Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-06-25
Mr.. wnlTNEY.s LETTER.
The New York Politician Addresses HIS
Party the Money Question.

The New York Politician Addresses His
Party the Money Question.
New YORK, June 22.-William C.
Whitney yesterday made public state
ment in which he defines the political
situation, and concludes by saying. that
he is not presiden tial possibility. that
he sswou1d not run if nominated and
would not serve il elected. AS to the
silver idea, he says:
For the past Is years leaders OF public opin-
ion in the south and west have been advocat-
ing the great remedy for existing ills the
free coinage Of silver at sixteen to one, with
or without the cooperation OF other nations
large majority of the delegates the COM
ing democratic convention have been elected
by the people for the purpose of incorporate
that doctrine into the platform of the demo-
cratic party.
This movement for free coinage purports to
to have for it's object the establishment and
maintenance of gold and silver as the money OF
the country upon equal terms with each other
and at parity of purchasing power. II by the
proposed measure that object could be secured
there would be substantial disagreement in
the party. Every national democratic platform
that has heretofore spoken upon the subject
has declared for both gold and silver money
1t is our traditional policy. But the main
tenance of double standard at the present
time is not question of deSire-it is QueS-
ton of ability. The commercial value OF sill
has greatly declined in the markets of the
world.
Whatever the causes are and whoever IS to
blame. the fact is that silver has declined, and
free coinage now at sixteen to one is the same
as our offering for all the silver in the world
about twice what it is selling for in the mar
kct International exchanges have to be paid
In gold And it would seem plain that il we,
under these conditions, open our minis to the
free coinage of silver and gold at ratio OF
comparative value, which is largely at variance
with the commercial value of the two metals,
we must take the entire silver surplus our
selves, maintain its parity with gold, or else
shall go to a silver basis.
This movement, purporting to be in the in
te4est of the joint standard comes at most
inopportune time, in my opinion. There has
never been a time when the prospects of inter-
national action, favorable to the joint stand
ard, were at all as promising as at the present
moment. but an fll-advised, unsuccessful at
tempt here would discredit the cause the world
over
At the present moment Germany France
| Italy, Austria, Holland, Belgium and the
| United States wish to cooperate for the es-
| Establishment and maintenance of the joint
standard by international agreement and (most
| important circumstance Great Britain has re-
Gently (within three months, in fact) made a
most important confession She said: 1--WE
will do for you as much as you can do for your
| selves We will make this great contribute on
| to d blmetallic system. We will go back upon
| deliberately arranged methods of providing a
| currency for India. We will open the India
| minis. We will engage that they shall be kept
! open and we shall therefore provide for a free
coinage of silver within the limits of the British
| empire, for population greater in number
than the population of Germany, France and
! America put together -
| Personally, it is my opinion if the demo
cratic party goes on that platform at this
| time, they will meet the most disastrous defea
| that any party has had in this country
1 understand it is honestly believed in an6
people think it will bring relief from thetl
present troubles; but between and cleo
tlon day it will be pretty thoroughly sifted
and the people OF the country will not face th'
| disturbance of values, the loss of confidence
| the general distress and ruin which would
| come to their business interests in such
change in their standard of value would
arise from such change. 1t will overwheln
the persons who undertake it