The San Francisco call., 1896-08-15
Threadworn Arguments of Sen
ators Jones and Stewart
Revamped.
JEFFERsoN's ANCIENT IDEAS.
What the People Need Is the Oppor-
tunity to Earn More Money
of any Kind.

NEW YORK, n. Y, Aug. 13.-Ex Gov
ernor Alonzo B. Cornell of New York has
written an open letter to William ]. Bryan,
the President ial candidate on the Demo-
cratic ticket, in the course of which he says:
When you went to Chicago last month and
by your individual eloquenee captured the
National Convention of the great Democratic
party and compelled 1t to award to you its
Presidential nomination, you were hailed by
many as possible Messiah, who could lead
the people out of their political difficulties.
Hosts OF Democrats and Republicans, long dis
satisfied with the internal conduct of their
respective party organizations, prayed that 1t
might be so and they have awaited in patience
and hope for a full presentation of your views
and mode of relief. How great is our disap-
pointment to find that your message OF de-
livery is simply an ingeniously abbreviated
presentation of the various arguments we
have read in Congressional debates during the
past twenty-five years. The only advantage
you possess over the thresdworn arguments of
Nevada" Jones and "Windy" Stewart, with
which tons of Senatorial reports have been
weighted, is that you make your dissertation
somewhat briefer than theirs.
You were born after Lincoln made his Cooper
Institute speech. You were babe in arms
when secession fired its cannon upon Sumter.
What good is it for you to tell US about what
Jefferson and Jackson thought about finance?
They knew nothing about the financial con-
dit1ons and necessities of the American people
of this generation. The general merits or
otherwise of bimetallism or monometallism in
abstract are not the vital questions that affiict
US to-day. What might have been properly
considered in detail in the coinage act OF 1873
or the resumption bill of 1875, is one thing;
but what is wise to consider now in view of
the present surroundings and conditions is
wholly different. The present sutferings of our
people are caused by events thathaYe occurred
within the past twenty years, and need to be
treated from the present standpoint and
wholly with reference to the future. We need
a safe and smooth road from our existing
wilderness of difficulties to future of pros
perity and consequent contentment.
Our ordinary currency is abundantly good
for present purposes, and the only thing
needed Immediately is a condition Of conf
denee in financial affairs that will set the mill
wheels in motion and increase the employ
ment of labor. Give US only that and every
other good thing will follow.
Industry is the basis of our National pros
perity, and nothing is more certain than that
general prosperity of the people prompts
the generous employment of labor. These
questions are governed by natural laws just
as certain in their operation as those which
cause day to follow night and sunshine to fol-
low storm.
Your failure as physician and healer of
the public sore is your mistaken diagnosis of
the disease. You have gone back of the pres
ent difficulty and attempted to tell US how to
make better kind of a dollar. What the peo-
pie need is to be permitted to earn more doi-
lars which are good enough for the present ne
cessities.
While you are cons tructing new financial
condition the people will continue to suffer
from lack of employment and their present
sufferings viii be vastly enhanced. They
want immediate relief and that can best be
accomplished by the most favorable oppor-
tunities to earn wages payable in our present
form of money.
My excuse for addressing you in this man.
ner is the sincere belief that the approval of
your views by the people at the approaching
election would bring upon US the most serious
calamity which it is now possible to appre-
hend. No foreign war would begin to do our
country so much harm as the acceptance of
your views by the electors of the United States.