,
| when he says he had rather see a split
| in the Democratic convention than to
have the Democratic party adopt other
than sound money platform, and
| that if there should be any question of
| the honest or dishonest dollar, II
would be better that the sound money
| Democrats and the sound money Re
publicans should get together"
Tt seems that Justice Lynn, whose
remarks are quoted above, and which
were made several days after the APP
| pearance of Mr.. Henderson's letter, no
doubt perceiying the great divergence
| Of opinion between Messrs. Belmont
and Straus on the one side, and Mr..
Henderson on the other (all for sound
money!, in the anguish of his soul,
| e.xclaims:
The Democratic party needs new
/ Moses 10 lead it out Of the land of bond
age and the plague house of despair. !"
TO this, / say Amen. But the ques-
/ ton is suggested, who are the bonds
men, and who are they who dwell
amidst the deadly financial Yapors Of
this plague house of de-
! spair27 Who are the task
masters, that daily forge tighter
and stronger these bonds? who, by
vicious legislation have chained their
victims to the rock of despair, to be
| plagued and proved upon by the yul
lures Of greed and ayarice?
There are multitudes Of people in
this fair land Of ours that, in all prob
ability, will disagree with my good
friend, Mr.. Henderson, that '.the coin
| age question is a worthless ISSUE" but
will more likely incline to the opinion
Of Mr.. Belmont, that the money issue
is the most important of the National
issues, and should have prece-
dence over everything else"
If after reading the sound money
speeches of Mr.. Belmont, Mr. Straus
and Mr.. Lynn, Mr.. Henderson should
still be Of the opinion that the coinage
| question is worthless and "a worth
less issue" he would hardly be compe-
tent to the task Of plotting our old
ship through the angry pillows and
bowling winds and storms that are
most likely to beset it.
Usually the first question sea-go-
ing traveller asks is, what is the repu-
tation of the captain? What are his
requirements, his experience, his sa-
gacity, his knowledge of navigation,
the ways Of the ship that goes down to
the sea? Being assured in all these
matters, and having implicit conf
dence in the captain, he boards the
ship, leaving the rest to God and the
captain. All is ready The great en-
| gines begin to work, and the vessel
moves majesfically out into the chan
II n -. LB,tys