People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1896-04-02
Mckinley and Silver.


and elected that he would be almost
forced to recognize the silver ele.
ment, since the West and South are
so unanimously in favor of him?'
We replied that we could not see
that he would be under any obliga.
tons whatever to silver. "Why2
-queried the gentleman. Because
the western Republicans have no.
where declared for silver, and out
side of Colorado and a few of the
mining states, no voice will be raised
for silver. In Texas, Iowa, Dakota
and Minnesota they declared fol-
sound money and in some Of these
states made their delegates pledge
themselves against silver. In Da.
kota they forced Senator Pettigrew
a free silver man, to change his pc.
si;ion on that question before they
would send him as delegate to St
Louis. In Kansas, under the leader,
ship of Geo. T. Anthony, a pro-
nounced gOld bug, they smothered
their sentiments completely. Il
they were for free silver they lacked
the courage to say so.
Nowhere in the West or South is
there a demand in the Republican
party for free silver.
There is but little doubt that these
conventions were all manipulated by
the politicians, nevertheless will they
stand as the expressed will of the
people.
Now then, McKinley's inclinations
are decidedly against silver. We
publish elsewhere today an article
from the columns of the New York
Advertiser-a "sound money" paper
showing that one year ago he said:
"If the Republican party in its ma
tiOnal convention next year declares
for the free coinage of silver, | will
absolutely decline to become its candi.
date for the presidency, should l have
the chance, and l will quit the party
forever"
This he has never denied. Only
three weeks ago the St. Louis
Chronicle sent Reporter to inter
view him on this important question
He refused to be interviewed but
cited him to the congressional record
The Chronicle shows by the record
that he is against silver. The passage
referred to is colloquy between him.
self and General Stevenson. "The
people are ready to chance free and
unlimited silver" said Stevenson.
"The people are not prepared to in
dulge in any such speculation" an
swered Mckinley. A day or so
after the Chronicle reporter saw him
New York World reporter called,
on him and told him that Sound
money" Republicans complained
that the Ohio platform which he
was supposed to have written, was
too favorable to silver, while the sill
yer senator's said it was too favorable
to the single gold standard. Gov
enor Mckinley broke the silence he
has lately maintained and said have
discussed the questionof currency and
coinage in Congress, and my record
is plain. Vice President Stevenson
once said the people were willing to
chance free aad unlimited silver
coinage, and l responded that the
people were not prepared to indulge
in any such speculation. This makes
it very plain where his sympathies
are, but if further proof is necessary
We quote the finance plank of the
Ohio platform, Of which Mr.. Nc
Kinley was the author:
We contend for honest money, for a
currency Of gold, silver and paper
with which to measure our exchanges
that shall be as sound as the govern.
ment and as untarnished as its honor,
and to that end we favor bimetalism
and demand the use Of both gold and
silver as standard money, either in
accordance with a ratio to be fixed by
international agreement, if that can
be obtained, or under such restric.
tiohs and such provisions to be de-
termined By legislation, as will secure
the maintenance of the parties OF
values Of the two metals, so that the
purchasing and debt.paying power Of
the dollar, whether Of silver, gold or
paper shall be at all times equal.
John Sherman and Grover Cleve.
land favor the same sort Of bimetal.
ism.
There is no sort of a doubt as
to where Mckinley stands on thi.
question, and since that Republicans
OF the west and south have given no
expression in favor of silver there
would be ABSOLUTELY no hope of his
pursuing any different policy than