Iron County register., 1896-07-02
NUMBER 1.

proposed that we should intervene D
assuming to establish it alone. Agains
this proposed action on our part, thes
earnest believers in and workers 70
the cause. strenuously protest. The,
say to us. ..you can not succeed, ant
your failure will discredit the cause.
/ Tho recent article of DR.. Ahrendt il
| the North American Review" shows
very clearly the view taken by oul
| friends abroad upon this subject. Ht
| has done much and probably more
than any living man to advocate and
bring to its dominating position il
Germany. this cause. One of the
original organizers of the BimetalliC
League in Germany, he is entitled tC
be called one of the leaders OF public
opinion in Europe upon this subject.
It was upon his motion in the Prussian
Chamber of Deputies that the position
of Germany was modified within the
last year. He expresses the opinion
that free coinage undertaken by the
United States alone would simply end
in silver monometallism and discredit
and put back~the cause of the double
standard the world over.
1t is a question not what we wish,
but what we are able to do. A strong
man may undertake task too great
for his strength and break down. 1t
can not be denied that the feeling
among our people is that this free
coinage by the United States alone will
not give US the gold and silver money
at parity with each other (Which is
the assumption upon which 1t is taken),
but will bring us to silver mouometal-
lism and change in our standard of
value, and that change, it is believed,
means immediate ruin to our industries
and no permanent good to any one.
This feeling is general and intense.
Whether these differences can be
recognized. it is impossible to antici-
pate. The Democratic party stands
for principles desirable to be maintain
ed for the good of the country. Most
any sacrifice might be asked of Demo
Gratis for the sake of party, and they
would cheerfully make it.
DEMOCRATIC DEFEAT PREDICTED.
But if the delegates from this locali-
ty should go that Convention and rep
resent that the rank and file OF the
party would follow the lead of our
Southern brethren and vote for the
free coinage Of silver by the United
States alone, they would be misrepre-
senting the state of public opinion
here. Whether it is so or not, 1t is
considered a proposition to debase the
existing standard of value. And the
same feeling of indisposition to COM
promise with the matter for votes or
anything else is as active and domi-
nant here in our party as it was found
in the Republican party when it bore
down and overpowered the Mckinley
machine.
Personally, it is my opinion, if the
Democratic party goes on that plat
form at this time, they will meet the
most disastrous defeat that my party
has ever had in this country. l un-
derstand it is honestly believed in,
and people think it will bring relief
from their present troubles; but be-
tween now and election day it will be
thoroughly sifted, and the people viii
not face the disturbance of values, the
loss of confidence, the general depres-
sion which would come to their busi-
ness interests in such a change iu
their standard value as would arise
from such action. And it will, in my
opinion, overwhelm the persons who
undertake it.
1t ought not to be necessary for me
to say anything of a personal nature.
find myself, however, spoken of here
and there as possible candidate; not
very seriously or prominently, but
sufficiently to attract attention.
have no personal motive in entering
this fight. | have said that I would
not be candidate. / will add. copy
ing the emphatic language once used
by the late Gen. Sherman I think /
remember it correctly Il will not run
if nominated, nor serve if elected.
am not foolish enough to suppose
that any Eastern man could be nomi-
mated by this Convention, much less
that could. l sympathize thorough
ly with the feeling in the South that
has caused this uprising and will find
its expression at Chicago, but as to
the principle which the uprising has
brought forth aud the issues being
framed, entirely disagree.