The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1896-09-03
HIS STORIES DON'T JIBE
Mckinley Is Inconsistent In HiS State
ments on the Political Issues.
WRECKS WROUGHT BY GOLD SYSTEM
How the Republican Party Has
Changed Its Base ON the Financial
Question I'm she Past four Years
Labor Wants the Opportunity.

Kinley is still harping on bis bill. That
instrument has been something out OF
tune in the past four years, but it pro-
duces the only variety OF music with
which the performer is familiar. 1t was
brought out Saturday at one OF those
nicely managed and carefully planned
surprise parties for which Mr.. Hanna
pays the freight and Mr.. Mckinley is ex-
pected TO furnish the entertainment. Il
should be understood that Mr.. Mckinley
does not 60 out among the common peo-
pie, but he has "a day for receiving" the
select of Hanna. Saturday was his dav.
I'VE have had three years." Mr.. Me-
Kinley explained to his guests. eve
have had three years OF bitter experience
under policy the republican party has
always opposed" The gentleman was
speaking OF the Wilson tariff. which he
maintains enacted "a free trade policy"
When one remembers that the Wilson
law enacts form of protection only less
extreme than the Mckinley tariff it
should be amusing il it were net melsn-
choly to find the nominee Of great party
putting forward such a plea. Either Mr..
Mckinley knows the facts in this regard
or he does not. II he does not he is un-
ct Tor the position he occupies. If, on
the other hand, he knows that it is false
to characterize the Wilson law as free
trade measure what shall we say OF him
Then Mr.. Mckinley, taking heart Of
grace, ventured off his own ground into
the financial bog, and he grew prophetic,
as is the habit OF his tribe, informing his
hearers that in case free silver coinage
becomes law ''the wheels of industry will
be stopped" What again
A minute before he had told his guests
that those unhappy wheels had been
rusting under the operation of the Wilson
law. Mr.. Mckinley appears to be
troubled with too many wheels.
This sort OF confused and contradictory
reasoning is characteristic of the whole
case put forward on behalf of the single
gold standard, whether il comes from the
republicans or from the small but noisy
faction OF the democratic party that is
posing as the only superior persons. Mr..
Bryan very neatly characterized and de-
scribed this variety Of the partisan Satur-
day at Tivoli on the Hudson when he
said:
"One man says the reason why he does
not want free coinage is that he does not
think the government should pass law
that will enable the silver miners to take
SO cents worth OF silver bullion and con-
vert it into 100 cents. OF course he may
have been in favor of system OF taxa.
ton that would give 200 or 800 per cent
profit, but that does not count. 1t is a
terrible thing to allow the silver miner to
make that profit. Then the next man
who comes up says that as matter of
fact the stamp of the government adds
nothing to the value of the metal and
that the free coinage Of silver simply
means that you convert 80 cents worth
of bullion into 50-cent dollar, and no.
body makes profit out OF it.
'Now you can see the absurdity of it.
II the silver miner, under the law OF free
coinage, finds that his silver bullion is
raised 80 that that which is now worth
so cents will be worth 100 cents, then
there are no 50-cent dollars, and il the
other man is correct and the law adds
nothing to the value OF the metal and
you simply convert SO cents worth Of sill
yer into 50-cent dollar, then the mine
owner has not made cent"
Anybody who has recently listened to
or read an argument in favor Of the gold
standard will at once recognize the pic
ture. They are, like Major Mckinley,
in favor of tariff that will allow the
manufacturer 200 per cent profit; but
they cannot bear to see the silver miner
given a chance for his life. In the next
breath they tell us that the silver dollar
will continue to be worth SO cents in bull
lion and no more.
"We have lived on sunshine too long, I"
said Mr.. Mckinley yesterday to his
guests. II this is admitted for the sake
of argument it does not seem full justifi-
cation for substituting diet OF moon
shine.
1t should be added before it is forgotten
that Mr.. McKinley's surprise party con-
cluded with the presentation to the host
Of "a steele tube cane" It was a most
enjoyable affair, and the committee of
arrangements, consisting chiefly of Mr..
Hanna, deserves great credit.