Omaha daily bee., 1896-03-01
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AN HONEST MONEY CAMPAIGN.

Although the popular verdict in the
elections of last year was distinctly and
overwhelmingly for honest money and
the recent action of the representatives
of the people in congress was in har-
mony with that verdict, it is evident
that the supporters of sound and
stable currency still have work to do
and that they must do it with zeal and
vigor. The course of the extreme ad
vocates of free silver among the re-
publicans of the senate shows that they
are determined to carry their demand
into the national convention at st. Louis
and to use -all-the influence and all
the menace they are capable of to have
their demand recognized, both in the
choice Of the candidate and the max
ing of the platform. They do not really
expect to accomplish anything. but the
fact that they know the odds to be
enormously against them will not deter
the delegates to the convention from
the silver states from vigorously urging
the cause that takes precedence with
them of all other causes, and they will
threaten the inevitable loss of their
states to the republican party if their
demand is not acceded to. One of the
free silver republican senators recently
said: "The senators from the far west
ern states are convinced that the next
republican national convention will de-
cline to nominate candidate for the
presidency upon free coinage plat
FORM With this assurance facing us
we must trim our sails to do the best
we can with our state tickets, with full
belief that the electoral votes of our
states will be cast against the repub-
lican nominee" This shows the spirit
of most, if not all, the extreme free
silver republicans especially those who
refused to allow the revenue bill to be
ate unless they could attach to 1t n
provision for the free coinage of sill
yer.
We do not believe these men will be
able to induce the republican voters
of their states to desert the republican
party in sufficient numbers to deprive
the party of the electoral votes of those
states. i ne Deopic VI thc SiiNNI S'h'''
have other interests besides the white
metal, the preservation and promotion
of which is far more essential to their
material progress and prosperity than
the free coinage of silver. They can
hone to secure proper consideration for
these interests only in the event of the
success of the republican party. Faith
in their intelligence prompts the belief
that they will not cast away the sub
stance for the shadow and that seeing
the impossibility of getting free coinage
they will decline to jeopardize the sue
cess of the only party that will safe
guard their other and no less important
interests. Still it is necessary that the
cause of honest money be earnestly and
Dersistently advocated in order that
the popular sentiment in its favor shall
suffer no decline, but rather be in
creased and strengthened.
The republican advocates of a sound
and stable currency must make them
selves so heard and their influence so
felt before the meeting of the national
convention that no proposition, the ef-
feet of which would be to debase the
currency, will receive any considera
ton from that body and no man who
Is not prepared to stand squarely upon
an honest money platform will have
any chance of becoming the candidate
of the party for the presidency.