The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-11-07
A MANLY MAN.
Ia President J. j. Valentine of the
Welis-Fargo Express Company.


Ceilan NJ. Splitter, OF the banking nrm of
Splitter Co, of Toledo, OHIO and New
York City wrote some time ago to L. NJ
Hayden, Toledo, agent of the wels-Fsrgo
Express company crticising the action OF
President Valentine, OF the express com
psny, in supporting William j. bryan tor
president and threatening to withdraw from
the company the business of his firm II MI
Valentine continued to give voice to bis
opinions.
The letter was forwarded to President Vai-
entlne, who replied in dignitied but unmis-
taxable terms. The correspondence, when
has just been made public, is in part as FOL
lows:
THE THREAT.
To C. NJ Hayden, Toledo, Ohio.
Dear Slr--We are somewhat surprised to
read In the prominent papers OF the country
that j. J. Valentine, president OF the Wells
Fargo Express company, who was a strong
supporter of Mckinley four years ago, mas
declared in an open letter for Mr. Bryan. II
this is the case It is not necessary for us
10 state to you that we shall only use your
company when We are obliged to and snail
use every effort to throw business to other
companies.
We can not afford to do business with a
company that has at the head of 1t man
who is doing everything he can to destroy
our business. We know OF many more large
customers Of yours who are talking on the
same line, but don't feel like letting your
people know this. You will lind there Will
be a big crusade against your company from
the Atlantic to the Pacific
We think your president is deserving OF
the same fate that st. John received, who
was prosperous man. at the head OF one OF
the largest banks In New York. The pres
sure brought TO bear on the bank was 30
heavy that the directors were Obliged to ask
81. John to resign.
MIR j. j. Valentine is not the pronsr nr,
son to be at the head of Any financial nsti-
tuition Any man who believes in free silver
ana Organism should not be at the mead of
one Of the largest financial institutions OF
this country. lie is simply a traitor to the
cause. md Is bound to ruin the business of
the company by his open letters to the pun
uc. II Bryan should be elected and this
country go on free silver basis, your bank
ing business would be ruined as well as
your express business. We think the direo-
tors should Immediately ask this man Valen-
tine to resign, for he surely has not the best
interests OF the stockholders and officers al
heart, but on the other hand is seeking TO
helping II The belief of the chief execu-
tive CT any financial institution should be
on the line of building up the business of
the company instead OF destroying 1t. Yours
truly Celan NJ. Splitter.
VALENTINES REPLY.
To thus Mr.. Valentine replied in part.
On the monetary question / am a gotd
standard man. and was at the date OF tho
founding OF your house which, / see by
your letter heading, was 1871. / appeared as
witness before the monetary commission
Of 1916. have written hundreds possibly
thousands. of open letter pages in benalr
OF the gold standard having been a consist
ent and resolute advocate OF the same when
your candidate for the presidency, Mr. VIII
lam Mckinley, was what the New York even
ing Post called webbing silverite" de-
nounc'ng Grover Cleveland because he showed
me courage OF bis convictions and sustained
the COLO standard
hay as already Indicated. very steau.
tastly advocated the gold standard. and as
the company | represent does business IN
| forty-eight OF the States and Territories OF
the United States and Mexico am sure YOU
VIII have high opinion of the tolerance or
the American and Mexican people when / tell
you that in all of my twenty-tour years au-
yocaey OF that standard have no recoIlec-
uon OF ever having received a letter uko
yours from any representative OF silver what
ever-miner, mine owner, merchant. banker.
poitician, statesman or other-either In Mex
leo or in the United States.
On the contrary ! can say that IN the
! thick OF the hight in 1896, when | published
an artele-an "open letter"--at least once a
week Tor some six montha In defense OF tina
gold standard. not a single man tsiiver re-.
| publican, democrat. populist probihirionist
| or what noo ever suggested the inHletioa of
a penalty for such exercise Of my freedom or
thought and expression. II remained Tor YOU
as II an appointed conscrvator OF Mamfnon
regardless OF human rights, notably the tyyn
fundamental rights mentioned, 10 DO So
/ reittrate what | have already aiiunao
| 70, that there are matters of greater moment
than moLey or trade-namely human rights
Between the claim OF freedom that All men
ase entitled to equal political rights and the
dogma OF tyranny that might makes right
there Is no middle ground Hence shan
| continue to speak my mind at will ana when
eieeuon DAY comes | SHALL in the courage OF
my CONVICTIONS, cast my vote Tor the Hon
w. Bryan for president Yours very truly
| John j Valentino