The herald., 1896-06-13
THE PLATFORM
Little Doubt Of Emphatic Declaration Favorinr
the Gold Standard

0Oiu otou0ofQ
ST. LOUIS, June 12.-It Is generally
believed tonight that the declaration in
favor of the gold standard in the Repub-
lican platform will be very emphatic
and unequivocal. When the men from
the East reach st. Louis they will find
that the close friends of Major McKin-
ley are ready to offer them a financial
plank that they can agree upon without
hesitancy. Several drafts of platform
have been prepared and it is now believ-
ed that form has been secured which
Will be satisfactory. 1t will declare
against the free coinage of silver unless
1t should be brought about by interna-
tional agreement. No ratio is mentioned
and In this respect 1t is most acceptable
to the gold men. 1t will also declare
the Republicans are against the debase-
ment of the currency and is therefore in
favor of the present gold standard The
Republican party will be given credit for
having brought about the resumption
act. which has always maintained every
dollar at parity. whether coin or paper.
and that the standard of money should
be as 1t always has been and is now
equal to that Of the most enlightened
nations Of the world. These declarations
embody the wishes of the friends of Nc
Kinley and the men who are now here
approve them.
If the resolution should be changed 1t
will be by the committee on resolutions
or the convention itself, but this, is not
likely as 1t contains all that is asked for
except by the most extreme gold men
who want a straight single gold stand
ard declaration and nothing more There
is some opposition to the reference to
nm international agreement but those
who desire that language inserted In
the resolution, say the party should not
place itself in opposition to the coinage
OF silver under an international agree
mi oh n,
made, but that the party is not to be
pledged to bring about such an agree
ment, which is a contention of some of
the delegates. 1t is believed by those
who have examined the proposed finan-
cial resolution that 1t will meet every
demand that can be made by the East
ern men and that 1t will be incorporated
into the platform when adopted.
The principal development of the day
has been the argument upon q gold
standard plank for the platform. 1t has
been asserted in these dispatches for
several days that this would be done,
but today the matter was settled SO far
as 1t could be in advance of the conven-
ton. The incoming delegates from
every section swelled the sentiment in
favor of an unequivocal declarat ton for
the gold standard and against the free
coinage of silver. There have been ar
rivals Of some prominent men, among
them being Senator Quay, Cornelius N.
Bliss, Gen. Horace Porter, Hon. Charles
Foster and Gen. Grosvenor.
The vice presidential candidacy has
been discussed a great DEAL with conclu-
sions indicating that Hobart of New
Jersey Is the coming man at present.
The rather savage talk of Mr. Platt
has assumed milder tone
Delegations have begun to arrive and
shouters and bands are heard in the
streets and corridors. st. Louis has be-
gun taking on real convention aspect.
FAIRBANKS OPINION.
CLEVELAND. June 12.-Hon. c. w.
Fairbanks Of Indiana. who is to be tenn
porary chairman of the st. Louis con-
vention, spent the day with Governor
Mckinley at Canton and started for st.
Louis tonight. He was seen by the As
ISOLATED Press correspondent on the train
tonight and asked what he regarded as
the probable action Of the convention on
the money question.
II am Of the opinion the convention
will declare uneQuivocally for sound
money. I should not be at all surprised
to,seeSt adopt the financial plank of the
Indiana platform"
g with the ratio clause left in?"
"No, I rather expect to see the ratio
clause struck out If the convention
adopts the plank. AS it stands now the
plank pronounces emphatically against
the free coinage of silver at the ratio Of
16 to 1.
"My opinion is that If the convention
sees At to adopt that plank 1t will simply
obliterate the words sixteen to one. That
will place 1t squarely against the free
coinage of silver at any and every ra-
tic. Whether the Indiana plank IL
ADOPTED or not you can rest assured
the convention is going to pronounce in
TO uncertain manner on the financial
question. There will be no straddle or
anything approaching straddle. It
viii be a. plain statement. one which he
who runs may read, in favor Of sound
money"
"Will the tariff or the money question
be the issue of the campaign"
Both, but expect to see the tariff
dominate before the campaign Is over"