The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-08-22

that state. and see to it that the mails
are not interrupted. When the officers
whose duty it is to enforce the laws In
a county of a state. fail in the perform
ance of that duty. should not the COVER
nor then exercise his right? And what
better right has he in a county of his
state than the president in one of the
states of the nation?
Then who shall presume to say to me
because / will not unite with such an
aggregation of individuals in upholding
their vagaries by supporting Mr. Bryan,
that 1 am not in favor of free coinage?
refuse to be weighed in the balance
with such people.
Act of 1873.
The so-called "crime" of demonetiza-
ton of silver was enacted by a repub-
lican congress in 1873. What was the
condition then of your-now state-of
Washington? You and 1 know that it
was a vast expanse of prairie, noun
tain and forest, but sparsely settled. In
all of its vast domain there was not one
town worthy to be called a city; there
was not mile of railroad except a
tramway at the Cascades, and perhaps
the narrow gauge of DR.. Baker between
Wallula and Walla Walla-and / am not
certain that even that was constructed
at that time.
Look again at your beautiful state as
it was four years ago, when we we were
entering upon the presidential campaign
which resulted in the election of Grover
Cleveland What a change had taken
place Inquire what magicians wand
Io
full country and ask yourself, If you will,
how 1t was possible that so much could
have been accomplished during a time
when silver was refused admission to the
mints. BY what process has the vast
prairies been settled and turned into Gull
tivated grain fields? By what species Of
encouragement have cities sprung I'D
like magic? How has capital been OBJ
tanned to build such magnificent lines
of railway?
Iron inquiry you will find that the
republican party, which your columns
now so severely condemn, is deserving of
the credit for this progress. Through
their legislation, granting lands to the
landless tens of thousands of happy, pros
porous families occupy what in 1873 was
a wilderness. The protection of republ-
can legislation by fostering the lead
Mines the coal mines, the lumber indus
try, the hop industry, the wool indus
try. the faxseed industry the barley
industry and every other industry of
your state. has made it possible for such
unprecedented development.
In 1873 not one brick of the now beauu-
full city of Spokane had been laid. Where
your court house stands today. the yelp-
ing of the coyote might be heard almost
any night in the year. Yet, in less than
the 20 years which interviewed between the
decentralization of silver and Clevelands
election, your city attained its magnificent
proportions, although fire, with its
bosom of destruction. had once swept it
into nothingness.
The Panic of 1898.
In the fall of 1892. at the time to which
1 refer, not only the property in your
city, but all over your state, was held
at high values; the farmer who desired to
change his place of residence could find
a ready buyer for his property at reas-
onablge prices; the residents of your city
who wished to remove could dispose of
his property. But November, 1892, ar
rived. The news was flashed from one
part of the continent to the other that
the democratic party had triumphed; that
Grover Cleveland was elected. With
bated breath, thoughtful men and wo-
mer in every state of the Union began TO
talk of the probable consequences. Values
of all classes of property at once began
to decline until now, after little over
three years, of democratic adminstra-
ton, real estate in your city and every
where in your state. will not average
over one-half the price it was when Cleve-
land was elected. Is it because the sill
yer mines. or the mines in the vicinity OF
your state, especially your city. are less
prosperous? The contrary is the case, as
you well know. Have we less silver Il
circulation. or have we had during Cleve
lands administration, than before, OIL
have we less money of any kind? tn,
monthly reports of the treasury show the
reverse to be the case.
Then please explain to me why as
friend of the free coinage of silver
should cast my vote for the representativ,
of a party whose touch is as fatal to tn,
business interests of this nation as 81
the simeon of the African desert to hu
man life. Explain to me how the de
mOnetzation of silver in 1873 brought tn
panic of 1898. Explain to me how it hap
pened that the progress and development
of this nation during the years between
1873 and the election of Grover Clevelan,
were greater than ever before in its his
tory.
In answering my questions please q,
not deal in vagaries or idle assertions
What 1 say to you concerning the prog
ress of your state and the nation can no
| be CHALLENGED