The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-08-28

obstacle across the path OF anything in the
shape Of 4 free silver measure. firmly
believe that his attitude had very much "a
do with the smallnsas Of the republican
vote in the house ON each occasion when 4
ballot was taken on one Of these bills.
fully appreciate the difioultiss which
conffont the people in endeavoring to
secure the reinstatement OF silver in the
position which IL held prior to ito demoneti-
cation in 1873. It ia the money power
against the peopls. The president may
have been sincere in thinking that he was
the savior Of the country from = silver
deluge BY opposing each measure tina:
looked to the relief Of the masses, and then
again he MAY not have been sincere. Ny
own belief is that he WAS not. and that he
acted chiefly in response to Influences
which were very far from being on the side
Of the people or on the side of right or
justice. It may be said that the president
and Mr.. Cleveland are equally opposed to
free coinage, but Mr.. Cleveland has dia-
tinctly said that he does not think it the
province of the chief executive to anticipate
the action Of congress by the PRONUNCIATION
of his own ideas before a given measure
is acted upon: and if reports be true il has
bsen the practice of President Harrison to
make known his views in very emphatic
terms on every important measure long BE-.
fore it was brought to = vote. Such was
certainly the case with each of the silver
bills. and such also was the case with the
force bill, and I could name several others
IN which his attitude was thus made public.
I believe that Mr.. Cleveland is more OPEN
to the reception Of ideas not exactly In
harmony with his own. He is not 80 rigid
and %unbendinR by nature 40 President
Harrison. As present he is honest in his
conviction that the free coinage at silver
would cause financial disaster. This is the
fault of his surroundings and Of doctrines
instilled in him and many other men in
the last twenty years. But let a free silver
majority appear in congress ready to in
vestiaate and discuss the coinage question
with = view to decide whether free coinage
would be a safe expedient or not. and l be-
lieve that we should find Mr.. Cleveland az
interested as the most ardent student in a
correct solution Of the question, and as
anxious as any citizen to see accom- plished
what is for the best. In shot, / believe
that if Mr.. Cleveland ia elected in Novsm-
Der a free coinage bill will become a law
before the first of %Januafy, 1894. Mr..
Cleveland is not too old to learn and not so
biGoted as to suppose he has nothing to
learn.
am also convinced that the nation re-
quires a great modification of its tariff
laws. The esults of the present tariff sys-
tenn are too obvious to require discussion.
1t cannot be denied that the whole tendency
of this system is to develop trusts and mo-
nopolies. to enable the few to become
enormously rich while keeping the masses in
a state of poverty almost equal to that
found in Europe. l have never been de-
ceived by the pfetense OF the republican
party that Mr.. Cleveland and the demo
cratic party intend to bring about free
trade. I 10 not believe either that many
of the American people are deceived by this
~fallacy. We all understand perfectly that
Mr.. Cleveland and the democratic party
demand a reform of the tariff which shall
remove unnecessary taxes from thu neoes-
saries of life that are imported from other
countries, and from raw materials which
would promote the industries of this coun-
try. This is a simple and common sense
proposition. It is one which tho republi-
can party could we'll have afforded to adopt
in 1888, and which it could still more wisely
have adopted in 1884, but it became welded
to the prohibitory heresy and by so doing
surrendered to the democratic party q great
advantage. The common people," as
called by the politicians, understand this
question better than they have over done.
They know that reform is needed. They
bava hAan couv,pna1 h. hSktor sx->;xs.
that the tariff does not regulate or main
tain wages no matter how high it ia. and
that the tariff does force up the prics
of commodities and put a tax upon them
which the poor mar osnnot afford to pay.
With these conditions befors me, | shall
make no apologies to nv republican friends
for casting my lot on the democratic side
Of the political line. As to the ethics Of
my change of front l will say :his-that
there ia no rule which prevents a newspaper
man from making a living on n paper OF
any political complexion. l thoroughly
realize how insignificant my loss will be to
the republican party and how much 80 will
be the gain of my accession to the demo-
cratic party, but as there is a deposition in
certain quarters to throw mud at me no
matter what l do would call the attention
of those gentry to n letter which recently
appeared in Il New York evening paper
siRned by Thos. H. Carter, chairman of the
national republican committee. He is
writing to a republican who asked hin,
to recommend an evening newspaper
ror tho campaign. and says of
the paper which prints the letter.
I'm reply beg leave to say that the---
--is advocating the principles of the
republican party and supporting our can
didates Loyalty and with marked ability.
This great paper has been circulated. for
about a century. and ut no time in it's his
tory has Its editorial and business mauuve-
ment been marked with greater ability than
at tho present time. regard the omen
e%spousal of the republican patty by ida a
conspicuous addition to the news,ihhhner
strength OF the party"
The point of ali this is that tha editor Of
the paper named ia Col. John A. Cockesi,l
Tor many yeara eGitor Of tie Now Yo K
World and all his lifetime an advocate and
defender of tho democratic party unfit he
became tho editor OF the republican even.
ing sheet. while the business MANAGE of
! the concstn and the man who has made II