Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1896-04-13
AN Open LETTER,
From An Intelligent Inde-
pendent Editor.
THE ISSUES DEFINED.
Where the Parties Stand on Silver
and the Tariff,
NEwBERo, Or, April 10, 1895.

no particular HBuO w udke vi Ou
tariff, one way or the other, l am IL
favor OF a fight for silver now and |
fight TO the finish. 1t Is the apparen
swallowing by you of everything don,
by the Republican party that prompts
me to say what do. All Republican
can get together on the tariff as al
Prohibitionists can get together OF
the liquor question, but when 1t comes
to talk OF reforms that mean some
thing, there is at once a row in camp
and when a call is made for harmony
the reform element is the one to sub.
side, the other fellows gain their point
and the thieving goes merrily on.
Friend Hofer, was born and raised a
Republican and patriot from good
New York stock, but was convinced
years ago that it is utterly impossible
for any party to reform itself, and as
a result am perhaps little cynical
when l see such men as you with your
ability and opportunities kicking
against fate and attempting the in-
possible. And when The JOURNAL
swallows Tom Tongue and the action
Of the congressional convention at one
gulp IL looks little inconsistent to
me. There are good many Oregon
papers that are very anxious about
the platform, and THE JOURNAL
seems to be one Of them, but what
good is platform without reliable
men TO carry IL into effect. We need
more men and perhaps fewer plat
forms If this country is TO be saved
from the rule OF the money power.
Mr.. Hofer would say that this can be
remedied at the primaries. Was IL
done In Yamhlll county? You know
that the goldites played one OF the
dirtiest tricks ever played in Oregon.
AS result there is a great deal Of
hard feeling.
The bosses are scared, and are al
ready promising to divvy on the
county Offices II the silver men will
only stay In line. But why should
they do SOP Is there any good reason?
Is there any good reason why the sill
yer men OF Oregon should stay with
the Republican party9 Is party worth
more than principle? If so, then let
us take what is given us and quit
kicking, for TO kick inside the party
is to be downed every time.
You know that this Is so-that the
advocates Of free coinage OF silver on
ratio OF 10 to l by America for
Americans, regardless of what other
countries may say-stand no Ishow
In either OF the old parties, and never
Will. Like some other questions, this
may have to be settled in an inde.
pendent way; but II has TO be settled,
and just as long as we who favor IL
deceive ourselves into thinking that
we can reform our party and thus
bring about the desired result, Just
that long will we stand in the path of
progress.
| do not question your honesty. L
know where you have been found
when II comes TO showdown; but l do
question the wisdom OF trying to force
the politicians TO come TO the mount
ain along the line which you have here
tofore presented. Fraternally,
O. c, EMERY.
1.-THE JOURNAL prints the above let
ter OF the editor OF the YamhlI Inde.
pendent, because it brings up the
question OF the duty OF independent !
voters In the coming election. The
writer is an intelligent man and
former Republican, He says he is
convinced 1t is utterly impossible for
any party to reform itself, This is a
of the reform spirit
and amounts to political fatalisn and
predestination. Applied TO indiyid.
nals or parties IL means you cannot
reforms you are going to hell sure.
The JOURNAL does not now, never
has and never will swallow "eyery.
thing done by the Republican party.n
The anaconda act is not an essential
'f Republicauism, The Republican
party has never in any state or in the
nation hesitated TO overthrow or re.
'adiate bad leadership, and assert its
Intelligence and independence. An
.hree parties have declared against
ne single gold standard IN Oregon.
The sO-called sOund-money element in
he Republican party is threatening
o bolt the platform and legislative I
ND congressional nominees, because,
u they say, the marty refnsad - =