The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-14
CANDIDATES AND FREE COINAGE.

vi tobtSb ~ Abe >NDIoh
Institute anti-silver meeting on Tuesday
night, in which he reiterates his opposi-
ton to free coinage, will undoubtedly
ALLEVIATE from his support the deiega-
tions Of many Of the western and south
ern states, unless other issues become
paramount and o%yershadow for "a time
the money question. 1t can hardly be
expected that the democrats OF Arkan-
sas, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho,
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michi-
gan, Montana, Missouri, Nebraska,
Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota,
Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, South
Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Vir-
GINA and Wyoming, in which states the
party conventions declared for free
coinage in 1890, will box the compass
and get around to Mr.. Cleveland's side
OF the question in 1892. The delega-
tons from these states will form q
majority in the national democratic
convention OF 1892. The electoral votes
Of tho same states are sufficient to elect
the next president. Under these circum-
stances it is not probable that the silver
issue will be kept out OF the contest
next year. 1t was held in abeyance in
1883 and no declaration with regard to
it was made in the party platform be-
cause Mr.. Cleveland was the candidate
and the tariff the one issue. A great
many things may happen in politics in
sixteen months, and there is always a
possibility that the issues may shift.
The overwhelming democratic majority
in the house OF representatives of the
next congress may pass a free coinage
measure; the senate may pass it and
the president, fearing the popular wrath
and the loss OF electoral votes to his
party, may sign it. In that event
the question will be out of the political
arena and the tariff issue may again be-
come paramount. We say all this may
happen, but 1t Is not likely TO happen.
The present outlook is that the repub-
lean party will maintain its attitude OF
opposition to free coinage, bid for the
electoral votes OF New York and the
other eastern states, and fight for su-
premacy in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois,
the middle west, where ths people are
not strongly committed n way or the
other on the currency question.
There is a possibility that this pro-
gramme may be disarranged in the re
publican national convention by a con
bination Of the southern and western
delegations. The delegates from the
states where tie farmers alliance
threatens to sap the life of the party
will be staunch advocates OF free coin
age, as will the men from the mountain
and Pacific states. The republican
leaders may discover, when they have
assembled in convention, that they have
signed and sealed to Wall street more
than they can deliver.
are now drifting, the southern, granger.
mining and Pacific states are likely to
be arrayed against the east both as to
candidates and platform. 1t will be q
most interesting struggle and the shift
ing OF electoral votes may bs 20 sur
prising as to upset all calculations in
both parties.
Neither party has ever yet nominated
a candidate who favored free coinage.
No man eyer occupied the White House
who favored it. Will either party give
us sucn a candidate in 1892: Where will
he come from and what will his name
be? And what combination Of states
will elect him? Truly, the situation is
sufficiently Kaleidoscope to attract the
attention Of every student o. politics to
the shifting lights and shadows.