The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1896-09-15
THE SILVER QUESTION.
[AustralIan Mining standard.l

AS long as the American Pres
idential election is on the tapis
there will be no lack of interest
in the silver controversy. Nc
Kinley got his nomination be-
cause he was believed to be
squeezable on behalf of silver,
but luke-warmness and timidity
on the currency question are al
ienating both the gold Republi-
cans and the silver Republicans,
and his election is by no means
as certain as it was once deemed.
The tariff issue, in which he won
his fame as the most thorough
going protectionist America has
yet produced, is relegated to o
back seat. In two-thirds of the
states of the Union, Democrats,
Populists, and pro. silver Repub-
licans, are saying:-"Sink all
minor issues till we get back the
dollar of the fathers free coin
age at IS to p This is not a
mere flash in the pan; it is the
conviction of the thinking men
of d great people, who under
stand what ails them, and are
beginning to find it intolerable.
They may be cheated of their de-
sire. of course. If the chicanery
of politicians, the immense infiu-
ence of the administration, and
tremendous money power of the
gold faction of the Eastern stat
es, can Illustrate their object, it
will be frustrated. The greatest
danger will be the raising of
some side issue that appeals to
the ignorance and prejudices of
the masses who have not master
ed the subject. 1t has been said
that 1.-The average American
plough boy is better informed on
the silver question than the aver
age Australian editor" But even
ii that is true, it is not saying q
great deal, and there is many a
slip 'twixt the cup and the lip
An agitation for the compulsory
eight hour day or the minimum
wage might yet cause the pot to
boil over. Meanwhile, however,
silver is ION top" At the Pro
hibition convention at Pittsburg,
which, strictly speaking, has
nothing to do with the currency
question. two hundred delegates,
comprising one-fourth of the
whole, withdrew because the
convention refused to make a
declaration in favor of free
silver" A conviction strong
enough to overcome the zeal of
of thorough-going teetotal en-
thusiasts is not to be trified with.
Secretary Morton, moreover, of
the u. S. Department of Agricul-
ture, one of the staunchest gold
men of President Cleveland's adj
ministration, after taking a trip
to the West, warns his friends of
the folly of supposing that the
''craze for silver is confined TO
silver mining states, as they are
terribly apt to assume in their
speeches. He says the trim
mers" are going over to silver
everywhere. This is not compli-
mentary. One would not expect
compliments for silver men from
such a quarter. But, as evidence.
it Is all the more valuable, and il
goes 10 show that silver is look.
ed upon as the winning side.
Let us assume that silver wins,
and that free coinage at 16 to
is declared. What will be the
result !? A terrible panic, say
the gold men. No doubt to some
extent they are right. But il
will be panic among the gold
men. lest they should be compel
led to accept silver. Whenever
the United States does not be-
have itself, the gold men make
their power felt. We all remem
Ter the sensational demand fol
gold that followed the Venezue