The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1896-10-09
BORN ANEW,

| u SOlO SLauQaTQ organ auu AMY
edited, we think it but just and pro-
per to call attention TO the fact that
it was not always thus. We all Ie-
member what John j.. Ingalls, said
about the acrobat and the republican
platform. Now the editor of the
Kinsley Mercury (Republican) who
had been SO ably advocating thesilver
cause IN his paper gave free expression
to his views on the action of the re.
publicans at st. Louis, in the issue of
the Mercury (Repblican) June 25 1896.
After expressing his approval OF Nc
Kinley he then priuts the Republican
financial planks of 90 and 96 comment
ing on them says:
THE one is emphatically for bimetal-
ism. 1t demands the use of both gold
and silver as STANDARD money. The
last is unequivOcally for the single
gold standard. A week ago Kansas
Republicans were bimtallists and in so
being were loyal to the party, its pol
icy and traditions. Today to be
bimetallist is to be to that extent
outside Of the party. We must change
convictions, reverse the policy OF the
party, 60 back OH it's every public de-
claratiOn of the past ten years ut
the dictates of a little clique Of
eastern republicans who had opposed
Mckinley from start to finish. and
who mustered less than 800 votes i'll
total of over 900.
If it was done to load Mckinley
down. to compass his defeat the OBJ
ject would be clear, If:.it was done
to so hamper the party that 1t could
not carry another election there is at
least strong suspicion that it will
succeed. No one doubts that Mckin-
ley will be elected in spite of the plat
form; but then what. The continued
success Of the patty must depend EN-
tirely OH what follows, If Mckihley's
election brings prosperity to the cOun-
Try the Republicans are in for long
ease of power. But McKinley,s
election in al.d of itself while it may
10 certain eXtehts restore confidence,
Cannot bring prosperity without wise
md timely legislation, IA revenue
:,e.'sure must he enacted that will
...o,ect American labor fill the empty
ue .sury and set the wheels of indust-
~ iii motion. The Wilson act must
oe repealed and its policy reversed.
10 do these things we must have a
majority in both houses of congress,
as we'll rs the president. The reason
that democratic supremacy did not
bring Oh a panic between '85 and 80
Was because Clevland never had Il
congress back of him, The senate
was republican. Mckinley will be
as powerless to restore confidence rs
Cleveland was then to destroy it un-
less he has congress to back him.
Knowing this 1t was the part of wis
lOm for the convention to formulate
a plank OH which all republicans
could stand. To harmonize, not to
disrupt. The battle is but half won
with McKinley's election, We must
have congress too and that means the
senate. After the platform had been
adopted several delegates from the
silver states walked out of the conyen-
,ion and virtually severed their con.
nection with the party. Among these
were Senator Teller of Colorado,
Cannon Of Utah and Dubois of Idaho.
The number Was small and in itself
the action was unimportant. But it
will be remembered that five senators
from these states last spring absolutely
blocked tariff legislation aud seven
more senators from tie silver states
announced that while they would for
the present, act with the party yet
that if the national convention was
unfriendly to silver they would con-
slider themselves absolved from all
allegiance to the party, That they
placed silver above the tariff and that
they would unite with the democrats
to prevent any tariff legislation until
silver has been reinstated.
OF course we can abuse them
and declare that they are
unpatriotic and Crazy, but they have
sufficient numbers TO stop all
legislation looking toward a protective
tariff. Together with free silver
democrats and the populists they con-
stitute majority of the senate SO
large that it cannot be overthrown
in less than four years time, even
with Republican success all along the
line. The gold standard plank then
has deprived us of our majority in the
senate for at least four years to come.
In the mean while Mckinley will be
elected, Without tariff legislation
he can accomplish nothing toward bet