Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-12
The Ambassador to England States
His Position in the Campaign.
WHY BE OPPOSES TIE OTHER TICKETS
Both Represent Principles He Can
not Support.
CURRENT POLITICAL NEWS

lci WdS TeSelEeu tOQdy from Ambassador
Bayard by Samuel Bancroft jr.. of the
Every Evening. in which the views of Mr.
Bayard regarding the present political crisis
in the United States are given at length.
The letter is as follows:
LONDON, September 30, 1896
my dear Mr.. Bancroft: 1t seems scarce
ly possibly that any one could be in doubt
in relation to my personal opinion upon the
very serious issues now placed before our
countrynen by the machinery of the sew
eral political organizations. The evils which
surround us and the perils that confront us
have not grown in a night, nor have they
come without warning. The dangers of
disregarding sound financial principles have
been distinctly foretold and reiterated; and
looking o-er the last twenty-five years, as
a representative of Delaware in the United
States Serate, and as a citizen discussing
elsewhere public measures and policies,
cannot discern any failure on my part to
speak with absolute plainness in opposition
to the acts Of legislation. and financial and
commercial policies which are responsible
for the present perilous and distressing
conditions. In such a crisis language of
reproach. of elimination and recrimination
would be useless. or worse and unworthy,
but each man, upon his own responsibility,
must ask and answer the question whether
men, collectively or individually, can, with
justice OF self-respect, abandon a Just and
v'tai principle in the hour of its exigency,
ana just when the necessity of its MAIN
tenance is greatest, and fly from the field
when tie assault Is fiercest and courage is
most needed to defend the right Whether
the prlnclpie Is 1mbedded in the text of the
written charter OF our government, or is
found in statutes intended to give effect to
the Constitution, the measure of duty and
hdelity Is equal; and in these seasons of ex-
element alarm and passionate unreason.
almost a in ha
or any nation, patriotic, sincere and self
respecting man will hear and heed the
summons. and will feel the real trial Of his
soul to support in the hour of their dis
tress, the truths he has deliberately weigh
ed and avcwed it to be his duty to sustain
LOT the welfare of the country to which his
1aitn and allegiance have been plighted.
When, therefore, q citizen, protesting
himself to be a democrat Is called upon by
many, or by few. to yield his convictions
and assent to the doctrine that Congress
mas the power or can rightfully exercise 1t
by its legislative fiat, to create values, and,
regardless Of their intrinsic or commercial
value, to invest one or other of the earth
metals with an arbitrary power as money
ana override and alter at legislative will
or caprice the ratio of the exchange ability
OF such metals. regardless of the impair
nent OF the obligation of contracts-his an
sWer should be that such claim of power
i Is moi consistent with government of
Limited powers defined by our Com
stltutlon. but contains the quintessence
OF tyranny. dishonesty and absolutism. and
is destructive of that morality which is
essehtlai TO the peace and stability of civil
1zed society. 1t is, in plain words, a prop-
ositlon to destroy the institution of properly
protection o' i@'
This one question and it's answer sufH-
clentiy justify the prompt and absolute re-
1usai OF a constitutional democrat to sun-
port, IN any degree, the nominees Of the
Shcago convention Messrs. Bryan and
SeWalp and the preposterous claims cf
legislative power contained in their plat
form, under which the credit of the ma
Ion anG the peace and order Of society
would inevitably perish. On the other
hand' we nave the republican organiza tion
whose measures and whose leaders have
steadily created the dangers that threaten
ed the country and have made possible
such ticket and such propositions as were
presented a. Chicago.
while compelled to recoil from the nol
Icy of compulsory purchase and coinage of
silver as an unlimited legal tender, yet. it
Is lnslstently proposed to employ and in
tensify the profound powers of public tax
alton to prohibit commerce with other
countries. and thereby prevent revenue
from coming into the public treasury-to
lay taxes which shall prevent the payment
ana collection of other taxes necessary
for the support of the government. whose
powers are exerted directly and per-
sonally upon each individual citizen, and
over every part of land or water within its
national boundaries.
Every constitutional democrat can tru]y
reply to such propositions that they are
fraught with such gross inequity between
man and man as is consistent with public
safety, because it employs the most far
reaching and sovereign power known to
government to impoverish the worker and
poorer members of society (who form the
great numerical majority and aggrandize
those already financially stronger. That it
extends system which has already Great
ed inequality before the law, and subjects
tne industrious citizens to competition with
their own government and their own
money. drawn from them by taxation, and
employed for the private profit of allied
classes who have established themselves as
copartners with the government in the ex-
ercise of the inexorable powers of taxation
over the entire population. Such a per-
version of public powers inevitably carries
with 1t a sense of it's Injustice. and snre.ds
broadcast H these seeds of distress and lust
olscontent and swells a current which nm
oerm1nes respect for the law and conf
dence In the justice and integrity of tho
government. VI '''e
therefore. when candidates are present
eo' as are Messrs. Mckinley and Hobart.
upon platform promising no abatement
OF taxation but intensifcation of princinIes
so unjust and wholly out of harmonv VIII
the spirit, as well as the letter, of the char
ter OF our liberties. every democrat fa;.,fI,
10 the principles of his party, can properly
reruse to aid the election of candd.tos
avowing principles and policies that have On
plainly led to our present dangers. and
which are manifesty fatal to the welfare
of our country. e''-'
But, happily. there remains citade,
and an asylum for the political conscience
CT any man honestly convinced that the
pain OF duty leads, him to keen steadiIv
IN View the great purposes for which orr
fathers ordained the Constitution Of rhe
United States. the formation of a more
perfect union; the establishment of Justice
the insurance of domestic Tranquility. nro,
vision for the common defense :,romntien
OF the general welfare and the security
OF liberty TO ourselves and our poster
lty Such are the just ends of every no-
litical party in the United States. cnd
parties have no right to exist except thew
are the means to such ends. Happily. can
didates are presented upon a clear and rn-
ambiguous platform that assures ssfe.v
to the financial honor of our country: TO the
honest business transactions of ali it's
citizens; without discrimination of race
age, sex. occupation or fortune. The ner,
sonal reputation of the candidates of the
national constitutional democracy. Ness-s
Palmer and Buckner is unsuilied. ana
guarantees their fidelity to their pledges
and Their election would go far to re-estaD-
lish the moral health of our country.
Il hope and believe that in every state CT
the Union an electoral and congressional
ticket will be placed before the people