Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-01-07
MCKINLEY ON SILVER.



hand the following resolution:
1.-THE American pdople from trad
tion and interest, favor bImetallism
and the Republican party demand
the use Of both gold and silver a
standard money"
The committee on resolution
agreed TO this and II was reported Z
the convention and adopted unani
mously by the body. William McKin
ley was president of that convention
He appointed the committee on resO
lutiOns, and he participated In renew
ing the pledge of four years before II
favor OF the use OF silver equally witt
gold as standard money.
The question is, what was Majol
McKiniey's real opinion when ht
voted for the Bland bill In Deem
Der, 1877, and for the Bland-Allison
act in February, 1878, and for tile
Sherman purchase act in 1890? What
was his real opinion when nc favor
ably reported Senator Stewards silver
coinage resolution In the convention
OF 1888. and when he presided over
the convention OF 1892, which adopted
Senator Teller's free silver resolution?
What was his real opinion when he
made the rabid speech against Cleye-
lands gold standard policy in 1890,
and made himself the champion OF
the silver.cause? Was he earnest and
sincere in what he said? We repeat
that he was forty-scven years of age
when he made that speech.
He was not In congress when the
Sherman purchase act was repealed in
1893.
The Republican party Of that year
Joined Mr. Cleveland's adminirtra-
- In pIn M IN ri m la Al |.
which William Mckinley had re
ported as chairman OF the committee
on ways aEd means In 1890, and which
he had ardently supported. In doing
this the Republican party violated It's
solemn pledges and proved the per-
fidy OF its leaders. Having put Stew
art and Teller forward respectfully
in 1888 and 1892 to announce its pur-
pose on the subject Of silver coinage,
10 shamelessly abandoned all its pro-
fessious and became the servile ally OF
Grover Cleyelandism. From that
time TO this the sharks of Wall street
have dictated its politics and It's lead
ership. IL was Wall street that COM
PEELED william Mckinley, the Repub-
lican nominee, TO swallow bis vote for
the Bland bill, and for the Bland-Al-
lison act; that compelled him TO swal.
low his vote for the Sherman
purchase act, aud tn eat his fond ana
aggressive words spoken Ia behalf OF
the cause of silver coinage In 1890
More than this 1t compelled him TO
indorse the lawless and outrageous
position assumed in 1896, for the first
time, by John G.. Carlisle, That silver
dollars were not an element In the
money of redemption, tut were them
selves redeemable In gold coin when
ever the cornerers of gold chose TO put
IL at premium. This he did with Il
full knowledge that gold has always
gone TO a premium whenever the
United States has sold any bonds at
less than their market value. This
was done at every sale of bonds under
the Cleveland administration. The
premium on gold has been represented
by the discount at which the bonds
were sold, and this varied from ten 10
eighteen per cent.
The question now remains whether
Major Mckinley has been earnest and
sincere In all things he has said, done
and approved In others, since 1893, when
he acqulesced In the repeal OF the
Sherman purchase act. III so, how
could lie have been sincere in his de-
nunclatlon of President Cleveland In
the Toledo speech OF 1902 III he was
earnest and sincere IL 1890 In boast
ing OF his vote for the restoration OF
silver coinage In 1878, how could he
be In earnest about anything he said
on the subject after his nomination
for the Presidency In 1862
lie Is impaled upon his own coptra-
dlctory declarations. Nothing has oc-
cured since 1890 TO change mems opin.
ions on this subject. IL Is absolutely
impossible that Major Mckinley
could, within the space OF three years,
have been sincerely on both sides or
question as well understood ass the
silver question. Those who agreed
with him from 1877 TO 1890 have had
no such reasons as he for changing
their position. They have not been
nominated for the presidency or
furnished with millions OF dollars for
ccrruptlng the elective franchise.
Those Republicans who honestly
believe In the necessity OF restoring
silver To use as standard money can
not honestly support the Repuo~
lican party as at present organized.
The words In which Major Mckinley
denounced Grover Cleveland In 1890
are now strictly applicable TO him
self. or him 10 can now be truly said.
be IS determined To "limit the vol
ume OF money among the people,
making money scarce, and, therefore.
dear. He would increase the value
OF money and diminish the value of
everything else, money the matter OF
everything, everything else the SER
want" He is not "thinking OF the
poor now" He has "left their side"
lie is not standing "torth In their
defense And, finally, IL can be said
OF Mckinley, as he said OF Cleveland,
IN 1890, "cheap coats, cheap labor, and
dear money-the sponsor and pro-
moter OF these protesting TO stand
guard over the welfare ut the poor
aud lowly Was there ever more
glarlng Inconsistency or reckless AS
sumptiuny'
10 Republicans we commend the
words Ot the Indignant Major Me-
Klnley of 1890, aud We warn them
against following him through the
devious paths which have since led
him tO private consultations Win
the enemies OF the people whose dens
are la Wall street