River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-11-05
VOL. 40.
THE RECENT CAMPAIGN.

as having been one in which were
involved issues second in importance
To those Of no Presidential election
since that Of 1850. which Immediately
preceded the late War Of the Great
Rebellion.
In making their preliminary ar
rangements for the opening of the
campaign it was evidently the purpose
of the Republican leaders to make
the tariff question the paran cunt
issue, but the repeal Of the silver
purchasing law was an act so Obnox-
iOus to the bimetalists that the
friends Of the white metal deter
mined to force TO the front the ques-
sion whether or not the United
States Government should enter
upon the work of freely coming silver
in unlimited quantities at the ratio
Of IS to l. In their efforts TO make
this question the leading issue the
silver people were eminently success
ful, but the Republican managers
wisely made the tariff issue very
close second in the race.
One Of the most marked features
If the recent campaign was the wide
extent of party disafTectiOn wrought
by the silver issue, commencing with
the Prohibition National Convention,
which convened at Pittsburg late in
Nau Tho aiFr-ar man ,rrIorfpoly RI
control the actions of that body, and,
falling in their Efforts II do so seeded.
and organized a convention of their
own The gold, or straight Prohibit
tiOnists. termed ''narrOw-gauge,"
then nominated Joshua lowering of
Maryland for President, and Hale
johnson of Illinois for Vice Presi-
dent. The delegates who withdrew
from the convention formulated
another platform, organized what
they named the National Party, and
nominated Charles f. Bentley of Ne
Draska for President, and J. ii. South
gate of North Carolina for Vice
President.
The next National Convention was
the Republican, which met at st.
Louis, June 10Th. In tins convention
as in the one held at Pittsburg, the
silver men made a fight for supremacy,
and failing withdrew for the pur-
pose of allying themselves with any
body to defeat the ticket nominated
by the Republican William
Mckinley Of Ohio for President, and
Garret \. Hobart of New Jersey for
Vice President.
Then came the Democratic Ma
tional Convention at Chicago July eth,
in which the silver people had more
than a good working majority, con-
trolling that body under the two
thirds rule generally observed in
DemC ratio national conventions. \
silver platform was adopted. upon
which was placed William ]. Bryan
of Nebraska for President, and Ar
thur Sewall of Maine for Vice Presi
dent. While the gold standard dele
gates in this convention did not then
and there secede, they manifested
their disapproval of the platform
adopted by refraining from voting
when nominations were made.
Following the Chicago CoyeL tion
was that held by the Populist party at
St. Louis, July 22d. The Chicago
platform was after the POpulist's own
heart, and so also was the person
named for the head of the ticket
named at Chicago, but the Populist
convention could not go the plutocrat
from Maine. and their ticket was
made to read-for President, William
J. Bryan of Nebraska: for Vice Presi-
dent. Thomas f. Watson of Georgia.
In the meantime. while endeavor-
ing to control the actions of the ma
tional conventions held by all other
political parties, the silver advocates
organized a national party OF their
own, which met in convention at st.
Louis the same day upon which the
POpulist convention convened. The
man from Maine was good enough for
the silver men, and their convention
endorsed the ticket nominated at
Chicago.
From the resume which we have
given above it is plainly to be seen
that so far as the campaign was con-
cerned the silver advocates were de-
cidedly Sin it," to use slang phrase,
but they found the other fellows there
also, 10y large majority.
In this contest between the princi-
pies of good government, protection
TO American industry, and an honest
financial policy on the one hand, and
anarchy, revenue reform so-called,
aud debased currency on the other,
the Republican party, as is its inva-
riable custom. boldly defended the
right. and in SO doing found a valuable
ally in the better element of the
Democratic party which. though in a
minority, boldly protested against the
betrayal of their party. refused to be
nAAuCu 0NGE 10 tie GuCllAGS VI EOUu
government, and organized them
selves anew at Indianapolis, Sept. I'd,
under the name of National Demo
cratic party. The platform adopted
declared in favor of honest money.
and upon it were placed John NJ.
Palmer Of Illinois for President, and
Simon b. Buckner of Kentucky for
Vice President. The honest money
Democrats have no fear of being cru
Gifted upon 4 cross Of gold, and would
doubtless be willing 10 bet silver mine
owners 10 TO l that the silver men
will never suffer any such fate.
Wisconsin Library Association.
A meeting Of the Wisconsin Library
Association will be held at Ashland,
Wis, Nov. 1874, 1896. The first ses-
sion will be held on Friday afternoon,
November Is. at o'clock. and will
be devoted TO 2 discussion of Public
Library problems. with addresses by
MrS + + Eauubu Miss Anor;a Naff