The presidential contest between Bryan and McKinley was the subject of much of the summer's correspondence. White addressed an open letter to several prominent Democrats urging them to join the Republicans in the support of a sound money policy. The letter was distributed as a campaign document and excited a number of responses. Some were favorable, but others came from disappointed former students and friends. There are references to other issues, the tariff, the coalition of South and West, the character of Bryan, and the possibility of a third party formed by solid-money Democrats. Many letters continued to arrive in response to White's recently published book, and a number of publishers asked him for articles. Two writers of note were Lea and Frederick York Powell, who sent careful notes on both volumes on August fourth. On July fifth Burr wrote of Benjamin Ide Wheeler, ... he is utterly irreplaceable. Yet to tell the truth, two men of the ability, the individuality, and the force of President Schurman and Professor Wheeler are more than one university can hope to hold. He also advised White to guard against his tendency in rewriting to make history teach a lesson. The secretary of the Venezuela Boundary Commission wrote that Burr's report to the Commission would carry great weight.