Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-03-05
rhe RepunlIcnn snver srIlt.

The breach in the Republican party
over the silver question is widening.
1t gives promise Of soon becoming an
element Of diacord Of sufficient proper
tons to rond the party in twain, and
send, II into tho coming campaign for
tho Presidency divided against itself.
Wednesday the silver fight was re-.
newed In the United States Senate and
it was more acrimonious than ever. Tho
silver Senators we're fairly insolnnt
In their defiance, and gave their
party associates good reason to con
clude that as far as they are concerned
it is to DO free silver coinGgs or moth.
ing, (" regardless Of the fate OF tho Ro-
publican party in this years national
campaign.
The free silver Republican Senators
have determined thRt they will not
permit tho Senate to pass any protec-
tive tariff measure unlcss provision for
the FREQ coinage of silver is attached
thereto. The Republican party pro
poses to make the tariff an issue in tho
coming campaign, but it will be left
in a ridiculous plight upon such an
issue, with its representatives, in the
Senate absolutely refusing 10 allow n
protective tariff bill to pass that body.
The free silver Senators positively do
clare that no tariff bill shall be passed
unless ii contains provision for tho
free coinage of silver.
Senator Carter Of Montana, who is
chairman of the Republican national
committee, was particularly rancorous
inWednesday's battle in the Senate He
bitterly reproaGhed his sound money
colleagues for arraying themselves on
the side of President Cleveland in con
tending for the single gold standard.
lilo who follows the President" he
said, antagoni,es the principles and
purposes Of the Republican party
Every Republican who joins the Presi.
dent in his demand for the absolute
fixing Of the single gold standard upon
this country, to the permanent exelu-
sion of all hope for bimetallism, makes
his contribution to force destined to
disrupt and destroy the Republican
party. II is high time that Republi-
cans, who claim to be within the party,
should take their cues from the party
| platform rather titan from the White
| House. If il shall occur that this
senseless crusade against Republicans
who believed in good faith in tho
Minneapolis platform, when it declared
for bimetallism as well AS protection,
shall be carried TO such an extent as
may result in the adoption of President
Cleveand's scheme by tho st. Louis
convention, | submit that Republican
success will be rendered utterly impos-
sible. y
| 1t will be noted that Senator Carter
holds that the platform adopted by the
last Republican national convention de-
clared in favor Of bimetallism, and
there is little doubt that his view is
correct. The financial plank OF that
| platform was a wide straddle, but it
held out to the advocates of free silver
coinage all ,the encouragement they
could reasonably ask of great political
party at that time, Senator Carter
also expects the st. Louis convention
to make a similar declaration this year.
And so the merry war goes on. The
Democratic party, beyond doubt, ia
also divided upon tho money question,
but the division in tho Republican
| party iB far more bitter and intense,