The Portland daily press., 1896-07-16

themselves of 1t and selected the exist
ing currency system. They are deolar-
ing, AMI they are going to continue to
declare with unceasiDg vehemence as
81 campaign progresses, that the present
currency system Is sort of breastwork
which protects some classes and gives
them an adyartagesin the battle OF life
over Others. Nobody who followed the
proceedings of the Chicago convention,
who read the speeches, ana noted the
characters and careers of its guiding spir-
its could have failed to discover that free
silver was mere mask beneath which
were the features of anarchy and social
ism. The real design OF tn g leaders of
that convention was to array class
against class. and the currency sys-
tenn was selected as the point of attack
because an attack there would seem to
keep this purpose to the front, without
making an open a vowal of 1t. We know
perfectly we'll that there are many honest
and patriotic men in this country who
advocate free silver because they believe
it would improve the condition of our
business and industry, but with the
guiding spirits of this convention, we
just IS firmly believe, THAI the cry of free
silver Ia simply means to an emo, which
end is the arraying of all the dissatisfied
clements OF the population against the
existing order of things. Their method is
insidious and shrewd. What they pro-
pose to do Is to show that the existing
gold system is positive advantage TO
the rich and positive detrinent to the
poor. Ii this were true there could be
no valid defence of the present system.
But it is not only not true, but as matter
OF fact it is the currency system which
they themselves are suggesting that is
open to this objection. Nevertheless
| their arguments are specious and plaus-
lille, and they will be presented by skill
full and plausible men. To attempt to ig-
more them or evade them or sheer ut them
will be exceedingly poor policy. They
innst be met and answered squareiy and
fearlessy. The present currency system
must be defended. The fact must be
made clear that it's destruction will
bring calamity, not TO the rich, but more
especially to ths wage workers and the
persons of small means. In short il
must be demonstrated, as 1t can be- thai
free silver is the remedy of tho quaOk,
far more likely to aggravate the evils
which it is advertised to cure than tG
alleviate them. Any attsmpt TO eyade
this question viii be interpreted as q
confession that the silver mems claims
are true. and this will prove most disas
trous.
1t is gratifying 60 SEQ that at the No
Kinley ratification meeting in Boston
there was no disposition on the part o.
any speaker to relegate the currency
question to the rear. Mr.. Curtis Guild
voiced the views which all the speaker:
expressed In differing language when ht
said the present campaign was one Of
morality not of economics There wai
no lodging. but vigorous defence o.
the gold standard and an aggressive at
tack upon the theories and purpoes O.
the men who have raised the silver stand
ard. Let the example set by the BaJ
State Republicans be followed by the Re-
publicans of Maine, and silver heresie
will make little progress among our in
J telligent and patriotic population.