The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-09-23
THE moMENTous QUESTION.

Apropos of the question of the atti-
tude of the Democratic and Republican
parties on the free silver question. we
clip the following from the st. Louis
Globe-Democrat. one of the most pro-
nounced Republican organs. 1t says:
The Republican parity is practically
committed ITO sound money. and its
piattorm next year will declare against
all schemes for the cheapening of the
currency. les state conventions this
ytar nave taken action in accordance
WGCn tllS view, and the free silver ele-
ment an its ranks is not large enough
anywhere to command serious atten-
JIon. But it is very different with the
democrats. The administration organs
BOAST that Cleveland has forced the
party to adopt his. policy, and that it
VIII make sound money a plank in its
PLATFORM in 1896; but there is really
no substantial foundation for such
LAX Ialk. 1T is true that in the East the
democrats as rule are against free
silver, but it is decidedly otherwise with
those OF the West and South.
mere are plain and practical facts
/ 10 justify the belief that the Democrat
&c party outside Of the eastern states
is dominated by the free siIverites,
Nine democratic state conventions have
been held this year. Those of Illinois.
missouri and Texas declared by large
malorItles for the unlimited coinage of
the white metal at 16 to l, and those of
mississippi and Nebraska did the same
IN slightly different terms In Iowa.
kentucky and Ohio, the financial plank
OF the national platform of 1892 was
afilrmed. These facts
have significance that is not
20 De mistaken. They mean. I'M
questionably that in the West and
South a majority Of the Democrats are
Tor Tree silver; and this condition car
res with 1t the certainty that the next
national convention of their party will
not dare to slap them in the face.
Another Republican paper, the Indi-
annapolis Journal makes these remarks
IN reference to the Republican party:
outside of the silver-producing states
and two or three small states contig-
uous to them, there is no controlling
sentiment in favor of the free coinage
OF silver by an act of Congress. There
are undoubtedly spots here and there
In states where local leaders, from one
cause or another have espoused the
heresy and have following. but in no
STATE does it represent controlling
element. Beyond the Missouri river
outside of the silver-producing states
the sentiment is hostile to the free
coinage proposition.
There would be no necessity to make
these quotations were it not for the
pretences of Utah Republicans in re-
ference to this question. It is adj
mitted that there are Republicans in
the silver producing regions who are
staunch for free silver coinage. But
they count for next to nothing as
against the overwhelming anti-silver
sentiment of the Republican party in
every other part Of the country.
Between the two parties there is
any room for comparison. It
is acknowledged by Republican papers
throughout the East and South that
the majority of the Democrats favor
the free and Independent coinage of
silver, and they refer to the fact as
something against the Democratic
party.
In view of these facts it is difficult
to understand why anybody in Utah
who regards the silver question as the
paramount national issue, should think
Of supporting the Republican party.
which is known to be now, as it has
been since 1878, most bitterly opposed
to any movement to restore silver to
its proper place as money of ultimate