The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-03-29

the ratio of 16 to l. being promoted BY
the National Bimetallic union, and be.
ing backed by such men as Mott OF
North Carolina Republican,, Stewart
CT Nevada (Populis0 Warner of Ohio
DeTocraD, Sibley of Pennsylvania
DemocraD, and a number of other
gentlemen Of national prominence in
connection with this issue
Then comes the Populist party, and
it may be said that this is the only
perfected national organization which
has in its platform or declare ton OF
principles an unequivocal demand fo1
the. restoration of silver
Next in the free silver procession de-
serving of honorable mention are the
silver Democrats, and they deserve a
liberal consideration for the fortitude
they have shown in their battle against
the administration Democrats, and also
for individual fidelity
Our attention is now directed to the
Prohibition party, and while their num-
Der is not large, It. however, contains
many men of prominence who are
staunch silver men. and leaders of their
party. one of whom may be mentioned
John p. ST John. ex-governor CT
Kansas.
And lastly, the silver advocates with
in the ranks Of the Republican party.
These advocates too. deserve consider.
alton of no mean proportions for their
opposition to Republication as now
enunciated. However. the writer is of
the opinion that the silver Republicans,
considered separately, are of small
strength as regards their ability to i'm
pregnate the national Republican or
ganization with anything looking to the
practical solution Of this issue.
SILVER. FORCES DIVIDED.
Therefore it will be seen that the adj
vocates of enc particular idea" are di-
vided. at the present time. into four or
five separate and distinct bodies, and
each appear clingy.
The silver Democrats are by no
means scarce; in fact it is confidently
stated that a. majority of the Demo-
cratic party-that is, the laymen-are
staunch silver men. while, on the other
hand, it is a conceded fact that east
ern Democrats are, as well as eastern
Republicans. single standard men. and,
unfortunately, the councils of both ma
tional organizations Democratic and
Republican, are controlled by the OPP
ponents of free coinage. Consequently
the outlook for the Democratic national
convention is not a very promising one
for full party adhesion upon the silver
question. According to some eminent
Democratic authorities. especially the
leaders of the silver element of the
Illinois Democracy. it is stated that
should the national convention refuse
to adopt a free coinage plank, the sill
YER forces will bolt" the convention
and at once proceed to organize a
Democratic free silver convention for
the purpose of putting a national Dem
ocratic ticket in the field pledged to
silver However. the full strength of
this latter element is not known, and
of course at this time can only be con-
iectured.
The next important factor to be con-
sidered is the Populist party. The
growth of this party, to say the least,
has been most phenomenal since it's in
ception in 1892, and while perhaps this
party has some iqnpracticable reform
ideas it is considered by men off no
mean political prestige (and by men
who are not in harmony with the eco
nonnic views of the Populists) that
while there are some incongruities in
its economic propositions. the party is
largely composed of men who cast their
ballots for principle rather than from
partisan biasness, thereby, to my mind.
making an assemblage of men of vast