The Coconino weekly sun., 1896-02-06
NO USE FOR THEM.
rhe Republican Party and the Free Silver
 Followers.

fle RepuDiichu AAEty Nuu tho 1Eo0 SlAv0x
 Followers.
 The silver men are talking again of ., separate party, devoted to the one is- sue of free silver coinage, and declare that this is the suspicious occasion for them. It is to be devoutly hoped that they will take that step without delay. Some of them have been called republicans, it is true, and have sought and obtained conspicuous places on the s.nate and house committees, and in rarty organizations as republicans, who profess to be ready to sacrifice every other interest and thrust aside every other issue in order to do battle for free silver. It would be much to their credit and to the good of tho coun- try if they would cease to profess any attachment to republican principles, which they have not, wherever there is office or influence to be secured by it, and to defeat republican principles tuuity. The republican party would be much stronger without such decep- tive support. However useful or worthy any of them may have been in the past, the time has really come for them to determine and to let the world know whether they are republicans or not.
 It doubtless appears to them that they have a rare opportunity to draw away force from other parties. There in they are probably right. The popu- list absurdity has made itself so far of- fcrsive and ridiculous in the states were it has been tested that multi tudcs are drifting away from that or ganization, some back to their old par tle> and some into silver movement, on the ground that there is really noth- ing else that has vitality in the populist platform. Presumably large part of the million votes cast for Weaver-Cleve- land in 1892 would go straight to sill yer party, and they would be reinforced ny some republicans and many dem- ccrhts. In well nigh half the states which remain nominally democratic il is extremely doubtful whether n citar majority of the democratic voters would not go over to q silver party, if there were one.
 The idea that the result of the presi- dential election may depend on the nc. ton of the silver men or silver states is not sustained by any facts at pres. ent within the range of human obsec- Eation. Complete separation of the silver or nothing" men from the re- publican party would only strengthen that party enormously in all the east crn and central states. Between the Atlantic and the Mississippi, in north ern states, every one of which was car. red by the republicans at the last elec- ton. are chosen 205 electors, not count ing Maryland, Delaware and West Vir- ginia, which were carried last year, and choose IT more. Beyond the Mis- sissippi, Iowa and Minnesota would add 222 votes, not to go further. There is rot one of these states in which sep aration of silver men would tend to de- feat the republicans; not one in which it would not greatly strengthen them. If anybody imagines that, with such a solid body of states upholding repub- lican principles, every state west or south of these could be carried in an utterly hopeless fight for free silver, or for democracy either, he has not much grasp of facts.
 But that sort of division would leave tle republicans a minority in the sen ate" it is said. They are in D minority now. It would be extremely helpful to them and to the country to have it definitely known that they do not and cannot control that body. Also, it would be blessing to know where some of the senators stand. With presidential victory at hand. the diff. culty would be to drive away, even with stones and clubs, all the men who really ought to be got outside the re- publican lines. so that the country could no longer hold the republican party in any way responsible for them. If they will graciously separate them selves in advance. so many as are for free silver or nothing" taking their tin dishes and forming Q party of their own, the republican party and the peo- pie of the country will know great