Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1895-06-27
Official Paper of the City of Aberdeen
THE HERALD'S POSITION.


upon the HERALD's position that this is
not the proper time to call state conven-
ton for the purpose of placing the party
on record on the question OF the free coin
age of silver holds that if the HERALD's
statement that the party is seriously di-
vided on that question is correct then it
is OF the utmost importance that con.
ference be held to settle the matter. The
Chronicle then says:
"The HERALD is undoubtedly opposed
to the free coinage Of silver but knows
that the public sentiment is overwhelm-
ingly in favor OF it and therefore it OPP
poses the convention. The goldites are
not wish the question agitated. They be-
lieve in the still hunt, and, it would seem,
have found the HERALD. AS the HERALD
has had sufficient courage to come out in
opposition to 4 convention, will it now
please define its position on the question
OF free coinage"
The Chronicles argument is lame.
The HERALD opposes the convention be.
cause it wants a thorough agitation Of the
question before committing the party to
policy by the action Of convention. On
the other hand it might be said that the
silver men were afraid to give the ques-
ton years agitation for fear that at the
end OF that time the people might have
come to the conclusion they were follow
ing an ignus fatuus.
We are strongly OF the opinion that the
people OF the west have jumped at the
free coinage of silver as the panacea
which shall cure the ills of bursted
boom, just as twenty years ago the coun-
try took the same action with reference
to greenbackism. The people of the west
seem to feel the effect Of the panic of 1898
more than in other sections of the country
because everything was on an abnormally
high plane Of valuation, and the contrast
is great. They have not yet been able to
realize that they are now OH the same
plane as the rest OF the country, and to
which they were accustomed before their
removal to the west, and for this reason
they seem to have jumped to the con-
clusion that all that is lacking to restore
that abnormal condition is the free coin
age OF silver into dollars, and probably if
a convention were called today it would
come out square-toed for this free coinage.
II they SO feel next year at the usual time
for convention let them SO declare, but
don't have the party espouse acause this
year which they might desire to repudiate
next year.
AS to the Chronicles question regard
ing the position OF the HERALD, we do not
remember that one opposed to greenback-
that he did not favor reasonable
amount OF greenback currency. This is
just the position of the HERALD in regard
to silver. 1t favors the use OF as large
an amount of silver as can be had and
keep both metals on parity and both in
circulation, and we defy any one to show
when they have so circulated more largely
than right now. The United States is a
big nation, and exerts powerful infu-
ence upon the civilized world. but we are
compelled to acknowledge that there are
several other nations that exert almost as
much influence as it does, and we do not
believe we can by any act Of legislation
quasll that influence or turn the laws Of
trade and commerce in an opposite direc-
ton. If the HERALD was run 10 catch
the popular favor by espousing every pass
ing whim it would favor the free coinage
OF silver by this nation alone regardless
OF consequences. AS it has higher con-
ceptions OF journalism it is opposed to
what it believes would be disastrous to
the country if thus undertaken at this
time.