The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-10-26
| JOHN S. WILLIAMS
FOR NJ 'KINLEY
Letter Defining His Pos.
ition in Campaign.
OPPOSED TO BRYAN.
Thinks it His Duty as American Git
izen TO Vote Republican Ticket.
THE DANGERS ARE REMOTE,
Calamitics That Are Threatened by
Trusts and Imperialism Arc Fur
tbcr Away, Says President
Williams, Than Those
Threatened by
Bryan.
THE DANGERS ARE REMOTE.
lsnooiol Dispatch to The Times,

of IS. .li
editor of the Manufacturers RECORD az
dressed to Nh john Skeiton Niiiai'l>' oL
richmond president OF the Seaboard All
Line. and largely interested N many en-
terprises that are adding to the prosperity
of the South a letter asking him TO dehne
his position in the present campaign
Ir reply TO this Mr.. Williams wrote the
following reply:
.'Selboard Air Line System,
..Ohice of the President,
"Richmond. Va, October y
NV Dear Sir-I have received your
esteemed letter of the 18th instant, which
| have read with interest
.'In answer to your question, say 10
you that I shall vote for Mr.. Mckinney,
and hope for his election, because pc
lieve that Mr. Bryan was sincere ana
truthful when he publicly and explicitly
declared:
:. I do not want any man to vote tor me
and then object TO my doing what eA-
pect to do if you elect me- and Ii car,
prevent the maintenance OF the gold
standard you may rely upon my doing it
the very first possible opportunity have
'rHe has made no announcement revers-
ing this declared intention, so far as
know, and 1 feel sure that he would, If
elected try to make good his solemn
pledges and undertake TO put the imam
cial system OF the country on q free silver
basis l do not see how he could escape
attempting the performance OF these
pledges.
"As a business man having a large
stake in the country's welfare, and rep
resenting large investments by others,
naturally consider the probable COMPOSE
ton CT Mr. Bryan's Cabinet. should he be
elected. Allowing him to be q truthful
and honest man. 1 can see nothing but
free silver Secretary of the Treasury anu
a Cabinet built to fit.
81 recognize and sympathiZe with the
fear of immense accumulations OF capital
in a few hands, but believe that Amerl-
can intellect and honesty will find a way
to avert the dangers they threaten Mr.
Bryan AMI his followers seem to me- from
their utteranceS, to believe that the only
way u oppose these dangers Is to assam
all corporations and all accumulations
and representatives of capital. That ic
the impression they have made on me-
and I take myself to be an honest and
well-meaning man of average intelligence
assume that other men in the country
representing investments already made or
under consideration, and capital awaiting
investment understand Mr.. Bryan as
DO. They are more nearly unanimous in
opposing him than I have ever known
them TO be on any other question.
OPPOSED TO CHANGE.
"FeeIing this way, and knowing Of
many others who feel and understand as
[ do I can foresee, in the event of Mr.
Bryan'S election, successive periods III
which every man who has a spare dollar
Will hold on TO it awaiting events. Ine
spare dollars are the dollars which estao-
lish new enterprises, build towns and
cities, employ labor, make progress, send
prices upward and establish prosperity,
provided the dollars are honest and full
value. They will wait until the new adj
Yrlinstratio is inausuruted and defines
its policy; until the new Cabinet is named
and the policy of its various members 20
wards various interests is known.
This insures waiting and consequent
stagnation and trade paralysis for the
preliminary period Of. say, six months.
If Mr.. Bryan IS true to his promises and
his friends, do not see how he can avoid
naming a Cabinet which will threaten
every dollar in the land with deprecA-
ton, every investment and incorporated
enterprise with persecution. When the
Cabinet has been formed and the policy
OF the Bryan administration formally an
nounced. the forces OF evil will be let
loose. The temporary panic whcn wis
experienced in August 96, vas but
pr5mcn.torl- indication of the disaster to
the country which would follow the poiit-
ical success of the free-silver candidate.
No war in which this country could en-
gage could cost II SO much as a panic and
two or three years OF stasraton and de-
preston. Tne money spent in war re-
mains in circulation. Thc money lost III
panics vanishes. The soldier IL always
fed and clothed, and if he is killed er
manned the government cares for those
dependent on him The man deprived Of
work or means By shrinking values and
paralyZed industries has nobody 10 look
TO. The mortality which proceeds from
starvation and want, the disease which
travels with desperation, ard the crime
which accompani : idleness and hunger
ara the usual fruits OF industrial paralysis
and languishing commerce. l VII Ven
tire the assertion that the mortality and
distress incident TO 4 commercial panic
and the hard times thar follow are far
greater than ,I9e mortality, the dis ase
and nr.vation which have thus far pro-
ceeded from our recent war with Spain,
the insurrection in the Philippines and the
troubles in ChiIla, all combined. Rust de-
etroys as surely as fire.
SENSE OF DUTY
q represent 1o,G23 employed men of
The best classes of American citizens and
s,o;0fI, ,001 OF invested capital and
feel nv responsibility to both, The same
conditions that siva my stockholders and
hondholders t.er dividends and interest
give the work.ngmen their wages. In
voting for Prsssidsnt McIsinieY7I shall
feel that I am doing my part aa an Amer
lean citizen to defend thss interests uf
men and money. for it is to the interest
of both to have exchanges between buyer
and seller brisk and new enterprises con-
stssntly developing. shall feel that I
an, voting for the interests of; tie South.
because this section Is on the upgrade
and. more than any othes section Of the
country requires the maintenance OF fhe
confidence that makes capital seek opDor-
tnniss and outlet instead Of Withdrawing
toawait results.
Il recognize the Importance of our foS-