The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-07-25
Will Vote for Mckinley

VIII VOtG lOT MChlule1e
James H. Eckles was the able comp
troller of the currency during Mr..
Cleveland's second administration. He
is now president Of the commercial Ma
tional Bank Of Chicago. As sound
money Democrat he opposed Bryan in
1896, and will oppose him again in the
pending canvass. Mr.. Eckles defines
his views on national questions in the
Times Herald OF Chicago. He is still
Democrat, but in his judgment Mr..
Bryan is wanting in the craftsmanship,
in the capacity, to analyze existing con-
ditions and provide remedy for them.
He would on the contrary make condi-
tions worse and cause grea er injury to
the great macs of people whose fate he
constantly bewails. Mr.. Eckles is dis
gusted with Bryan's alliance with
Croker and he denounces the reaffirma-
ton at Kansas City of the 16 to l fnan-
cial folly.
On the subject of sound money and
the Spanish war Mr.. Eckles says:
"If elected President the public must be
prepared to see Mr.. Bryan as chief execu-
tive and those associated with him as cabi-
net counselors construe every law bearing
upon the currency and the powers OF the
treasury department in such manner as
to nullify as best they can its provisions
in 80 far as they bear upon the question Of
maintenance OF the gold standard. He can
and will keep the country in state Of fer
ment and uncertainty in an attempt to
bring about the larger use OF silver as re-
demption money. The experiment is too
dangerous one to be entered upon by any
on the ground that the gold standard is so
fixed in law that it cannot be disturbed, no
matter who may be- President or secretary
Of the treasury. The law ought to be exc
! cuted with construction favorable to it
to fully carry out its provisions, and not in
a manner antagonistic to them. 1t will
| hardly do for any sound money man to sup
port Mr.. Bryan because of supposed bet
ter position he occupies than Mr.. Mckinley
on the question Of colonial possessions,
| despite his worst position on the Supreme
Court enforcement OF law, and the right of
private contract. Mr.. Bryan's position can
hardly be a satisfactory one on an analysis
of anything growing out of the Spanish
war"
Mr.. Eckles indicts the men OF his
party, in order to put the Republican
administration to disadvantage, for
urging on the declaration OF war with
Spain, and Mr.. Bryan personally for
his efforts, by advice and solicitation, tic
secure the ratification Of the treaty OF
Paris, without any provision for giving
Porto Rico and the Philippines any
home government whatsoever. In Mr..
Eckls' opinion,
1.-THE evils and burdens of the present
moment growing out Of the Spanish war are
to be laid as much at the door Of Mr., Bryan
and his party as at that OF Mr.. Mckinley
and his. l imagine that self government
will come quite as readily through the sd,
ministration of Mr.. Mckinley as through
that of Mr.. Bryan. II will not como under
property rights SAFE and personal ones pro
tected, I hardly believe Mr. Bryan could
do more than send a commission there, al
the President has done, in order TO TAX
steps looking to supplsnting the militar.
government with civil one. The countr,
will not sanction the immediate aband on
ment OF those islands to disorder and pill
lage. When a time comes that there i
safety in constituted home government
only remaining within the sphere of tn
influence OF the United States and publ
sentiment is to this end, it can be put dow
that Mr. McKinley's administration vii
readily grant it, for believe it is general
admitted that no one is more ready to pu
himself in touch with public sentimen
than the President, or act In accordanc
Herewith with more alacrity.
On broad view of the whole situs
ton Mr.. Eckles arrives at this conclu
: sion:
II am going to vote for President Nj
Kinley and do whatever / consistently ca
= to aid in his election, not because fave
D all his policies or approve of all of his poli
I ical acts, but because under all existin
. conditions believe the affairs of the cour
try will be better off in his hands than 1
those of Mr.. Bryan.
He hopes, sometime, to see his part
recreated. "The Democrat who wisht
m aaua hia partv,a f,t,1ra ~ Mr. EoIl,