Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1893-05-27

4
make his enemies appear as the enemies
of this certain and needed reform, and
his friends merely as his disciples and
followers, he would have accomplished
one point that practically assured him
success. Mr.. Patterson's active and Wig
orous mind worked.
One-sixth of the wealth annually pro-
duced is silver. Possibly one-tenth OF
the population of the state are direct
gamers from silver mining. From
causes, that will not discuss in this
letter, the price of silver has been de-
Ginning. Hence mines that could not be
worked proftably with silver at less
than 95 cents per ounce closed down
when silver fell to 80, and those where
silver could be mined as low as go lost
by the fall.
Mr.. Patterson observed this. He also
observed the demand among many for
an increase in the circulating medium.
Here was the key. to the position to
say to the miners: 'Follow me and |
will give you free coinage of silver and
your product will become worth 129,
and to the farmers follow me for free
coinage of silver will increase the circu-
lating medium and you shall have all
the money you need would be>almost an
impregnable political position until its
underlying fallacies could be sought out
and exposed"
In Mr.. Patterson's brain originated
the "silver craze" He went to the
Democratic National convention en-
deavored to force the idea into the ma
tional democratic platform; was treated
most discourteously; returned home a
martyr and hero; bolted the demo-
cratic ticket; shivered the democratic
organization in this state to fragments !;
disrupted the republican party; made
the friends of silver who were his enc
mics appear before the public as its en-
emies; made his influential friends to
seem the mere camp followers of his;
took advantage of the peoples party
movement and out of an indescribable
ty; changed 10000 votes in the state
and elected every state officer, a MAORI
ty of the "hold over" senators, two con-
gressmen. and made great gains in the
lower house, but did not control it by
one vote. His enthusiasm became con-
tagious and in Nevada, Idaho and Mon
tana, every man with mine, or hole
in the ground, became excited over the
prospects of immediate wealth and Pat
terson became to all of them a prophet
and seer. So impetuous was the attack
in these states that it seemed nothing
could withstand it.
For man to question the business
or expediency of this proposed reform
meant instantaneous political death.
Every politician hurried to avow his
fidelity to "silver" and so united did all
parties become on this question that it
became a matter of keen tactics for one
party to make the other appear as its
enemies before the people.
The fight was entirely local, as the
national parties had either pronounced
indefinitely concerning the proposition,
or had shown by experience that they
would not handle the subject.
The prohibitionists were swamped.
John Hipp, an able and popular lawyer
and almost the founder of the party in
this state, made valiant fight for this
Colorado idea,' as it is called in the
east, but shared the fate of Patterson
before his party convention.
The republicans had been in full pow
er with both branches of the national
legislature and the president and had
done nothing and showed no inclination
of doing anything with the matter.
Harrison knowing that he would not
be called to decide on the subject re-
manned silent. He had not mentioned
the subject in his message to congress,
and it was reasonably certain that he
Hi "A l., 80
hands, but at the same time the old line
political lawyers-those working for the
national patrOnage-made themselves
ridiculous during the entire campaign
trying to prove that Harrison and the
republican party were in favor of silver.
Of course in the east the opposite tactics
were used.
Cleveland in his characteristic and I'M
mistakable way had pronounced against
silver, but as the democrats had never
had full control of the government, it
was argued that if a democratic con-
gress passed a silver bill, Cleveland
would not go against the dictates of his
own party. This was urged by those
suing for the democratic national pat
ronage and was absurd in the extreme
in the light of experience.
The followers of Weaver were the only
ones that could make consistent plea
for support on the silver idea, and even
this was of questionable nature.
A biography of Weaver was the his
tory of the greenback party, he having
been its candidate for president and
having represented the principles of
that party for several years in congress.
The organization he represented in
this campaign had pronounced in favor
of the coinage of silver in the ratio of Is
to /, and he stated in certain and une-
quivocal terms that he would sign such
bill should he be elected president.
All that really could be urged against
Weaver on this point was in regard to
his long and stout adherence to the
greenback party, party as the name
would imply opposed to basing the cir
culating medium on precious metals
limited in quantity, which could be cor
nered or monopolized by any man or
combination of men. The party had al
ways argued that with precious metals
as the basis for the circulating medium
fluctuations in the currency were inev-
liable, and that steady and continu-
GUS amount in circulation sufficient to
represent the wealth of the nation was
impossible with any commodity limited
in quantity.
But, of course from their standpoint,
fyrO prnoiOuS metals uoro haftar 4bo,