The evening times., 1900-10-17
M'KINLEY'S SILVER RECORD.
Willis j. Abbot Writes of the I.resi-
dents inconsistency.

Willis j. Abbot Writes of the I.resi-
dents inconsistency.
Willis ]. Abbot, in answer to a ques-
tion from Silver Republican, declares
that Mr.. Mckinley is what is known IN
politics as Hopper. He says:
Save the question of looking out for
the main political chance, he has Topped
on about every question upon which he
has ever committed himself. 1t is sad
that in characters apparently the most
hopelessly inconsistent there may be
found a vein of consistency running like
scarlet thread through every foot Of Her
Majesty's robe. binding together acts ap-
parently the most ipcongruous and rem
dering inteiligible courses otherwise the
most perpiexing- So it is with William
Mckinley. The scarlet thread in his case
is the eternal unwavering, Casabianca-
like devotion to a single principle, name
1y; How may tarrive' politically? What
issue will prove a winner? How may l
gain the favor of the bosses who con-
troll my political destiny and garner in
the harvest of votes, without which even
the smile of Hanna is as an iridescent
dream Of the night?
While, since 1873, those deep in the
secrets of Republican policy have known
better, the ordinary hack Republican poll
tlclan fog a number of years looked upon
silver the pole star pointing to Con-
gress and the White House, the one sure
trump in the Republican political deck.
Among these commonplace Republican
hacks Of politics-for that he is one 10
less a parsonage than Senator Sherman
has told us-was William of Canton. He
was silver man; so strong that bimet-
alliStS like General Francis A. walker
vigorously supported him in 1896, pub
Ecly declaring that i. was impossible tEat
Mr.. Mckinley, after his lifelong record
on the silver question and his underwriting
stand in Congress, could turn his back
on the white metal: so silvery that during
the long and burning months of the cam
paign of 1896 Mark Hanna found II desi-
rable, fguratively speaking, TO chain him
! up to a post of his front porch and per-
nit him to address his eountrymen onty
through the medium of the typewriter
essay over which the censorious blue pen
ell of his political master had previously
meandered.
Yes. Mr.. Mckinley has a silver record
I shall not attempt to give il all but shall
, confine myself to few Of its mile-posfs
He was one of the silver men who i'll 1915
voted for the Stanley Matthews resolution
which read:
Resolved by the Senate (the House o.
/ Representatives eoncurring therein). Thai
all the bonds OF the United States issued oil
authorized TO be issued under the said acts
/ OF Congress hereinbefore recited are pay
able, principal and interest. at the option
of the Government OF the United States IL
silver dollars of the coinage OF the United
| States. containing 412.5 grains each o.
standard silver: and t.sat TO restore to il
| coinage such silver Gems as legal tender
! terest. is not in violation of the public
| faith, nor in derogation of the rights OF III,
| public creditors.
'On June 81 1890 in a speech in the
| House Mr.. Mckinley, said:
- 1 am for the largest use OF silver il
| the currency of the country. I would no
| dishonor it: l would give ii equal eredi
and honor with gold. l would make N
| discrimination l would utilize both met.
| ais as money and discredit neither.
want the double standard
"0n February u, 1891, at Toledo Ohio
Mr. Mckinley said:
MI Cleveland during all his years a.
The head OF the Government, was dishon-
oring one of our precious metals, one o.
| cur own products. He endeavored ever
| before his inauguration to office to stoI
the coinage of silver dollars. and after
ward and to the close of the Admiuisfra-
end He was determined 20 contract the
circulating medium and demonetize one o
| the coins of commerce, limit the volume
of money among the people. make money
| scarce and therefore dear. He woult
have increased the value of money anC
diminished the value of everything else
money the master. everything else it;
servant. He was not thinking of the poor
| then. He had left their side He wa:
not standing forth in their defence.
Cheap coats, cheap labor and dear money
| the sponsor and promoter of these, pro
| Tossing to stand guard over the welfare o
| the poor and lowly. Was there ever
| more glaring inconsistency or reckless
assumption?
| Mckinley Topped on silver. Did h
not know that ali of US who care to know
| the law at ST. Louis in 1896 and that tn
| condition upon which he might have tn
| nomination was the assurance that h
| would be with them on the money ques
| tion? The facts are familiar TO all VIII
! keep in touch with political movements.
''As to Mckinley's other changes: II
! Topped on the question of the sugar tariff
| of plain duty in Porto Rico. of 'crimina
/ aggression of hauling down the flag, an
| on the question of the Alaskan boundary
! But Re has stood like a rock on the one is
| sue which to him is paramount-that Q
! maintaining his standing with Mark Han
| ma and serving as the igurehead of Re
! publican National Administration as Ion
| as the American people will tolerate it.