St. Paul daily globe., 1895-05-15
REPUBLICANS DIVIDED.

Republicans throughout the coun-
try have been foremost in pointing out
the divisions that existed in the DEM
ocratic party on the financial ques-
ton, and in predicting the dire con-
sequences that were to, follow the
forcing of the issue in the party's con-
ventions They have encouraged and
fomented the discussion as much as
possible, believing that they saw in
this a sure way of keeping the De-
mocracy out of power. They saw that
the tariff question was settled, and
that the country is now beginning to
realize the benefits of tax reduction.
The shrewdest of them have long real
lied that there was not, to use the
language of one Of their great lead
ers, another president in the tariff.
To divide the Democratic party on the
money question seemed to them the
easiest way to demoralize it for their
own benefit.
1t is now evident that they forgot
that when you build a fire near your
enemy's house you should take care
that you have no combusdbles OF your
own lying around loose. There is
every prospect of as pretty fight
as one could wish in the Republican
party on this same question. 1t was
Mr.. Bland who spoke on the financial
issue in Denver the other night. But
it was Mr.. Teller, a Republican sena-
tor, and one Of the ablest and most
courageous of them, who supported
him. And Mr. Teller's speech, and
the declarations of the Republican
paper who reported him, are ominous
for the Republican party. Here is
a sample quotation:
"When Senator Teller announced
that he had cast his last vote FOR
any presidential candidate who was
opposed to free silver or lukewarm
in it's interests, ne did it with the
knowledge that the Republican party
Of Colorado stood as one man at his
back. It is free coinage or disrup-
ton for the national Republican
party in 1896. Which will you
choose?
''Free coinage or disruption for the
national Republican party in 1896.
These are bold words. They throw
down the gauntlet. They are a
prophecy not unlikely of fulfillment.-
They show that the Republicans have
all that they can do to take care of
their own household; for in not few
states, in many whose Republicanism
is more surely established than that
of Colorado, the free silver sentiment
is causing far more apprehension to
that party than to the Democrats.
And intelligent men among the Re-
publicans are now beginning to real
ize that they made blunder in seek
ing to divide the opposition by policy
that has reacted upon themselves.
From this time ON they are likely to
take a different view. Already
they are busted in trying to minimize
and conceal their differences at the
coming meeting of the league of Re-
publican clubs They are so badly
divided that all their eneggies will be
needed henceforth to patch up their
own differences, and men like Teller
and Stewart and Dubois and scores
of others are already irreconcilable.
The course of events is showing the
party that it has a good job cut out
for it at home, and will presently con-
vince it that the true policy is to let
the continuing Improvement OF the
times wear upon the financial agita-
tion, and to assist this agitation to
subside in order that everybody may
work with a will for better business,
increasing prosperity, higher wages
for labor, and larger and more GER
tain profits for capital.