, 1898-10-21
PLAIN WORDS BY PALMER.
Democratic Leader Sets Gold Demo-
Gratis an Example.

Milwaukee, Oct. 2O.-The resolve o
Wisconsin's host of gold democrats tc
vote for republican nominees for con,
gress has been solidifed by John NJ
Palmer and George F. Peabody. The
distinguished Illinoisan, the presiden,
tial nominee of the Indianapolis con-
v~ention in 1896, has publicly declared
his intention Of so doing in his own
district Chairman Peabody of the
national committee has practically
done the same thing by advising gold
democrats so to vote next month "as
may seem to them most likely to in
sure the triumph Of the principles for
which the national organization
stands"
Both these declarations have been
made public. Chairman Peabody's is
in the form of an official pronounce
ment to all gold democrats. General
Palmer's is in a private letter made
public by his permission. This letter
is OF especial interest to Wisconsin, as
it is addressed to Ellis B.. Usher Of
Wisconsin, although its influence will
doubtless be decisively felt throughout
the nation. 1t is sent to Mr.. Usher in
response to an inquiry as to the policy
Of General Palmer on the coming con-
g%ressional election. and reads as fol-
lows:
Il have your interesting letter. and
| answer it at once. | am a democrat
in all my sympathies and affections,
and will greatly prefer to vote for the
representative men of hat party. At
present the democratic is the minority
party and cannot, if it would, control
the policy of the country. Therefore it
accepts for it's leaders shallow pretend
ers, who. like Mr.. Bryan and Governor
Stone, can promise it only local sue
cess, and its platforms and principles.
like that of Chicago, adopted in 1896,
are a mere sheer at existing conditions
without presenting any scheme for
political or social improvement.
The Chicago platform is the mere
here to it and commits the democratic
party to the coinage Of silver on the
ratio of 16 to /, with enforced legal
tender quality. Its advocates propose
to reduce the price OF gold or the gold
standard some" and to advance the
price Of silver some and the point at
which the depreciation Of the price Of
gold and the enhancement Of the price
Of silver will meet will be the standard
OF values in this country-forgetful OF
the fact that the more valuable metal
will disappear from circulation.
Il will not support any candidate
who favors the coinage Of silver On
the ratio Of 16 to l with enforced legal
tender quality. l adhere to the In
%dianapolis platform. l am a Cleveland
democrat, and I believe that II the
party had adhered to the policy Of the
Wilson bill and sound money it would
have succeeded in the presidential
election Of 1896, and would have con
troll of the government now. Its folly
was to commit itself to the Chicago
platform in 1896 in opposition to
sounder opinions. 1t was dominated
by resentments and was unconsciously
dishonest, as it proposed to revolution
ize and Mexicanize the standard val
ues Of the United States.
q beg you to be assured that no sound
money democrat can ,underanyc ircum-
stances. in my Judgment, vote for any
representative who is not in favor OF
sound. honest money. I will vote for
Isaac R. Mills, the republican candi-
date for congress in the Seventeenth
Illinois district, on the issue Of sound
money, as we have no candidate of our
own.
JOHN NJ. PALMER"