The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-26

west from the railway station. 1t is a
broad, fine looking building surrounded by
spacious grounds l met the governor in
his library-a square room at the left of
the wide, old-fashioned reception hall. My
interview with him was had there and in
his finely furnished Office at the capitol.
I spoke to Gov. Stone first about the let
ter which was published recently, in which
he spoke of the Democracy as "a mob
What L said in that letter. said the
governor, was that two and half years
ago We were a compact. disciplined, victo-
rious party Today we are little better
than a disorganized. discounted, dicord-
ant mob That is true. We came out of
the last national campaign victorious, in
dorsed by the people. We had a Demo-
cratic congress on the presidents hands.
Then Mr.. Cleveland, who had been elected
on distinct tariff issue, turned away
from the tariff question and plunged US
into a controversy on the financial ques-
ton Why. the financial question was
never considered in the campaign which
made him president the last time. He was
elected and the Democratic congress was
elected to revise the tariff. But Mr.. Cleve-
land springs the financial problem on the
country And doing so he departs from
what l consider the traditional policy OF
the Democratic party. Mr.. Cleveland's
policy is along the lines of Republican pol
party ever since the act Of 1S73.'
do you consider that the Democratic
party has ever declared for free coinage in
its national platforms?'' l asked.
Elected on Free Coinage Platform.
eft declared in the platforms of 1880, 1884,
1883 and 1892 for the coinage of both gold
and silver The national platform upon
which Mr. Cleveland was first nominated. in
1884, declared: We believe in honest money,
the gold and silver coinage of the constitu-
ton > Honest (silver) money The coin
age of the constitution Grover Cleveland
was elected on that platform.
The platform upon which he was next
nominated IN 1855. expressly reafhrmed the
platform OF 1884
The platform on which he was nomi-
natedh for the third time. in 1892, declared:
We hold to the use Of both gold and silver
as the standard money of the country. and
to the coinage OF both gold and silver with
out discrimination against either metal or
charge COR mintage.' Without charge 10
mintage' IS free coinage"
/ asked the governor If the Republican
and Democratic platforms had not been
very much alike on the coinage question.
and he replied, speaking OF the Republican
platforms. by quoting what the 81. Louis
G}obe-Democrat had said-that party plat
forms were made ito catch votes and pio-
mote success at the polls rather than 20 de-
clare vital principles and important pur-
poses"
But did not the Democratic convention.
according TO Chairman Jones, Of the reso-
buttons committee, regret free coinage
plank I asked.
such a plank was proposed 70 the com
rnittee." said the governor, II believe, ny
Patterson. of Colorado. But great many
men IN the committee who favored free
coinage voted for a modified coinage plank
= nd fffN
,lraea that IL was necessary II We W-she1
10 carry New York. which We supposed
then was vital 70 our success in the cam
paign. Ii was a question Of eNpediancy.
In other words the platform Of lSs- was
made 90 get in on
What n PIot orm Means.
The governor smiled when he SAID that
y,arhars that was So. Then ne look strl-
otls and said. "But understand that I n
dcrse every word % that coinage piaaN.
1T did not say quite enough. perhaps.
..yas - said enough TWO things are de-
rnardo3 N the resolution-uamely, the Tree
coinage o. both metals and the mal1te1Aee
OF their parity Kvet your thought on me
r7r.tv question. Was any such thing al
tempted There - 10 parity now these vas
rome IN i2e What has been done % s.
gabNsh it, Absolutely nothing Party q
the metals means equality Of Vaiie AT
given ratIo Can parity be secured by D.
fof ing the policies which depre%s the Na.de
OF silver and appreciate that - $ota.
What d.d the convention mean waeA II
declared for the coinage OF ootd ne-i-s
v-.trout discrimination INTO standard money
ana FOR me maintenance OF their party
pja E. eNpec, TO secure free coinage ~ IN
stautly closing the mints aga.ns; silver al
tagsthere Is that coinage without Ils-
elimination?
Ia.ked Gov. stone what ne thought would
te done by the next convention.
He sa.d he hoped il would declare II favor
o. free coinage
4 great many people hope that who don't
believe IT, / SAID.
az believe sal tie governor, that ire
contest before the next convention VII De
between wei organized. solid minority.
vel provided With Jhe sinews o. war, and
a scattered majority.
DO yoa believe majority q The people
O. the Cn4ted Siaes favor free coinage
In the Western states u1Q4es-oaa1-y.