The Ravalli Republican. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1894-1899, 1895-06-26
HAF}7lAkHfl'S HEAD is Level
"ProtectiOn and Free COinage.
Not One, But Both =
What He Said on His Way to Mem-
phis, and the Inter Mountains
Comments Thereon.

While Ell route last week to the
Memphis silver convention, Congress-
| man Hartman was interviewed by the
Billings Gazette, and referring to the
probable attitude Of the republican
party on silver, said:
II believe it will declare for the
free coinage Of silver at the ratio Of
16 to l. 1t does not look much like
it now, 7 will admit, but before the
national convention is held think
the sentiment for free coinage will
have become SO crystaliZcd that the
republican party will see the wisdom
Of adopting such policy. The res
toration Of silver to its place as a full
money metal is a movement in the
nature Of q great reform. 1t is de-
mandcd by the masses of the people
Of the country: it is q great question,
and as your paper recently said, the
republican party has never never yet
been on the wrong side of a great
question, and will not get there now.
No truer words than those were ever
written or spoken.
Another consideration which leads
me to think that the republicans will
declare for free coinage is the princi-
pie of protection. The members Of
the party in the eastern and middle
states arc welded to that principle,
even to a greater extent than the
republicans Of the west, and if they
think there is any danger Of losing
the western states they will accept
free coinage to save the principle of
protection 'Protection and Free
Coinage, Not One, but Both, will be
the slogan Of the republicans in 90,
and they will march on to a sure
victory"
With year to elapse before the
calling OF the national conventions,
their uttcrances on the silver quest
ion can only be matter of opinion.
Yet Mr.. Hartman is q close observer;
he is as loyal to silver as he is to the
cause Of protection, and there is no
doubt that he believes that the re-
publican party will settle both the
tariff and financial questions to the
satisfaction or the people. Certain
1T is that just now silver's prospects
in the republican parity arc much
brighter than they are within the
democratic lines. The refusal of
Chairman liarrity to call a Democrat
ic monetary conference and of every
state committee to call u state con-
Vention, as requested by the silver
men Of Illinois is not encouraging.
nor can it be explained away by the
western democratic advocates Of
silver. 1t is certain that the demo-
cratic party machinery is in goldbug
hands: and even in Kentucky, where
q great battle has been waging, the
issue is doubtful, and, at best, the
situation rrcsagcs a certain split. This
is to bc.deplored, for the Inter Noun
tain is 4 republican newspaper which
II 'i'iH1o'to " DC Lilt Sll\Cl lDICtS
in every party. 1t is willing
to support any candidates who may
be trusted to accomplish for silver
the best results, and whose record
and brains give promise Of those re-
suits. But at present we can only
watch and work and wait, and, when
the conventions meet, make choice
that shall have in view the specdiest
possible restoration Of silver to the
Of the country. Such a
man as Hartmann, and nearly all the
western senators, including those
3f this state, believe that the re-
publican party in '96 will come out
for free coinage, and, pending an
official statement Of its position, are
making no noisy bluffs or threats that
would only make it harder to win.
They take the safe ground that the
lime to go back on a friend is when
le shows himself worthy Of confidence
not before. They do not propose
10 assume in advance what they do
1ot believe will happen. They will
,ross the bridge when they meet it.
They will not allow a treacherous or
1nscrupulous enemy to impair their
in its strength.-Intcr