Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-11-21
CONES INTO THE FOLD.

oPP1JluS ~. aUF.
COMES INTO THE FOLD.
W. II. McHenry, prominent Des
Moines lawyer who has been democrat
| lily which has been identified with the
democratic party from the time of its
organization, has forsaken the creeds
and beliefs of his forefathers, and
Joined his fortunes with those of the
republican party. Mr.. McHenry be-
lieyes that the democratic par " J. !.
today is an entirely different thing
from what it was when he iI.rst began
to vote; it has strayed away after false
gods, and he for one has decided to
have none of it. In, an interview in the
Des Moines Register, Mr.. McHenry
gives the reasons for his change OF
faith as follows:
"The old democracy, to which / gave
my allegiance when l began to vote,
i is no longer in existence, but in its
stead new party has arisen that es-
pouses all the cratic .isms' that infest
the political atmosphere, and has woven
them into a platform that Jefferson,
Jackson or Tilden would fail to recog-
nize, but would look upon as bundle
of dangerous heresies.
Political theories, when we attempt
to put them into opera ton, are not al
ways successful. / once believed that
the free and unlimited coinage OF silver
was indispensable to the welfare of my
country, but in the face of the prosper
lity that we now enjoy, / can no longer
hold to that belief.
"a sufficient volume of money with
which to transact the business of the
country is all that is needed. And the
metal from which it is made is not half
| so important as that the quality Of
that money should be fixed and con-
lscientiously maintained. The paper
and the coin should all be OF equal val
ue and all Interchangeable. am equal
ly convinced that the present relation
of gold and silver in our coinage laws
is as nearly perfect as it can now be
made. And reopening the mints to the
unlimited coinage of silver is not only
unnecessary, but would demoralize the
business interests and work a positive
Injury to the present prosperous condi-
ton of the country. The advocates of
silver coinage declare that the demoni-
tization of silver was wrong because
it appreciated the money of the country
and thus worked hardship to the
debtor class. If this is true, it does not
follow that return to free silver
would be morally right or financially
beneficial now; for if decentralization
appreciated money then, and injured
the debtor class, free silver would de-
preciate money now and instead of re-
lieving the debtors of 1873, would
wrong every creditor of the present
day. The second wrong would not
right the first, but by degrading the
money Of the country, would work a
universal calamity. A coin of stable
and fixed value land paper redeemable
on demand in such coin) is the only
honest money, for it neither robs the
debtor by becoming dear, nor the credi-
tor by becoming cheap. The silver adj
vocates of 1896 land I was one of
them) are confronted today with the
glorious and indisputable fact that
prosperity is here now, without free
silver and right in the face Of an avow-
ed determination to fix the gold stand
ard still more firmly in the laws of the
land. It is the part of wisdom to ac-
knowledge fact when it is once es-
| tdouoiCNs aho AOl ~ vi 1OlCNCI Al u
hopeless and senseless struggle against
a self-evident proposition.
HThe democrats have taken false
stand on the Philippine question also.
The acquisition of those islands by our
country will be benefit to their peo-
pie, and they will enjoy measure OF
liberty that would otherwise be im-
possible, and in future years will bless
America for the hand Of mercy extend
ed to them in the dark hour of their
peril. / do not believe it would be
right or just to establish a military
despotism over the people Of the Phil
iippine islands, such a course would be
in violation of the Declaration of In
dependence and the spirit of American
institutions. But am certain, from
my faith in the American people and
in President Mckinley, that no such IN
tention exists. The insurrection
against our government must be sup
pressed by force and order must be re-
established, and when this is done the
American people will give to the Fill
/ ipinos a government that will insure
them the greatest possible liberty con-
sistent with their general welfare, a
government infinitely higher by the
I standard of civilization than any they
could possibly establish by themselves.
That the American people should own
these islands, and hold them as territor-
les; should assume the responsibility
;of protecting them against the rapacity
+ l. u & \ .