The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-07-04

While the threatened split in the Re-
publican party in this state on the sill
yer question is not a Democratic flu
neral, the manifesto issued by members
of that faction. and given to the public
yesterday, sigred by prominent and
representative Republicans, is very in
terestlng in that it exhibits again the
peculiar characteristics Of all the free
silver people. Wherever you meet
them and whatever the aspect Of the
subject that they choose to discuss,
they seem never to fail in their sub
lime Indifference to fact. This is to us
the most incomprehensible feature of
the free silver business. Men like Mr..
Towne aid Senator Morgan and Mr.
Nye and John Lind are neither fools
nor knaves. They are men of intelli-
gence, although 1t is perverted in this
case, as we think, and men of honor.
What there can be, then, in this silver
business to blind such men as these to
the demand of both reason and fair
ness Of statement we cannot compre-
bend. Let US admit, for the sake of
piicable, that these gentlemen believe
sincerely that the free coinage Of silver
would be a benefit to the country and
would not be morally reprehensible.
Even then how can they defend the
statements in this manifesto, which are
obviously at variance with fact?
For example, they say at the begin
ming: "The common people have viewed
with recent alarm the efforts of for
eign money aristocracy to fasten
upon this nation the single gold stand
ard Of value" Now, a part of this is
foolish, and part Of it asserts, by i'm
plication, an untruth. The foolish por-
ton Is that it talks about the efforts
of foreign money aristocracy." That
is sad stuff, indeed. Everyone knows
that the only possible concern which
our currency system has for any other
nation is felt by our creditors. They.
naturally, like ourselves. do not wish
to be paid fifty cents where a dollar
was promised. But they have no more
power over our action in the premises
than we have to promote or prevent
home rule in Great Britain Neither
have they made any efforts" except
the common adjuration to us to be hon
est and to keep our word. The implied
untruth lies in the assumption that the
single gold standard of values is an in
novation which we must accept. Now.
all OF these gentlemen know that the
single gold standard has prevailed in
this country for half a. century and
more. 1t has witnessed our greatest
prosperity, as well as our seasons of
depression and adversely At the very
eLd Of the manifesto we find again the
appeal to the voter to so act that the
blight of the single gold standard may
not be fastened upon this people" All
through the address runs the same
idea that the gold standard is a new
thing, which somebody has attempted
to force upon the American people; in
stead of being, as 1t is, the present
foundation of our financial system and
the necessary measure of all our for
-eign commerce, no matter what do
nestle legislation we may see fit to
enact.
Another matter which these gentle
men must know is calculated to pro-
duce totally false impression is their
repeated assertion Of the danger of
destroying" silver money. They say:
'It is Impossible to strike silver out of
existence as money without results
which will prove depressing to millions
and utterly disastrous to tens of thou
sands, What excuse can there be for
men like Gen. Sanborn ard the others
whom we have quoted, in placing their
names after such sentence as this?
Can they mention man or point to
any proposition that favors striking
silver out of existence as money!
Does not the assumption that this is
contemplated by somebody. and would
follow the maintenance of the gold