The San Francisco call., 1896-04-21

from the hard times. This is largely due
to the development in the mines. Spo-
kane, too, is improving, till now it is about
the thriftiest town in the Northwest
Down at Boise, where there is almost an
Italian climate, there has been consider
able building lately. The population of
Boise, the capital city of Idaho, has been
found by census just taken, so the Gov
ernor says, to be 700. Moscow, which is
the Governors home town and the seat
OF the Idaho University, has about 5000
people. This university is the largest and
most important on the Pacific Coast, out
side of Stanford and Berkeley.
Governor Mcconnell has very strong
opinions regarding silver, and has lately
been in conference with such notable
leaders as Reed, QUAY, Allison, Mckinley.
Cullom and others in regard to silver He
says Idaho will, in his judgement, send an
unpledged delegation to the National Con.
vention.
He thinks this the wiser course, not only
for his own State, but for all the Pacific
Coast, for then we can ask for what we
want and go far toward getting it. The
Governor is for Senator Allison for Presi-
dent, but would not be pledged in advance
to anybody.
III We send delegates who are un-
pledged, said the Governor, "they will be
i'll dignifed position and able to COM
mand respect. They can do far more that
way than if tied up and unable to say any,
thing when they get to st. Louis"
Then, in regard to silver. the Idaho Gov
ernor talked in a very interesting way.
Said he:
Il am asking for an execution of the law
as 1t is on our statute books. We ought to
carry out our contract as made. II we
did as We should it wouldn't be three
months till there would be meeting of
the Latin Union, and they would pass reso.
lutions to restore silver" Continuing. he
said:
l believe the five. Senators who recently
voted againgt the consideration of the revenue
bill made mistake. 1t matters not what ac-
ton Is taken on the silver question the Gov
ernnent must have sufficient revenue to nav
its running expenses without continually re-
sorting TO the sale of bonds Free and mn.
limited coinage would not furnish this
revenue, because the silver so coined would
not belong to the General Government but to
the individuals who took the bullion to the
mints.
AS conceive it, the first duty of every citi-
zen, whe ther in Congress or out of it, is to con-
tribute his part to the maintenance OF this Ma
ton. The majority of the people may be
wrong-sometimes they undoubtedly are-but
that does not justify the minority in willfuliy
doing that which will damage the whole Out
side of the absolute need of the revenue which
the bill was intended to provide, the protec-
ton 1t contained was very important to some
OF our Western industries-notably the wool
industry, as well as the lead industry. 1t is
useless to claim that the protection the
measure carried was not enough. This may
be true, but protection of 6 6-I0 cents per
pound on wool would materially aid our wool.
growers at the present time.
The Congressional Record oiscloses that dur
ing the last four years great deal of time has
been occupied in both houses of Congress in
the discussion Of free coinage Those who op-
posed US on that proposition have patiently
listened TO our views, and we in turn should at
least give them an opportunity TO be heard on
any measure which may have its origin in
either body. AS one bill had but recently
passed through the Senate providing for the
free coinage of silver, 1t seems TO me as unwise
10 impede the progress OF tariff legislation
The billy doubtless inadequate to our needs.
but opportunity should have been given for its
discussion and amendment, if desired. think
the truth is that the Senators who opposed the
measure allowed their anger to get the best of
their Judgment, for they doubtless have had a
great deal to aggrayate them in the manner in
which silver has been treated by the present
administration.
The vote taken on silver during the session
OF The House shows that a large majority is
against free coinage. l would suggest that
before any further attempt is made TO secura
the passage OF a free coinage act, we ascertain