The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-18

THE SILVER QUESTION IN 1924.

mott, Ertte; Leland Hotel. Springfield. Ill
THE SILVER QUESTION IN 1892.
Chauncey i. Black, late lieutenant
governor Of Pennsylvania, and one OF
the ablest political writer's on the demo
cratic press, writing from Washington
to the New York World, foresees in the
silver question "a possible shifting OF
party lines and electoral votes in 1892.
MI. Black is evidently not in favor Of
free coinage, but he is an impartial OBJ
server and a candid writer, and his
presentation Of the situation is striking
and in the main truthful. He says:
Surprising a silver bill passed by this or
the next congress and vetoed, what will be
the situation? The republican president,
with the bulk of the republican party in COIL
gress and out, will be arfayed against free
silyer and for the gold standard. The bulk
of the democratic party will be arrayed for
silver and against the single standard. A
small minority of republicans upon this one
question would concur with the great ma
jority of democrats. A small minority OF
democrats would concur with the great
majority of republicans. 1t is safe to say
that President Harrison, having taken
that position upon a living and absorbing
issue, enlisting the keartiest %sympathies of
a large majority of his party, could readily
enforce his own denomination. The
southern delegations in republican conven-
lions are usually but the creatures OF pat
ronage. But who and what would be the
democratic candidate? If the south and
the west shall go into the next convention
With free silver delegations at all proper
toned to their free silver representatives in
congress. an anti-silver candidate can
hardly be nominated. To suppose that he
could is to suppose that a very small minor
ity can impose its will upon a very large
majority. and this, too. in a body where
the twO-thirds rule still prevails. 1t is a
fact so ominous one can scarcely realize it
that but three democratic senators upon
the recent test voted against free and un-
limited silver coinage. Whether this pro-
portion will hold in the house or not re-
mains to be seen. It will doubtless be
nearly the same. To what extent the sin
gularly unanimous acquiescence of demo-
cratic senators in the plans Of the silver
mon may be attributable to the timely and
~magnanimous conduct of tine latter upon the
more vital question of force in elections
it is difficult to say. At all events, the sit
uation is one for thoughtful consideration
by the democracy in general. On other
issues the democracy is safe. viii it be
spill. by the silver wedge?
A GBmocratic convention meeting at any
time in the near future, with the tariff a
dominant issue, would most probably
nominate Nh. Cleveland. But it happens
that the tariff reformers and the free-silver
men of the south and the west are pretty
nearly identical. and when,i if the time shall
ever come, tariff is subordinated to silver
in point Of popular interest another change
will almost necessarily take place. There
ar6 Trusted tariff reform leaders who are
alfOaffee-silver men. One of these, or a
nl1QbN of them, might present q counter
pei1kNnd check either to Mr.. Cleveland or
to any other candidate who would come
forward with the New York delegation and
others like it from the gold states. Can
New York, New Jersey and Connecticut be
carried by a silver candidate, or the south
and west be depended upon for a gold can
"a IL IL 5blts udL b1lSIl IL 10
be done? Harrison renominated, with the
natural and easy assent of the larger part
of his party. pon an issue which brings to
his support other very powerful intere sts, in
addition to the tariff beneficiaries. would
,e in a position to force the fighting against
. distracted and divided democracy.
Many democratic leaders are looking to
these possible contingencies with no little
anxiety.
1t should be stated that these words
we're written the day before Mr.. Cleye-
land sent his anti-free coinage letter to
the Cooper Institute meeting. They
have even more force now.
Mr.. Black is undoubtedly correct i IN
saying that if the silver question subor-
climates the tariff next year the delegates
from the states in which the democrats
have declared for free silver could pre-
vent the nomination OF any candidate
opposed to free coinage. The silver
meI will certainly be in a majority in
the national democratic convention. but
will not have the necessary two-thirds
to nominate a candidate of their own.
If they stand together, however, they
a prevent the nomination Of any mar
who will not stand on such ii platforms
as they will he able to dictate.
So much for the convention. How
will the election go? Mr.. Black as
sumes that the eastern states. if free
coinage is made the Issue. will all 90
against the democrats. Granting this
for the sake OF argument, let US see how
the electoral vote would stand. The
democrats carried New Jersey and Con.
necticut in 1888 and lost all the othe,
middle and New England states. I,
Connecticut and New Jersey with their
sixteen electoral votes should 90 apains,
them and the republicans should carr,
all the other states that gave their part,
a majority in 1888 the electoral collep.
would stand 80 republicans to 1873 dem
ocrats republican majority lGG. O
course nobody expects that the repubIi
cans can hold ali the states they carried
in 1888. but the democrats must figure OF
overcoming hat formidable majority
Where will they make their gains: II
the first place. with free coinage as tn,
issue, they ought easily to carry the min
ing state s-Colorado with four votes
California with nine, Idaho with three
Montana with three. Wyoming will