The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-05-21
WHICH KIND OF BUG?

1t would be difficult to imagine a
more discreditable attitude for parti-
san than that of the average McKin-
leyite when the subject of Mckinley s
vagueness on the financial issue comes
up. The Herald recently published the
views of prominent local Republicans
regarding the propriety of William-of
the-tariff frankly declaring his position
relative to the free silver question. The
consensus of the opinions thus gathered
seemed to be that it would be unfair
to expect Mckinley to declare himself
at the present time. This view is shared
by the supporters of the candidate of
Canton throughout the country. One of
McKinley's most intimate personal and
political friends, Gen. Alger of Michi-
gan, was lately asked by a reporter
why Mckinley could not come out and
state his views on the money question.
The generals reply was: ut would not
be fair to put him on the stand unless all
other candidates were put on the stand
also"
Shades Of Lincoln, Sumner and Grant.
what an assertion to make in behalf of
a Republican presidential candidate!
Wherein lies the unfairness of expecting
from an avowed candidate for the high
est office in the gift of the people. a
plain, explicit and candid declaration of
his opinion on a question of such vital
Importance as that concerning the
country's monetary standard? What
right has a man to expect the suffrages
of people until he has set forth in Ian
10 yoh N clearwater his be-
lief on every matter of serious public
moment? Is it not unfair to the people
whose votes are solicited to ask them to
accept a political pig in poke? What
rot to talk about it being unfair to
demand of Mckinley brief and simple
statement of what he is for and what he
is against in the matter of the issue be-
tween 100 cent dollars and so cent dol
lars! In what way does the cowardice
and evasion of other Republican candi-
dates justify cowardice and evasion in
Mckinley? Why should he be put up
on a pedestal of ambiguity and wor-
SHIPPED with innocent trustfulness by
credulous public? Is his personality so
sublime that his principles are imma
terial?
Inc IIen WHO are IcCpSlllHCd as tiiC
leading possibilities on the Democratic
side, and one of whom will have to con-
test with Mckinley, if the latter Is
nominated, have expressed themselves
regarding the money question in way
that is comprehensive without die
tionary or diagram. Everybody who
reads the newspapers knows that Car
Isle, Russell, Pattison, Whitney and
Cleveland-if he can be rightly included
in the list of candidates-are against the
free and unlimited coinage of silver at
the 16 to ratio, and for the maintenance
of the gold standard, and that Bland.
Boies and Morgan are for the free,
unlimited coinage of silver at the ratio
with gold noted and against the main
tenance of the gold standard. There is
no talk about smoking any of these gem
tlemen out Let Mckinley be equally
open and frank. He has an enduring
voice and a nimble tongue, open air
meetings cost little and halls can be
rented at price that would not seri-
ously embarrass his campaign fund;
let him make a speech, taking the pre-
caution to mail neatly typewriter adj
vance sheets of the effort to the press
services of the country. Or, if he is
diffident, with a diffidence that is new,
about publicly Grating his sentiments.
let him write letter to friend grant
ing the latter permission to give the
epistle out to the hungry newspapers;
pencils, pens and ink and stationery are
for sale in abundance even in Canton.
O., and there is no railway strike on to
impede the transit of the mails. Or, if
he will neither crate nor indite, let him
talk for publication into the willing ear
of some one of the thousands of re-
porters that are scraping the highways
and byways of the earth with a razor
like vigilance for something to print.
Let him tell the story of his present
stand-not his past, nor even his future
stand-so that the American people will
know whether he is a gold bug or sill
yer bug. He certainly cannot win any
battles as a straddle bug-that species
of insect won't go down-it will stick in
the public throat.