Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-08-27
McKINLEY'S LETTER OF AC-
CEPTANCE,.

| acceptance TO the press yesterday III
ternoon. About one half of the letter
is devoted to the money issue. which
Major Mckinley handles exhaustive
ly. He does not believe in further ex-
periments on the line of the so-called
! Sherman law, and says the parity OF
silver with gold must be maintained
by limited coinage. Gold standard be
says, is not the cause OF hard times. He
believes in open mills and not open
minis; more confidence, not more
coinage is needed. 1t is voluminous
document, as long as Presidents mes
sage. The letter touches upon all OF
the important planks in the republican
national platform, but the first half of
it is devoted to discussion of the mon
ey question. He says: "For the first
time since 1865, if ever before, there is
presented to the American people this
year clear and direct issue as to our
monetary system, of vast Importance in
its effects, and upon the right settle
ment of which rests largely the fnan-
cial honor and prosperity of the coun-
try. 1t is proposed by one wing of the
democratic party and its allies, the peo-
pies and silver parties, to inaugurate
the free and unlimited coinage of silver
by independent action on the part of
the United States at ratio OF sixteen
ounces of silver to one ounce of gold
The mere declaration of this purpose is
a menace to our financial and indus
trial interests, and has already created
,;yar-ol olor n,,n1,-ac rariI
to the credit and business of the country,
peril so grave that conservative men
everywhere are breaking away from
their old party associations and uniting
with other patriotic citizens in emphatic
protest against the platform of the
democratic national convention as an
assault upon the faith and honor Of the
government and the welfare of the PEG
pie. We have had few questions in
the lifetime of the republic more serious
than the one which is thus presented.
Free silver would not mean that silver
dollars were to be freely had without
cost of labor. 1t would mean free use
of the minis of the United States for
the few who are owners OF silver bull
lion. but would make silver coin no
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 farm.
ing less laborious, or more profitable.
1t would not start factory, or make
demand for an additional days labor.
1t would create no new occupations. II
would add nothing to the comfort Of
the masses, the capital of the people,
or the wealth of the nation. 1t seeks TO
introduce new measure OF value, but
would add no value to the thing meas
ured. It would not conserve values
On the contrary, it would derange ali
existing values. 1t would not restore
business confidence, but its direct effect
would be to destroy the little which yet
remains. The meaning Of the coinage
plank adopted at Chicago is that any
one may take a quantity ofsilver bullion
now worth ffty-three cents 10 the minis
J of the United States, have it coined al
: the expense of the government, and re
ceive for it q silver dollar. which shall
be legal tender for the payment of all
debts, public and private. The owner
of the silver bullion would get the silver
! dollar. 1t would belong to him and no.
body else. Other people would get il
} only by their labor, the products OF their
land, or something Of value. The bull
lion owner, on the basis of present
values, would receive the silver dollar
for So cents worth OF silver, and other
people would be required to receive it
as full dollar in the payment of debts.
The government would get nothing
from the transaction. 1t would bear
the expense Of coming the silver, and
the community would suffer loss by its
use.n
The Major then goes into an exhaust
i've history of silver coinage in this
country, and devotes much OF his letter
to the tariff, touching on reciprocity,
foreign immigration and pensions. He
concludes as follows: The country is to
be congratulated upon the almost total
obliteraton Of sectional lines, which
for so many years marked the division
of the United States into slave and free
territory, and finally threatened its par
tition into two separate governments
by the dread ordeal of civil war. The
era of reconciliation, so long and so
earnestly desired by Gen. Grant and
other great leaders, North and South,
has happily come, and the feeling Of
distrust and hostility between the sec
tons is everywhere vanishing, let US
hope never to return. Nothing is bet
ter calculated to give strength to the
nation at home, increase our power and
influence abroad and add to the per-
manency and security of our free insti
tutions than the restoration of cordial
relations between the people of all sec
tons and parts of our beloved country
If called by the suffrages of the people
to assume the duties of the high Office
ofPresident of the United States shall
count it privilege to aid, even in the
slightest degree; in the promotion ofthe
spirit OF fraternal regard which should
animate and govern the citizens OF every
section, State or part of the republic.
After the lapse Of century since its
utterance, let US, at length and forever
hereafter. heed the admonition of Wash
ington: There should be no North, no
g5uth, no East, no West-but common
country 1t shall be my constant aim
to improve every opportunity to
advance the cause OF good government
by promoting that spirit OF forbearance
and Justice which is so essential to our
prosperity and happiness by join
ing most heartily in all proper efforts to
restore the relations of brotherly respect
end affection which in our early history