The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-09-29
BIsMARCKs LETTER.

-
Bryan must indeed be driven into a
desperate corner when he tries to use
the letter that Bismarck wrote to the
governor Of Texas the other day as an
argument for free silver. 1t is really
q matter of wonder that SO astute a
man as Bryan is represented to be
should make so many blunders in his
campaign around the country. His
quotations from Lincoln, Blaine, and
other dead statesmen. have all proved
q boomerang TO him. because they have
served to show his INSCRIPTIONS ten
dency to juggle with the truth, and to
even resort to downright misrepresen-
tation in order TO impose on the as
sumed credulity Of the humble people
to whom he addresses most Of his
harangues. In his private ~utterances
since the campaign commenced he has
repeatedly mourned the act that the
Intelligent and conservative elements Of
the Democratic party We're everywhere
arrayed against his candidacy, and he
has tried to make up for this detection
by low appeals to the ignorant and
vicious among the masses Of the peo-
pie As might have been expected,
sooner or later. this Bismarck letter
has reacted. and instead Of being an
expression in favor of free silver, il
turns out TO be a strong endorsement
Of the position taken by the Republican
party for international bimetallism.
The letter, it seems. that Culbertson
had the presumption to address Prince
Bismarck simply asked his views on
the subject OF ''bimetallism." Any ref
erence TO the subject Of free silver was
carefully avoided, and for all that ap-
pears to the contrary-and ii is likely
that Bismarck, in his ignorance Of To-
eality and politics in this country, took
that view OF it-the letter might have
been written by a Republican who was
seeking to sustain the declarations Of
the st. Louis platform. OF course Gull
bertson and Bryan assumed tina their
letter TO Bismarck could not be OBJ
tanned in time for publication on this
side Of the Atlantic before election,
but Eastern papers have been smart
and enterprising enough to print Gull
bertson's communication in connection
with Bismarck's answer. An examina-
tion, however. Of Bismarck's letter
alone is sufficient to prove the fraud
ulency OF this latest campaign move Of
the Bryanites. The prince repeatedly ,
and distinctly refers throughout his
letter to bimetallism. and in one place
makes this statement, evidently under !
the impression hat he was being ask :
ed to say something in favor Of the :
Republican platform:
II hold to this very hour that it :
would be advisable to bring about :
between the nations chiefly engaged
"in the worlds commerce a mutual
agreement in favor Of the establish
"ment Of bimetallism."
Nothing could be clearer from a read ,
ing Of the whole letter than that Bis .
marck does not mean by b~imetalllsm
the free coinage Of legal tender silver. =
There is no public man or respectable
faction or party in all Europe believing -,
in free coinage Of gold and silver to-
gether on the old ratio. The only d.
vision Of this kind among Europeans is
between those who favor ~bimetallism
that is to say. the safe use Of silver
money with gold at parity with the
latter-and those who believe in gold .
monometallism Mr.. Bryan would have
been laughed out Of the field there =,
long ago. Bismarck is one Of the last
statesmen in Europe who would advo-
cate free silver on the obsolete ratio.
It was he who forced thu abandon :
Of the silver standard in Ger
many, and put his country On the gold
standard at the close Of the war with .
France. There is and could be nothing d
in common with Bismarck and the
school Of socialistic vagaries Of which
nothing else to forbid any union Of SEN
siment between Organism and Bis n
marx, the old warrior s~tatesman's ar g.
dent belief in protection would lead ~
him TO repudiate and despise the crowd 8,
Bryan represents. Nothing could r
be farther from his thoughts than to o.
make the people Of this country be- NJ
Iieve from his letter that he favors :
the coinage Of silver money at any ra-
ito that does not bring the mint and
value Of the metal together. -,
Bryan and his managers will have X
invent some less transparent fake =
a free silver letter from Bismarck
f they expect TO turn the great Ger
nan vote Of this country away from
Mckinley.