The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-21
MERELY A LOCAL ISSUE
SILVER QUESTION DEAD IN NATIONAL,
POLITICS, MIR. CROKER SAYS.
Another Declaration by the Tammany
Boss That Is Intended for Bryan
and other 16-tO-1 POpOcrats.

NEW YORK, Jan. 2O-Richard Croker, in
an interview tonight, said: ''The 16-to-1
question is a dead issue. This was proven
conclusively by the expression of the will
of the people in 1896, when they elected Mr.
Mckinley President of the United States
Now the Democrats of the West and other
sections of the country are trying to foist
this dead issue upon the Democratic party
and to make the old dead cry of 16 to L the
Democratic slogan in 1900. Why should we
carry a dead weight in that campaign? The
times of four years ago are past. To-day
the times are different and the issues are
not the same.
Speaking for this section of the country
I say that if the 16-to-1 issue is again
brought before the people there will be felt
again throughout the Nation the same dis
trust that prevailed in 1885, During the fall
of that year, while the campaign was in
progress, every man with a dollar of sur
plus, whether he was a millionaire or work.
ingman, boarded his savings; in fact, locked
them up so securely that there was actually
no money in circulation. AS a natural con-
sequence the times then became well-nigh
desperate. Look back at the winter of 1896
and see what the mere rumor of silver coin
age at the ratio of 16 to l did to this coun-
try. You could not get money in the banks.
You could not raise money on any kind of
security and the result was the very hard
est kind of hard times
From the South and West there always
comes the hue and cry against New York
because it is the money center of the United
States. But whenever there is any great
public improvement to be made in any sec
tion of this country the first look for help
is towards abused New York. They rush to
our great city to raise the money. They
come here for the means to build their rail-
roads, to construct their water works, TO
erect the plants for gas service, and bond
their cities for any kind of Improvement.
Then, no matter how much benefit is de-
rived from this section of the country, there
is always the same howl against the great
city because it is the money center-that
very center without which public improve
ment would be an impossibility.
"If this silver question comes again before
the people and is made a factor in the ma
tional platform, the moneyed men of the
East will look for investment outside OF this
country and the banks in other States in
the Union will be unable to borrow money
i'm the East. The result will be that the
poor will be the greatest sufferers.
1.-The present winter OF lS9S-99 has been Tree
from the scenes of starvation and suffering
that were painfully characteristic of the
time when the financial strength of the
country was threatened. Everybody seems
to be making a living and to be contented.
The reason for this is easeliy found. The men
with money have loosened their purse
strings and money is being plenufully spent
for public improvements. Labor is not idle
and money is in circulation because there is
a feeling of financial security.
'''rhe free silver issue is merely a local
issue. In the sections where free silver will
benefit the residents it is but natural for
them to declare for 16 to l. However, in
my opinion, the money question should be
settled by Congress. But here in New York
we must see to 1t that the position of our
party on the money question must meet the
requirements, not of any one section, but
of every section of the United States.
s'When in convention assembled the ma
jority of the delegates demand a certain
Standard or a certain reform. New York
will as it ever has. fall faithfully in line
without moment of opposition or a mur-
mur of protest. But the Democratic plat
form of 1900 has not yet been written"