The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-06-26
SEATTLE. FRIDAY. JUNE &c.



One OF the most important Democratic
psase conventions Is. Of course. that OF
New York. because Of the number Of DEL
erates n viii send 20 Chicago. The plat
form adopted BY that state declares
against the free coinage OF silver, but the
numerical strength OF that declaration Is
ofYs~, by the result Of the conventions in
Onto and Indiana. New York sends sew
snty-three votes against free silver, while
Ohio sends forty-six and Indiana thirty
% oppose thom.
IT 10 very remarkable thing that the
main body Of Republicans and little short
Of a aJority OF Democrats can trace their
financial ancestry back 20 the earliest
fimes In the history OF the country: and
that the minority Of the Republicans and
Che remainder OF the Democrats. while
holding on to the letter OF the law. have
entirely lost the spirit which once ami
mated IL.
The Populists in worshiping the 10 TO
4" idea at this late date. are hoping to re-
puscltate a corpse. The sound money men
are stiil inspired by the spirit which actn-
Ated the founders Of our money system.
but they insist that the form shall be
eonsstent with later conditions. The
point of divergence seems TO be whether
the action OF congress IN 1873 caused. or
was caused by. the decline in the value
or silver. Fortunately the determination
Of this question depends more upon histo-
Sicai testimony than argument. and dur
inx the campaign IL viii be proved beyond
any controversy.
Those men who believe that the iat of
government makes money need not be
reasoned with during this campaign; they
are In too great a minority 10 make 1,
worth while 70 20 over again the green
back discussion. But there If a very large
number who believe that the act Of con-
6ress deprecated silver. and that all u
needs II another act 70 restore II 60 the
relation II bore TO gold at the time when
hi-mstsliism was adopted as the money
theory Of our fundamental law. II II can
be demonstrated 90 them that they are
mistaken and that the abandonment OF
SILVER became absolutely Inevitable
Through its own decline in the markets Of
ahs world. they VIII be ready 60 admit how
utterly impossible IL Is for the United
States to restore II now that it II fallen
% much below Its value In is73.
This H. why the money planks IN both
The Republican and Democratic parties.
Formulated by states which believe In
sound money. have SO close a similarity.
~ is not a question OF politics; u is not
me Of those questions which have divided
Tire people into the two great parties here
sofore. II Is question of fact which can
best be answered by study OF history
IN the neighsorhood Of the year iS.s.
The Democrats Of Ohio insist upon an
immediate return 20 constitutional money
~ the restoration by the government of
2he unrestricted coinage OF both silver
and gold as standard money az the rata
cf 10 to /. and unon the terms Of exact
equality existing prior 60 is5s. The Dem
pcrats Of New York express the belief
That neither this country nor any other
rountry. independent and alone, IL able
20 rnainsain the parity at the proposed
ratio and that IL will be folly 20 at
sempt IA" that Is. upon the terms exist
lnr prior to ISIS
There can be no compromise GA such a
question. The United States either can
or cannot restore silver 20 she position e
held In iS7s Republicans have been blamed
Ter coming cut openly when the issue
waa presented. ana Democrats are helms.
urged not 20 offend people ey decided
declaration. eut what l. the use Of Jug
Cling With vordSf TIE issue Is presented
and II must - fought car by argument.
by history and by the ballet The very
existence es the question Is disturbing our
financial condition ana acts a. drag on
cur prosperity. On the principle that the
darkest hour Is that lust before ghe dawn.
the sooner we get through that dsrkes,
hour the better. We have no fear as "a
The result. and see no reason why sound
money Republicans or Democrats should
shrink from the trial 81 strength.
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