Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 October 1900 — THERE IS NO DOUBT ABOUT MR. CLEVELAND’S POSITION [ARTICLE]

THERE IS NO DOUBT ABOUT MR. CLEVELAND’S POSITION

There is no longer any uncertainty about where Grover Cleveland stands in this campaign. The former President of the United States is against Bryanism and against Bryan. John S. Green of Louisville wrote to the former President inquiring if he has changed his views on the financial question as expressed in his letter to Chicago business men on April 13, 1895. Mr. Cleveland’s reply to Mr. Green is as follows: “Buzzard’s Bay, Oct. 7, 1900. John S. Green, Esq. Dear Sir: I have received your letter, inclosing a copy of my letter written more than five years ago to the business men of Chicago. I had not seen it in a long time, but it seems to me I could not state the case better at this time if I should try. I have not changed my opinion as therein expressed in the least. Yours truly, “Grover Cleveland.” The letter was written five years ago to William T. Baker, George N. Smith, John O. Roche, T. W. Harvey, David Kelly and Harry S. Robbins, in response to an invitation to visit Chicago in the interest of sound money. Some of the striking extracts are: “If the sound money sentiment abroad in the land is to save us from mischief and disaster it might he crystallized and com-

bined and made immediately active. -“An insidious attempt is made to create a prejudice against the advocates of 4 a safe and sound currency by the insinuation, more or less directly made, that they belong to financial and business classes, and are therefore not only out of sympathy with the common people of the land, but for selfish and wicked purposes are willing to sacrifice the interests of those outside their circle. “It is a time for the American people to reason, together as members of a great nation whidh can promise them a continuance of protection and safety only so long as its solvency is unsuspected, its honor unsullied and the. Soundness of its money unquestioned. “The discredit or depreciation in the financial centers, of any form of money in the hands of the people is a signal of immediate loss everywhere. .“If reckless discontent and wild experiment should sweep our currency from its safe support, the most defenseless of all ' who suffer in that time of distress and national discredit will be the poor, as they reckon the loss in their scanty support, and the laborer or workingman as he sees the money he has received from his toil shrink and shrivel in his hand when he tenders it for the necessaries of the humble home.”