Year: 1879




COLUMBUS, Aug. Il.
J. r. Kinney, Esq, Chairman Democratic
State E5ecutiCe Committee
DEAR SIR:-Your letter refusing to
comply with our request for a joint dis
cussion of the leading issues now agi-
tating the people, to be held in three or
more cities in the State, between the
gentleman named by US and your candi-
date for Governor, Mr.. Ewing, was re-
ceived by me with more regret than sur
prise-knowing as We do that the vari-
Gus and conflicting elements of your
party make it utterly impossible for you
to take either side of the dilemma which
threatens your party, and that you are
compelled to rely upon the same old
subterfuge, which has led the people
blindfolded to their present impover-
ished condition.


You say you are engaged in fighting
the common enemy, and yet you have
not the moral strength to say what that
enemy is; but on the contrary evince
a spirit of cowardice by sneering at the
Nationals as party too small and in
significant for your condescension. You
will therefore pardon me if may seem
presumptuous in asking you a few ques-
tions, particularly as my object, like
thousands of others, is to find out what
the common enemy is in Democratic
point of view; and inasmuch as we are
anxious to fight the common enemy also,
we shall not scruple to go into any camp
to meet him.


l. Do you regard resumption as part
of the common enemy? If so, why did
your candidate for Governor vote for
Speaker of Congress who is and always
has been in favor of resumption, in pref
erence to man who was and is opposed
to it?


2. Do you demand the total abolition
Of the National banking system and the
substitution of Treasury notes, common
ly called greenbacks, to be used by the
Government, and only in payment of
Government bonds due according to
contract, thus relieving the people of in
terest unjustly collected to furnish cap
ital banking purposes? If so, why did
your party nominate National banker
for Lieutenant Governor?


8. Are you in favor of paying off the
bonds according to the terms under
which they were issued, and of the Gov
ernment exercising the same power to
redeem them as it did in issuing them


4. Are you in favor of the Govern
ment issuing money of every character
on the same conditions and without any
restriction whatever? If so, why was
the free coinage bill defeated by Demo
cratic Senate?


Do not seek to evade these questions
by pointing to your platform as the en-
bodiment of your party. The people are
tired of this political chicanery, and have
come to look upon it as an appendix
such as sail to steamship, to be used
only for special purposes.


Incur judgment these are some of the
leading issues to be decided by the
voters of Ohio in October next. If you
are prepared to show from your past re-
cord and by your present and future eff
forts that these are what constitute the
common enemy from Democratic
standpoint, we will gladly join you in
fighting him, no matter what camp we
may have to go into to find him. If not
we shall not hesitate to fight you and all
others who think the same way, howev.
er insignificant We may appear in your
judgement.


In regard to your boast that very
many good Nationals are in sympathy
with you in what you call the good
work, think 1 am safe in saying you
need give yourself no alarm. You will
not be crowded for seats, should they all
determine to visit you in your commit
tee room.


dIoO uOollC W COlI6CO 1OuI Sldlclueul
that our proposition was sent you after
it was published in the Republican
newspapers. A similar request was
sent to the chairman Of the Republican
State Executive Committee in the even
ing, and would have been given you if
you could have been found. Failing to
do so, it was handed you the next morn
ing. If the papers were furnished with
it in any way, it must have been through
the Republican State Executive Com
mittee, and not by us. All we ask is a
free and fair discussion before the peo-
pie Of such questions as affect the inter-
ests of the Nation, and we have the ver-
dict for the people at the ballot box.


Very respectfully,


C. LEWIS.


Vice Prest. n. G. L. State Ex. Com.


d. G. MEEKER, Secretary.


How 10 Pack a Trunk.
Detroit Free Press.