Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 October 1900 — BLUM. [ARTICLE]

BLUM.

6ERMAN AMERICAN FOR COLD STANDARD. Is the Paramount Issue of the Present Campaign. Bryan’s Bogies, Imperialism and Mill* tarism Cut No Figure with the German-Born Voters. (An Interview with August Blum.) Mr. August Blum, cashier of the First National Bank of Chicago, intends to vote for the re-election of President McKinley. Mr. Blum is one of the best representatives in Chicago of the type of Germans who have gained, in this country, the respect of fellow American citizens, for integrity, industry and ability. He was cashier of the Union National Bank; but after the recent absorption of that institution by the First National, he was made cashier of the First National. He is generally recognized throughout the West as a leading banking authority, one whose judgment in connection with the various complex questions that come before every banker is almost infallibly correct. In politics he is a Democrat, and was always a prominent supporter of Grover Cleveland. The following are questions put to Mr. Blum, and the replies he gave: Q. Would the election of Bryan benefit the business interests of Chicago, of the whole United States, and the GermanAmerican citizens particularly? A. The election of Mr. Bryan would, in my opinibn, be a great misfortune to this country, and therefore to Chicago, and therefore to German-Americans and to every other kind of Americans. American citizens of German birth are not a class by themselves. Q. What, in your opinion, is the paramount issue of this campaign? A. The paramount issue is that which is in the people’s minds, uot in the party platform nor in the speeches of leaders necessarily. There is one thing in which we are all vitally concerned, and that is the inviolability of the country’s standard of value. For a quarter of a century we have battled for it. At the last moment to surrender to the enemy would be the height of folly. I know of no other issue comparable to this one in importance. Talk of imperialism is disingenuous. Much as we may differ about the desirability of the Philippines as a colony, we occupy them now and largely through the help of Mj\ Bryan. The thing is done. Q. What do you think of Bryan’s statement about the recent German loan? A. It is very difficult to follow the tortuous road of Mr. Bryan’s utterances. Four years ago I tried persistently to understand his utterances about the standard of value, but I gave it up at last in despair. To construe our ability to absorb a foreigu loau, as evidence of bad times, is decidedly Bryanesque. We could uot loan money to foreign governments if we were not in a prosperous condition. When Mr. Brvan undertakes to prove the. contrary it may give him pleasure. but it will not convince any one. Q. Do you think that this country has I prospered during the last four years as a result of Republican policies? A. Yes; the country has prospered during the last four years. The best, in my opinion, that can be legitimately said of! the policy of any party is that it does j not stand in the way of normal business ■ development which would mean prosper- ' ity. That can be >aid "f the Republican party. During the ia-t four years free , play has been given to industry, frugality i and to the natural productiveness of the country. There !ia* been no attempt at i interference by tampering with the stand- ] ard of value, which would have meant j destruction of prosperity. Q. p,> y,ui think Bryan is a safe, solid, j wise enough man to be President? A. I answer this with a most emphatic j NO. q; How do von tliiuK Geriuan-Ameri-cans. as a class, will vote in the pre-i- j dential election this fall.' A. They will vote according to the die- I tates of their conscience. I have too much confidence in the good sense of my conn- j Irymen to be doqbtfnl as to the outcome. ;