The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-05-14
A HINT TO MAJOR M,KINLEY.


Mckinley is now. The silver question
then, as now, was agitating the country,
but no one was at loss to know where
Mr.. Cleveland stood In letter to the
Cooper Union in New York sometime
before the national convention he ex-
pressed his views in equivocal terms, as
being uncompromisingly opposed to the
free and unlimited coinage of silver.
He did this at time when it was apt to
drive every western and southern dele
gate away from him, but this made no
difference to man like Cleveland, who
always dares to utter the truth for the
truths sake, and who is an entire stran.
ger to the diplomatic or demagogic
theory Of employing words to conceal
ideas.
Mr.. Cleveland declared himself against
the free coinage of silver, when there
had not been single delegate elected to
the national convention. But the Amer
ican people love manhood, and they are
ever ready to smite the coward in poll
tics. They prefer men who are honest
III lItli lullll, IOItSl III IutlI tADItH-
sions and honest in their actions, to
men who refuse to let the people know
where they stand on important ques-
tions
The other day the New York World
asked Candidate Mckinley: care you
wiling to guarantee, as far as candi-
date can, that if you are elected, the
present monetary standard of the Uni
ted States shall be permanently main
tainedP" Some hours later the candi-
f date made answer "Give my compli-
) ments to the World; but have nothing
r to say"
How monstrous the contrast between
Cleveland and Mckinley. The one a
} heroic statesman who dared to speak for
4 what he thought was right, even at the
g cost of political success. The other when
C asked what he will do, if elected Presi-
a dent, on the most vital and important
y question, replies by saying: 81 have
nothing to say"
Major Mckinley should take gentle
hint, and let his party know where he
stands. They are sure to adopt the
gold standard platform, and they want
candidate who will carry out the plat.
: form to the letter. If the Republicans
: of the North and East really had faith
in the soundness of his views on the
V money question, McKinley's nomina
ton for the Presidency would be a fore
~ gone conclusion. But the people want
to know where he stands, and they are
'' not to be soothed by the statement o.
ii. ii. Kohlsaat that more than yeal
' ago, he made statement in Alabama tC
> the effect that he would refuse to accep
i the nomination on free silver platform
. which his friends denied and character
y lied as being false,
1t remains to be seen whethe
his attitude upon the fnancia
= question will not unhorse hin
q before the convention. The Ohio Re
% publicans held an early convention anC
- endorsed McKinley's candidacy, at til,
y same time adopting platform, the cur
" rency plank of which was most unsatis
, tory. This plank, ascribed withou
denial, to McKinley's own pen, was
ridiculous straddle. 1t begged the ques
= ton, and was a meaningless jargon
y cowardly, evasive, and unworthy of
, statesman, or even selt-respecting poll
% tician. From it, no one can determin,
" what the sentiments Of Ohio, presuma
bly, those of its favorite son, are, upol
- the free coinage question. Not by wore
% or sign has Mr., Mckinley deigned to il
!. illuminate the situation. He is running
20 on the tariff issue alone, and striving t,
- keep the money question in the back
y ground, either because he is afraid al
u expression of his view will drive of tn
:. western delegates, or because he still
~ maintains the weakness for silver whicI
- he displayed more than once in tn
% House and elsewhere, and which make
~ the nomination Of such a candidate t
be deplored by all who favor the main
tenance of gold standard.
Such is the situation as it appear
today, and even with McKinley's sigma
te victories in Vermont and Illinois, he
II by no means feeling easy over a matte
nj which he must face sooner or later, an,
G. soon at the latest. He is placed in muc
es the same position as Blaine was in 1SS
q when he had to vote for or against
10 constitutional amendment in Maine pre-
n hibiting the liquor traffic. Blaine dodge
Is the question, and did not vote at all o
e. the proposition, but his lack of courag
a only stirred up the ire of the Prohib
al tionsts in New York, and it lost him tn
h. empire state and the Presidency. Thes
n. are plain truths, which cannot be cor
is tradicted. The Republican platforr
at may be solid gold, and polished unit
II its sheen vies with the sun, but plat
e. forms do not vote, nor do they approx
as or veto legislation. Courage is alway
o. better than cowardice, and Major No
n Kinley need only look at the fate c
70 Blaine for his cowardice, and then 9
" Cleveland for his courage, and he mus
i. conclude that it always pays to be coul
,s ageous. Let him come out and let tn
n people know where he stands on tn
in great question that is agitating th
country from one ocean to the othel
and his name will go into history as tn
heroic statesman of the age whether b
corrals the Presidency or not.
,pA-..,,-,ss-.---.- ~Ssss~s-u,znss
GREAT CROPS IN STORE FOR US