The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-07-08
Boies on Bimetalism.
Replies in the Herald to
Whitney's Statement.


turn from Illinois. When asked if
he intended going to Chicago soon,
he replied that he had not determined
whether he would attend the conven
ton or not. During Governor Boies'
absence the interview with Mr.
Whitney was published and on his
return his attention was called to
telegram from the New York Herald,
asking his opinion in regard to the
assertions made in it He wired his
reply tonight as follows
"Mr. Whitney is entirely right in
his conclusion that there is no dfs,
position on the part Of those who
will represent the silver sentiment of
the south and west in the Chicago
convention to further discuss the
matter at issue with men whose views
are diametrically opposed to thlr own
on the currency question He is
entirly correct in his conclusion that
it is now too late to accomplish any
practical results by a discussion of
that character. Through the south
and west that discussion has been
extended and thorough, and the views
expressed by Mr.. Whitney have been
put forward by many men who en-
tertain them and they have been full
" considered and weighed, and after
all of this the judgment of an over
whelming majority of the party in
these sections is in evidence by the
class of delegates who have been
chosen to represent it in the Chicago
convention. Not one cf the men can
now disregard the known sentiment
cf those who selected him without
betraying a trust, and not one of
them in my judgment will ever do
MIR Whitney is entirely wrong in
assuming that free silver Demo-
Gratis are forsaking the fundamental
principles of Democracy, or that
what he terms "sound money Dem
Gratis" are defending these principles
in their endeavor to commit their party
to gold monometallism Until the
Republican party met in St Lonis q
few days ago there was never a line
written in a national platform OF
either Of the great parties that Justl-
fes the claim. that the one OF the
other of these parties was committed
to that docrine Over and over again
the Democratic party in national
convention assembled has put itself
ION record in the clearest and most
comprehensive wordspossible to usein
favor of bimetallism, in favor of the
restoration of silver to it's place in
our financial system as standard
money, and never for moment in
the congress of the United States has
majority, or anything like MAORI
ity, Of the representatives OF that
party wavered in its devotion to the
principle so clearly enunciated in the
party platform To assume now that
adherence to that principle is aban-
donment of an established doctrine of
that party is to defy history and
ignore the must plainly written Of all
its declarations of policy. 1t is use
less to claim that a tender of
the good Offices of the party to
secure an international agreement for
the free coinage of silver is the full
dllment of it pledges 50 often made
in this respect To the sincere be.
lever in bimetallisp for the United
States an effort of this character is
little if anything less than an unquall.
fed violation of a sacred pledge
by great political organization.
If this is all Mr.. Whitney
and those who think with
him can offer, it will be vastly better
that they offer nothing. When Mr..
Whitney says the maintainenance of
our present gold standard is essen
tial to the preservation of our national
credit and redemption of our public
pledges he ignores great truth OF
which he cannot be ignorant. he
knows there is not single obligation
of this nation outstanding to day that
by it's terms is payable in gold alone.
and he knows that right upon the
face of the great bulk of bonds of
the government it is written in sub.
stance that they are payable in coin of
the United States of standard weight
and 6neness of it's coin before silver
was dsmonetized, and that. therefore,
by their own express terms they are
payable in our present silver dollars
if the government elects to 80 pay
them.
cit ia since the most of these obi.
cations were issued that sil, er has
been demonetised, whereby if they
are to be paid in gold alone, their
value has been doubled and the bur.