The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-09-12
STAND BY THE FLAG.
burning Words From the MOOrhead
News, II Republican Paper.

Burning Words From the MOorhead
News, Republican Paper.
Just prior to the meeting of the Seventh
district congressional convention, the Min
neapols Tribune published an attack upon
the editor of this paper, stating that there
was talk of nominating him for congress,
and advising against it because of his
views in favor of the free coinage Of sill
yer; that this not Republican doc
trine, but Populistic, etc. The Tribune
editorial was given the headline STAND
by the Flag. This reminds of the
campaign folders that were used by the
national congressional committee in 1890
which We're sent out in large numbers that
year. The first page printed in red
white and blue bore large United States
nag IN these brilliant and patriotic coors,
ana also the portraits of those two dis
tlnguished Americans, Lincoln and Grant
Inc folder contained a brief history of the
more notable accomplishments Of the Re-
publican party. during President Harrson's
| administration.
One of these subjects related to silver.
wherein was told what the Republican
party had done for the white metal for
| Which it claimed great credit. 1t was ac-
| compished in the face of the united oppo-
sltion OF Democracy, which the article
scored numerically We will quote ex-
tracts from this document to prove that
q. \. Lanphere stands by the flag now as
he did then and always has including the
period from 1861 to 1860 when he did il at
the risk Of life and limb, and the risk
became a verify as to limb. but that the
Minneapolis Tribune and all those who
uphod its present attitude on the money
question are not standing by the flag; also
mat If the doctrine of the grand old
party today is for monometallis of gold
as the Tribune says it is, that party is
not true to the flag according to the test
IL set for the people by the document
quoted from in 1890 The article started
on after an attractive heading including a
cut or "Old Glory" in this way:
In It's last national platform OSSS) the
republican party declared this doctrine:
Inc Republican party is in favor Of the
use of both gold and silver as money and
condemns the policy of the Democratic
administration in it's efforts to demon
etiZe silver.
Then it continued and said 'In con-
formlty with this pledge, the Republican
congress has passed. against the unani-
nous opposition of Democratic members, a
silver bill, than which there has been no
more useful and inspiring act since the re-
sumption of specie payments This act
a1ords an annual increase in money Of
over $toooo0O. 1t is as good, and must in
all circumstances remain as good as any
money the world has ever seen Happily.
the country has not had to wait for the
beneticient results of this legislation They
came as quickly and as surely as blossoms
under a May day sun" Then followed a
table showing the price of silver in Lon
don and New York at certain dates and
Value of the bullion in silver dollar to
prove the great beneficial results of the
Sherman silver law. This table quoted
silver on July II, 1890, the day the act
passed congress, at s1,O7 plus per ounce.
The next day it rose to s1.09 plus and on
August 10, when the law went into effect
1t had risen to $1.10 plus. and on August
80 the date up to which the statistics were
compiled. silver had risen to nearly $12O
per ounce.
To justify the wisdom and patriotism of
the Republican party for this act of legis-
latlon the article continues: Grover
Cleveland, who could not even wait until
he was inaugurated before he gave silver
a blow, pounded it until he and his party
forced it down to 921a and the silver dol
lar to 20 cents. The day after President
Harrison was elected silver began to re-
vive. and when the Fifty-first congress met
1t had climbed up to 9614." Then followed
this significant sentence printed in bold
lace type: Was ever a clearer. sharper
contrast drawn by hard fact between Re-
publican wisdom and competency and Dem
ocratic folly and fncapacity than is shown
IN these uncompromsing figures" 1t con-
tlnued: The value of our silver coin since
Harrson's inauguration has increased $780,
-'o'uuV Ful tnlS is not all. Wheat,
barley oats, rye-all the products of
the farm have grown similarly in
value 1t instanced wheat as hay
ing advanced from 20 cents per BUSH
el to $l.25, a difference in the value of the
1889 crop of 400 500. coo bushels of s154 526 400
all of which would go directly into the
pockets of the farmers. The article con-
cludes with this question propounded to the
voters: do YOU want good money and
plenty of it, or bad money and not even
enough of that to go arOund?'
Comment is hardly necessary. When
TINS document was circulated, and the
Hon. s. G. Comstock, then in congress-
sent number of them to his constitu-
ents, silver was good money; the Re-
publican party was particularly it's friend
and it didn't care who knew it; the Dem
ocratic party was it's bitter enemy, and
Republicans We're asked to execrate it on
that account. Now Democrats, Populists
and Republicans who demand the restora-
ton of silver are enemies of the republic
cranks, socialists, cOnfisca tors, anarchists.
In another campaign document sent out
at the same time find such sentences
as these: "The trouble is and has BEEN
not that the farmer has had to pay heavily
for what he buys, but that he has been
unable to get a decent price for what
he sells. And this has resulted from the
low price of silver much as from any
other one thing" Precisely what the News
editor has argued for a long time, and vet
he is not a Republican, The truth is that
some Republicans no longer Republi-
cans They are not true to the flag; thew
are not true to the constitution as long as
they resist the restoration of the peon1e's
money.