Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1896-09-25
FOR REPUBLICANS.
HEADQUARTERS

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FREE SILVER REPUBLICAN,
STATE COMMITTEE, SIOUX FALLS.
1t is proper that the Free Silver Re-
publicans of our state Plainly and frank
ly define their position.
The present financial issue has deeply
dismcmbered every political party in the
United States. The first to suffer divis-
ion was the national Prohibition party.
Next came the Republican party in its
convention at St. Louis. Eight years
ago, in Its national convention at Chi
cago, it had condemned 1.-The policy of
the Democratic administration in its
efforts to odemonetize silver" In 1902. it
declared chat the American people, from
tradition and interest. favor bimetallism. :"
and that 1.-The Repu ublican party demands
the use Of both gold and silver as stand.
ard money!" In our own state conven-
tion Of only two years ago, our party re-
corded itself vigorously in favor of the
colnageof silver as we'll as gold ut the
long established American ratio Of six
teen parts of silver to one of gold. Only
ninety days before the St. Louis conven-
tion the Republican party of Ohio in
presenting to the national Republican
party Major Mckinley. as its first choice
for the presidency, adopted platform
declaring in favor of both silver and gold
as standard money. But in its conven-
ton at St. Louis, recently held. it pro.
claims that "the present gold standard
must be preserved until the commercial
nations of Europe with England in the
lead shall voluntarily, or at our request
and for our benefit, agree to remoneti1e
silver and thereby take from gold the
vast increase that has been given to its
value by the demonetizstion OF silver and
by the general scramble for gold that has
been inavgurated and is now in progress.
We believe that our party was right on
this issue eight years ago, and tour years
ago, and in:this state two years ago, and
in Ohio ninety days before the nomina-
tion Of Mckinley. But If 1t was right
then, it is wrong now. The St. Louis
single gold standard declaration dis
membered the party in that convention
and removed from its support, as we be-
lieve, every state west of the Mississippi
River, and aroused discomfort within the
party, and made doubtful every northern
state as far east as Ohio.
A national Free Silver Republican Or
ganization quickly formed itself, for the
great contest that is on, and its organ,z-
alton now reaches into every state in the
Union. 1t is that same organization of
earnest Free Silver Republicans in our
own fair state that claims your attention
now. ....
But the dismemberment OF old parties
by this issue had not come to a period at
the close of the St. Louis Republican
convention. F..
In the national convention of the Dem
ocratic party at Chicago, other issues
were by the sheer force of the will and
the interest of our people as nation
over.shadowed by the financial issue, and
now every intelligent man comedies that
the present national campaign must be
fought out upon the one great issue. A
few adherents to the present single gold
standard national Democratic admin
stration met in Indianapolis and for the
first time in the history Of any political
party in the nation declared openly and
distinctly in favor of the present single
gold standard. What the Republican
convention had done under cover, it did
openly and boldly. The administration
gold Democrats of the eastern states do
not conceal the fact that their purpose is