The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-01-16
THE BETRAYAL OF SILVER.

"hito hhStuis ~ Nv AZ Soii sAAA q
warm admirer of the present silver law
drawn up and championed by that pro-
nounccd gold bug, John Sherman, in.
dulges in a column diatribe against Ger.
tain democrats whom it accuses of be-
traying silver. 1t has not a word to say
concerning the hostile attitude of it,
own party toward silver, not Il word of
condemnation for the Reeds and Mckin-
leys who defeated free coinage last winter;
not a word Of reproof to the long list OF
state republican conventions which have
during the past twelve months, taken
radical ground against free coinage, nor
has it IA word Of apology for its W en-
dorsement OF the repeated recommend
atoms of thc late President Arthur to
congress that the Bland law be repealed
and the coinage of silver be stopped.
Not a word, but like the fleeing thief it
cries ''stop thief to divert attention
from its own and its party's record upon
the silver question.
Really life is too short and time is too
precious for one to follow the ~changeful
Inter Mountain in the devious course it
pursues in discussing the silver question.
1t processes to favor free silver coinage
and yet it endorses the present gold bug
silver law, under which not a single sill
yer dollar is now being coined. 1t holds
up its hands in holy horror because a
few leading democrats have expressed
the opinion that: ut is of the utmost
importance that we should not permit
differences of opinion on the coinage
question to divide or embarrass us in the
presidential contest upon which we are
about to enter" and declares they have
betrayed silver. And in the same breath
it champions Blaine for the presidency,
an ayowed enemy to free silver coinage.
We say time is too precious to devote
much Of it to q sheet which is daily
blowing hot and blowing cold upon the
silver question. But the following ex-
ccrpt from the diatribe referred to is
such a mixture of ignorance. deceit and
sophistry that the TRIBuNE feels it
would not perform its whole duty to it's
readers if il did not reproduce this
give away upon the part Of the picbald
gold bug Inter Mountain. Here it is:
The existence of the present law. pro-
riding for the purchase of 3l.JO0.0O0 Of
silver per month. shows that the republi-
can party believes in the larger use OF
silver. and that it is wiling to 90 as far
in the direction OF free coinage as it con-
sidcrs safe. SO it gave the people half a
loaf and held out the hope Of the other
loaf at an early date.
Let us turn this thing over and see
how it pans out. In the first place the
present silver law does not provide for
the monthly purchase Of s4,500,000 of
silver. 1t provides for the purchase Of
100000 ounces of silver, which is quite
another thing. Bar silver is quoted at
"a. The difference between the Inter
Mountains statement and the fact is
just $4,000. Tho actual difference
however, between the value of 100000
ounces of silver ut 94 cents an ounce and
its value under free coinage Is 81 $4,000
which amount represents the loss sus-
tanned monthly by the silver miners of
the country. 50 much for the Inter
Mountains ignorance.
The assertion that the republican
party believes in the larger use Of silver
is not sustained by its record. 1t will
not hold water. If the Inter Mountain
had said the republican party believes in
broadening the field for spectators in
silver it would have landed squarely
upon the lines Of truth. For that is
what the gold bug silver law does. The
average value Of silver is less than it was
under the Bland law. when 100000
ounces we're coined monthly. No stand
ard silver dollars are now coined and sill
yer spectators have II wide field in which
10 operate. Silver iainers sell their out
put at d. The spectators make the
government pay an advance over market
quotations and are making "a good thing
out Of their operations. They do not
want free coinage Of the metal, and if
surmisos be correct there are others high
in authority who have a finger in the sill
yer pie who do not want free coinage.
According to the Inter Mountain the
republican party has gone las far in thu
direction Of free coinage as it considers
safe And this acknowledgment is
made by ii republican newspaper which
processes TO favor the free coinage of the
white metal. How far has the rcpub-
lican party gone in the direction of free
silver coinage: 1t has not coined IA sim
gle silver dollar since the LIST Of last July.
1t does not propose to coin any. 1t OPP
poses free silver coinage from President
Harrison to the Inter Mountain. 1t has
let down the bars and turned loose a
syndicate Of silver spectators to grow
fat upon the earnings OF silver miners.