The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-07

IL il rather sorrowfuliy that Senator
PETER observes that the agitation OF the
silver question Is dying out The senator
keeps In pretty close touch with the agl-
tators and ought to know, and when he
announces something which has been
commonly noticed everywhere for some
time past, 1t is well TO credit him with
having sized up the situation correctly.
at least for once.
The other side, the true bi-mstallists.
have had their innings. and as the w1is-
kerian statesman expresses it, a tenn
porary shock has been suffered by the
free coinage cohorts. II took but a short
campaign 70 rout an army whose am
nunition chests were filed only with de-
based dollars and fiat wind. and the re-
ports of assertions among the followers
OF the silver coiors are coming I'm so
generally from all quarters that the task
OF reforming tho shattered column seems
an almost hopeless enc.
There is a peculiar significance In the
falling OF Of interest In tho free silFer
movement. A year ago free coinage
orators were as thick as flies around a
sugar barrel. One would have thought
that the money question was the only i'm
portant one before the American public.
and IL was proposed to agitate and agi-
tate until an enslayed people once again
had what. IL was maintained, the Al
mighty intended they should have-free
coinage of silver at the ratio OF 16 TO j..
The most startling changes and wonder
fui uphcavais were predicted. The old
parties were doomed. hopeless disinte-
grafton had set In and new organiza-
ton, the power of the people, was on the
march, constantly gathering adherents,
and determined to right the wrongs or
the many by building up anew on cor
nerstone of fifty cents worth of silver
labeled a dollar.
There was little opposition to this new
movement and IL grew apace. Under the
lead OF Bland. PETER. Bryan. Stewart.
Simpson, Pennoyer, Altgeld, Waite.
Weaver and other splendid specimens of
humbugism the bellows were worked
vigorously, and, If noise counted for any
thing. there wasn't an anti-silver man in
the whole country. At all events. If there
was, he had little TO say.
About the time, however. the tree silver
advocates were getting their second wind
the other people began TO wonder what
all this clatter was about They began
to investigate and look into the question:;
the newspapers commenced TO show up
some of the fallacies of the misguided
enthusiasts; the magazines began TO r-
nish both sides of the controversy; plat
form speakers undertook to refute good
deal OF the nonsense that had gotten
abroad and the sensible people began to
come TO the conclusion that there was a
good deal OF rubbish in the arguments OF
the new crusaders.
Moreover. the times began 10 improve
and financial matters take turn for the
better Wheat went UP, but silver didn't:
and one prop fell with dull thud. More
mills and factories were started. wages
were raised and not few began to real
ize that this free silver crusade was after
all nothing more nor less than calamity
cry.
Returning prosperity made the free sill
Yer cause n decidedly mean one to de-
fend, and there became noticeable very
pronounced disposition TO hedge on the
part of once earnest free coinage men.
just as there was when the grcenhack
bubble was prioked.
The tight is stiii on, but the silver men
will have no such Austerlitz as they antici-
pated. Whereas a year ago Senator Pef-
fer predicted tho downfall of the two old
parties and the birth of new one now
he thinks the silver men in both political
organizations will remain true TO old
loves. leaving the Populists to bear alone
the banner on which is emblaz6ned the
silver dollar This means that there never
was enough merit in the cause TO war
rant the formation of new party. and
the fact that the Populist is the only
organization united solidly 10 advance II
| is prima facle evidence that there must
have been something radically wron;
| about It from the beginning
! Tho rehabilitation Of silver is still a
| leading question OF the hour, but n little
thought and study have wrought IA mar
| Vicious change in public sentiment as
| openly expressed. As a craze IT is dead.
| and as a public issue the indications are
| that It viii receive in the next campaign
| due attention. but as one only OF several
| questions affecting the countrys Interests.