The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1894-11-15
"A Statement or How the Two Old
Parties stand ON This All-ImpOr-
tanG POint-The Democrats Had
Ample Opportunity hut They
Did Absolutely Nothing.


England and other gold-standard coun
tries to compel them to consent to the
restoration of b1metallism. Senator
Lodge of Massachusetts, had alread,
taken similar grounds. The Suggestion
found an echo very soon afterward ir
the republican platform of the great re.
publican state of Ohio.
Here in the Pacific west and also in
the republican states lying between the
Mississippi and the mountains the ~.
publicans are Of one mind. They are bi.
metallists, and they believe and do not
hesitate to declare that the only rational
way to restore bimetallism is for the
United States to resume free coinage al
the ratio of 16 to one. They believe that
this course would instantly compel the
other commercial nations to return to
the double standard. @w :.
At the same time there are many theo-
retical bimetallists among the republi-
cans Of the east who fear, or think they
fear, that the United States could not
safely undertake the restoration Of silver
unaided by the European nations, or
some Of them. They accordingly favor
international action. Cameron Ut Penn
sylvania, however, who is among the
most thoughtful and progressive leaders
Of the republican party, and who has
many followers, is sincere blmetallist
and heartily in favor Of independent and
immediate action by this country.
But how stands the democratic party?
Cleveland, it's head and front il not Its
very master, is an uncompromising gold
monometallist. His sentiments we're
made known to the country in his fam
GUS Warner letter Immediately after his
first election. He has never since then
said or done anything to indicate that
his opinions have changed. On the con-
trary his arguments and actions in con-
nection with the silver purchase repeal
bill showed that he teols his inspiration
from the monometallists, the money ring
of New York and London,
Cleveland's ideas and affiliations were
perfectly we'll known to the democratic
party when he was renominated and re-
elected. That fact was quite enough to
show that the party was not sincere in
pretending to favor the restoration of sill
YER. 1t is true that among those who
vote the democratic ticket, particularly
in the south, there are many, perhaps
large majority, who claim to be in favor
of free coinage. 1t is worthy of notice.
however, that the southern democrats
Of that way of thinking always combine
free coinage with the proposition to re-
peal the tax on state banks. This fact
leads to the conclusion that the south
erners are not so much in favor of
sound bimetallic monetary system as of
cheap and plentiful money. But there
is nothing in common between scientific
bimetallism and wildcat currency.
Then take the matter of practical action
sor the restoration of silver to it's consti-
5utional rights in the mint. The demo-
Gratis control both branches of congress.
There has been a session extending for
many months. While the tariff bill has
oeen an absorbing issue, it has not occu-
pied the attention efbut one house at a
lime. While the senate was considering
The tariff after the Wilson bill was sent
over, the house had ample time and op-
3ortunity to take up the silver question.
Did the house do so?
These considerations and many others
compel the conclusion that the bimetal-
lists Of the United States, the friends of
rec coinage, have nothing to expect from
The democratic party as political organi-
sation. On the other hand, the republi-
ian party, while it has been slow in
friendly attitude toward the
restoration of silver, is nevertheless tend
ng in that direction steadily and with
IN increased momentum. 1t should not
)e forgotten that the Brussels confer
'nce was lnstlgated by republican ad-
ninlstration in this country, and that
Imong the delegates accredited by Presi-
lent Harrison were some Of the strongest
md ablest advocates of the double STAN
lard in the world.
Whatever may be the ultimate solu ;ian
II the silver question, az it is called-of
he monetary problem; whether silver is
as money metal, as it must in