The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-08-27
M'KINLEY' LETTER
or ACCEPTANCE
Republican Presidential Can
didate Accepts the Leader-
ship of His Party.
DISCUSSES THE ISSUES
He Advocates the Maintenance
of the Present Gold
Standard.
AND OPPOSES FREE COINAGE
Says That Bi-metallism Cannot
Be Maintained by This
Country Alone.
AND OPPOSES FREE COINAGE
OTHER NATIONS MUST HELP US
Declaras That a Restoration of the
Tariff of 1894 Would Bring
Prosperity of the Great
Masses.

Canton, OJlO. mug. ~. 1AaJ' ~
McKinely's formal letter accepting .ne
Republican nomination for PRESIDENT
was issued to-day. 1t makes In full
about 1000 words. The following IS
liberal abstract in which the sahent
points are given literally:
10 Hon. John M. Thurston, and others,
Member Of the Notification Commit
tee of the Republican Committee:
Gentlemen:-In pursuance OF the
promise made to your committee Wnen
notified of my nomination as the Ke-
publican candidate for President, beg
to submit this formal acceptance OF
that high honor and to consider IN de-
tail questions at issue in the pending
campaign. Perhaps this might be con-
.sidered unnecessary, in view of my re-
marks ON that occasion, and those /
have made to delegations that have
visited me since the ST. Louis conven-
ton. but in view of the momentous I'M
portance of the proper settlement OF
the issues presented on our future
prosperity and standing as a nation,
and considering only the welfare and
the happiness of our people, could not
be content to omit again calling atten-
ton to the questions which, in my
opinion vitally affect our strength and
position among the governments OF the
world and our morality, integrity and
patriotism as citizens of that republic
which for a century past has been the
best hope of the world and the in
spiration of mankind. We must not
now prove false to our own high stand
ards in government, nor unmindful OF
the noble example and wise precepts
of our fathers or of the confidence and
trust which our conduct in the past
has always inspired.
THE FINANCIAL QUESTION.
For the first time since 1868, ii ever
before, there is presented to the Ameri-
can people this year clear and direct
issue as to our monetary system, of
vast Importance in its effects, and
upon the right settlement of which rests
largely the financial honor and pros
,perity of the country. 1t is proposed
by one wing of the Democratic party
and its allies, the Peoples and Silver
parties, to inaugurate the free and un-
limited coinage of silver by independ-
ent action on the part of the United
States at ratio of 16 to 1. The mere
declaration of this purpose is menace
to our financial and industrial inter
ests, and has already created universal
alarm. 1t involves great peril to the
credit and business of the country, a
peril so grave that conservative men
everywhere are breaking away from
their old party associations and unit
ing with other patriotic citizens in
emphatic protest against the platform
,f he f;ox
as an assault upon the faith and honor
of the government and welfare of the
people. We have had few questions
in the lifetime of the Republic more
serious than the one which is thus
presented.
The character of the money which
shallmeasureo our values and exchanges
and settle our balances with one an
other and with the nations of the
world, is of such primary Importance
and so far reaching in it's Importance
as to call for the most pains-taking in
vestigation and in the end a sober and
unprejudiced judgment at the polls
We must not be misled by phrases, nor
deluded by false theories. Free silver
would not mean that silver dollars
were to be freely had without cost OF
labor. 1t would mean the free use
of the mints of the United States for
the few who are owners of silver bull
lion, but would not make silver coin
any freer to the many who are engaged
in other enterprises. 1t would not
make labor easier, the hours of labor
shorter, or the pay better. 1t would
not make farming less laborious, or
more profitable. 1t would not start 4
factory, or make a demand for an adj
ditional days labor. 1t would nor
create new occupations. 1t would add
nothing to the comfort of the masses,
the capital of the people, or the wealth
of the nation. 1t seeks to introduce q
new measure of value, but would add
no value to the thing measured. IT
would not conserve values. On the
contrary, it would derange all existing
4 Values. 1t would not restore business
confidence, but its direct effect would
be to destroy the little that remains.
THE CHICAGO PLATFORM.
The free coinage plank adopted at
Chicago is that any one may take q
quantity of silver bullion, now worth