The herald., 1896-09-04
AN OPEN LETTER
An Old Missouri Republican Writes to Colonel
HelliSon Olay Otis


An Old Missouri Republican Writes to Colonel
heiIIson Clay Otis
The following open letter to Col Helli-
son Clay Otis is from an old-line Mis-
souri, Republican, N. .Burch. The
gentleman has been honored by the
rank and file of his party as clerk of the
supreme court of Missouri. and comes
from that part of the country where
Republicans are very scarce at times,
but who, until the present campaign
opened, were very warm partisans. The
letter is an interesting one and is we'll
worthy Of pei.usal. An answer is
awaited:
Editor Times, Los Angeles, CAL: 1t
Is useless attempting to disguise the
TACT that large number of Republi-
cans are bimetallists, and that many of
thcm Will vote for the Bryan presiden-
tial electors and the free silver candi-
dates for congress and the state legisla-
lures as the best and surest means of
obtaining bimetallism at any time in the
near future. They have made up their
minds to this, and no amount Of abus-
i've. cartooning or editorial lampooning
on your part will deter them from it. l
submit to you, as patron of the Times,
that it is just as well to be fair and give
us free and respectful discussion.
That we may see at glance the real
difference In the declaration of the SILL
yer Republicans from that of the gold
Republicans on the question of coinage,
the two declarations are submitted in
parallel columns:
Gold Republican. Silver Republican.
t92 I,1eo the free coinage party favors the use US
international agree-,,ver as equal standard
ment with the lead money and pledges
ons on Se Mora to sers
which we pledge.a n independent
ourselves TO- pro coinage Of gold and
agreement can belthe ratio of 16 parts
obtained. the exist of silver to of gold"
ing gold standard
must be preserved"
The silver Republican declaration is
Republican declarations on the SUBJ
1ect. particularly that of the national
Republican convention of 1892. Both
were written by Senator Henry M Tell
er. The one quoted above was present.
ed and supported by minority of the
late st. Louis convention. 1t expressed
the convictions Of the Republican party
In 1892, and it is claimed that it ex-
presses the convictions of the true Re-
publicans of the party in 1896 1t is cer-
tain that the declaration quoted above as
that of the gold Republicans never ap-
peared in national Republican plat
form before. and ! venture to say that
It would not appear there now We're
James G. Blaine alive. Indeed, will
venture to say further that 1t would
not appear there now had the platform
of the st. Louis convention been dc
tated by William Mckinley. That dec
| laration was put there at the dictation
of me, Too," T. Platt, Mr. Blaine's an
cient enemy. and his partisan or fac
tlonal adherents.
Every true friend of the Republican
party holds in reverent memory the
prophetic utterances of James G. Blaine
in the United States senate In 1878:
Il believe the struggles now going
on in this country, and in other coun-
tries, for the single gold standard would,
If successful, produce widespread dis
aster in and throughout the CONNER
cial world. If, therefore,
silver has been demonetized, i am in
favor of remonetizing it. If it's coinage
has been prohibited, I am in favor of
ordering 1t to be resumed. If it has been
restricted, am in favor Of having 1t
enlarged"
When? Not when England agrees to
it, but now, at the time OF his speaking.
Not even when Wall street agrees to it,
but at that very time.
Now there are a great many eminent
bimetallists in England. Suppose the
question was to be submitted to the pop
ular vote of Englishmen. Do you be-
iteve 1t would be submitted upon dec
laration in it's favor If other nations
agree to it? Or, in its favor, not inde-
pendent of any other nation on earth?
Rt. Hon. A. j. Balfour gives US your an
swer. In his speech in the London BIZ
metallic conference in May, 1894, he
said:
Now, having disposed of my two first
questions Gin the af1irmative), the pos
sibility and morality of adopting the
double system, there remains only the
third question, whether it is expedient
to do so; and on this may, perhaps,
be allowed to say. by way Of preface,
that think it will not only be inexpedi-
ent, but also impossible to do SO unless
the government Of the day which sets
to work to deal with this great problem
has behind it the balance of opinion
in the greatest financial city Of the
world, viz: London"
In other words, until Lombard street,
London, is converted to the double sys-
tenn it will not only be inexpedient but
impossible. This is precisely the posi-
tion of the Republican party in it's st.
Louis platform. It's possibility is nil
right, and its morality Is all right, but
until a majority of the greatest aggre-
cation of money loaners in all the
world agree to it 1t Is inexpedient. For
cold-blooded, merciless brutality, by the
side of this the example of the Shylock
Of Shakespeare Is that of saint.
Now, Mr.. Editor. there Is scarcely an
issue Of the Times in which your silver
Republican friends are not charged
with dishonesty and reputation.
Really, what is the difference between
us? If we are favoring dishonesty and
repudiation, are not you doing the same
thing? The only difference being that
you want company in your crime ana
we don't.
You say that we want to pay a dol
lar of indebtedness with 50-cent piece.
Now, don't you want to do the same
thing as soon as Lombard street, Lon
don. will let you?
In conclusion, are you not willing to
admit that the truth of this charge is
exactly thereverse of your statement of
It,, namely, that we don't want to be
compelled to pay 80 cents of indebted
ness with dollar piece? Very respect-
fully N. G. BURCH.