The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-09-17

meet the demands upon the Govern
ment.
But Mr.. Bryan declares, with the
Chicago platform, that the obligation
of the Government to pay gold the
money in which its debts were con
tracted, should have been repudiated;
and this reputation he proposed for
his own policy in the fatal event of his
election to the Presidency. He would
order his Popocratic Secretary Of the
Treasury to issue no bonds to replen-
ish the gold fund, but to pay out sill
yer to public creditors; and then the
crisis so cOurageoUsly averted by
Cleveland's Administration would
come. Weinvite those Honest Money
Democrats who have weekly resolved
to support Bryan because of the
regularity of his nomination to
soberly consider this part Of his letter
of acceptance. They are not so dull,
and cannot be so much blinded by
party spirit, as not TO see that this is
deliberate threat of reputation.
Acting with their eyes open, they can
not escape the heavy responsibility
in which their support of the candi-
date Of reputation would involve
| them.
But What will be searched for in
vain in this letter Of acceptance is q
discussion of the issue of free silver
coinage While truly asserting that
the money question is the "overshad-
owing issue before the country, its
author evades the problem of Is TO
as carefully rs a cat shifts at Il kettle
of hot broth What is the cause Of
this strange omission Of the chief sub
ject of controversy in this campaign
in a formal and official letter of ac-
ceptance? The very probable explain
alton OF this silence is to be found in
| the ineXtricable contradictions and
inconsistencies in which Mr. Bryan
and his fellow-Popocrats have en-
tangled themselves in the free coinage
question.
On the stump Mr.. Bryan sometimes
promises his enthusiastic audiences
cheaper money, and on other occa-
viction' that free and unlimited coin
age without international cooper
alton would bring the market price OF
silver up to the legal ratio of Is to l.
In this case money would be nc
cheaper; and if free coinage should
make money cheaper there would be
an end of the "parity' of the market
value and the legal ratio of silver and
gold. In some of his speeches Mr.
Bryan has told the farmers that by
the "Crime Of 1878" gold has mounted
in value till the dollar is worth 20(
cents. For this reason, he says, the
prices of all farm products have falleI
one-half, and the farmers must give
twice as much of their products for g
dollar because its purchasing power
has been doubled. On the other hand
the PopOcratic candidate gently as
sures his audiences of wage-winner,
that the silver dollar under free coin
age would be worth just as much as
the dollar on the present gold basis.
Experience has taught Mr.. Bryan
that it is much easier to glide Ovel
these Inconsistencies and contradic
lions in making passionate harangues
to eager crowds than to attempt tC
reconcile them in letter of accept
ance which must be subject to the
: closest scrutiny. But the chief rehec
ton that will arise in most minds from
a perusal of this document is that it,
author is incapable of intelligently
discussing any public question, mucl
less of comprehending the tremendous
: consequences involved in the issu,
before the country. The American
people will need no further proof O
the unfitness of this shallow dema
gogue for the office of President of thu
United States than that which is af
forded by his letter Of acceptance.