The Ravalli Republican. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1894-1899, 1896-06-24


on platform was dclibcrating were
affecting scenes when the silver men
announced to their COLLEAGUES on tho
committee that they would leave tho
convention if the gold standard plank
was adopted Senator Heller said:
"Mr. Chairman, have given this
financial question the most careful
attention. have formed my convic-
tions Of The Importance and.charactcl
of this controversy. My convictions
arc Of such a character that upon me
they force conclusions which amount
almost to verify. | have tried to
reach an intelligent Judgment on
this financial question and after
much delberation and Thought,
say here now that in my Judgment
this question is the greatest qucs-
tion that has been presented to the
American people in many years. If
| had only my own Judgment to de-
pend upon l should be afraid to make
such Il statement to an intelligent
committee like this, but | haSc back
of me and agreeing with me and ad-
vocating bimctallism as against the
gold standard the intelligence Of the
world. There is no professor Of po-
litical economy in any of the great
European institutions that does not
declare for bimetallism and condemn
that which YOU have put in your
platform and which you today say
you mean to make the cardinal fct,.
turc Of faith of the republican party.
| do not intend to DEBATE this qucs-
tion. am speaking now in cxpla-
nation of my conduct when l shall
declare publ1cally, as ! shall, when
the platform Is adopted, that l can
take no further part in this convcn-
tion and can 10 longer act with
the republican party. 1t is not a
small thing for man to do to break
from his political associations. No
man would be justified in doing this
except upon principle. No man
would be SO justified in SO doing be
cause OF dissatisfaction with mere
methods or candidates, but when you
adopt principle and ask me to sus-
tain it, make it one OF the cardinal
tencts Of Il great political organiza-
tiOn that | believe to be destructive
to the interests Of the whole country,
then common honesty calls for Il
protest from me. AS Il member of
the republican party l have shared
in it's triumphs as have shared in
it's defeat. ] took part by voice and
by vote in the first campaign, and in
campaigns since that it has made
either in the states west or east Of
the Rocky mountains, have been an
active participant.
';Mr. Chairman, shall break from
the party Of my youth and party Of
my choice, and party Of my service
and party that has given me honors
as few men have been given honcrs,
feeling as though were going to my
grave, as though l were burying my
best friends and nothing but supreme
Of the danger Of the main
tcnance Of this gold standard could
induce me to make such Il sacrifice.
II am going to fight for the prin-
ciplc, but | cannot longer fight for it
in the republican ranks with hopes
OF success. had hoped that the
party which had done SO much for
the human race and for whose future
50 much was hoped would come to
IA right view upon this question and
still have lingering hope that
some day this party will reach such a
when it shall not take its
dcClarat ion from Wall street or LOm.
bard street, bur from the honest sem