Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-06-27
NUMBER So.

5 b =
..Money-Devll, and it was he that in.
vented the term, .sgold-bug." as de-
signation of the advocates OF the gold
standard. He heaped unmeasured de
nunciation upon Mr.. Cleveland and
his administration for their opposition
to the free coinage of silver.
The Democratic conventions OF all
the Southern and most of the Western
States have all these years been de-
nouncing the .'crime of 1873" and de-
manding the repeal of that act and the
opening of the mipts to the free coin
age of silver upon equal terms with
gold.
We refer to these things with no
view of critieising these gentlemen for
changing their opinions. We mention
them only to show the dishonesty aud
untruthfulness of those who charge
that the advocates of free coinage have
deserted the Democratic faith. No man
makes this charge honestly. The
men who are now publicly insulting
white-haired and lifelong Democrats
because they have kept their faith.
and who are doing everything in their
power to drive honest Democrats out
of the Democratic party, are the very
men who were most profuse in their
assurance to the Populistic element
that was no issue between them and
the Democrats on the silver question.
They know that there was no such is
sue. They know that the populists
never laid any stress on the free coin
age of silver, but that the points of
antagonism between them and the
Democrats were the subtreasury, land
loan, government ownership of rail-
ways and other kindred schemes. Col.
Patterson in his debates with Terrell
OF Texas oser and over again declared
that he indorsed the free silver plank
of the Ocala platform. There is not
word or line of his prior to 1898 in
dicating that he regarded the free
coinage of silver as Populistic idea.
Neither he nor any other prominent
Democrat so far as we know, ever ut
tered one word against that policy from
the first to the last of the fight against
Populism in this State On the con-
trary, all united in showing that the
Populist program was utterly and
fatally inconsistent with silver coinage
and that the Populists were the worst
enemies of silver without knowing it.
Col. Patterson and all the rest of the
gold standard advocates in this section
know that the fight against Populism
was led by free silver Democrats, and
that the promise of the free coinage OF
silver as a substitute for IL cir wild and
impossible schemes was the most po-
tent plea for holding wavering Demo-
Gratis in line and bringing wanderers
back to the fold. While the power of
Populism was at its height there is not
a one of those now engaged fn public
ly insulting free silver Democrats that
would not have bit off his tongue or
cut off his right hand rather than OPP
pose the free coinage of silver. The |
free coinage of silver is ..Populistic |
loctrine!" Yet while the fight against
Populism was raging hot throughout /
hese Southern States John Carlisle,
Josiah Patterson and I. c. Catchings
we're preaching it from every stump!|
t was with the slogan of ..free silver"
hat these men helped to rally and
lold firm the hosts Of Democracy
gainst the assaults of Populism. It
5 by denouncing every free silver man
S fool, an ignoramus or a knave
hat they are seeking to destroy it
ow. The cry of ..Populist" is the
resort of men beaten in fair
rgument and seeking to lower the de-
ate to the level OF their crawling con-
reversal faculties. 1t is beneath the
ignity of decent debate and only
'orthy Of a campaign in which mis-
representation comes TO the relief of
ompous ignorance Memphis, Tenn,
Commercial appeal.