The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-10-01
slLyzsa. E.rPuBLICANs.

SiLV4th-; E.fiE'I BLlCANS.
This is year in which, in support Of
one great paramount principle, men
are pulling together who have hereto
fore held the most divergent political
views There is no disposition among
those composing the combined bimetal-
list army to question the attitude OF
each other upon minor matters, to
criticise the positions taken or to I'M
duly urge any further action upon the
individual than may seem to him to
be just, proper and consistent.
Nevertheless, it is interesting to re-
fleet upon the position of our silver
fortune of Democrats to be able to
stand in the ranks of their old party
to fight for the great cause of the
people. The silver Republicans, on the
other hand, have been obliged to par
tally repudiate the party with which
they have been allied. When the issue
was joined between the Democratic and
Republican parties, free coinage men
who had belonged to the latter found
they could not cooperate with it in the
national campaign this year They
realized that an issue of the most vital
and far reaching Importance was to
be settled; they found the Il ,nocraey
on the right side in the con est while
their own party was in The wrong; ans,
with promptness and emphasis that
did credit to their manhood and their
American citizenship, they announced
themselves supporters Of the bimetal-
list candidate.
Some OF these former Republicans
have felt that the logic of the situation
demanded their utilization win the
party that has become the champion
of the side of the people in the contest;
some feel they are without a party and
are quietly awaiting future Develop
ments to determine their political
status, and others-a, eajority-wkile
Loyalty and effectively supporting the
Democratic candidate for the presi-
dency, feel there is no necessity for
making any further change, maintain
ing an active connection with the local
organizations of their party.
At time of such a great pcirtical
upheaval it must, in the very nature
of things, occur that rlen will differ
widely as to the course 20 be pursued.
IN confusion AMI uncertainty
prevail, the patriotism that has led
bimetallist candidate will in the end
lead them to a consistent and equally
patriotic solution of the personal po-
litical problem with which they are
confronted.
If The Herald is not greatly mis-
taken, a very large proportion of these
men will be drawn by the force of
reason into the Democratic party. In
the event of Bryan's defeat, the con-
test for bimetallism will go right on
be drawn approxima tely as they are
now. Earnest Republican bimetallists
who support him now will support
him, or some other equally pronounced
exponent of the principle of bimetal-
ism, in 1900; and they must inevitably
come to feel that it is impracticable
and dangerous to attempt to main
tain local supremacy for party whose
national head is directly opposed tot
the peoples interests in this matter
of first Importance. Between this time !
and the date of the next presidential
election this same idea will be revolv-
ing itself in their minds, and one by
one they will give up the attempt to
stand in a position which they viii
come to feel is inconsistent.
On the other hand, if Mr.. Bryan is
elected, the people who shall have
placed him in the White House will
not turn their backs upon him after
having installed him in power. Silver
Republicans, like their allies, the
Democrats, will desire to hold up his
hands; and, as time passes, they will
more and more feel that it is incon- /
sistent, and dangerous to the working
out of the desired reform, to locally |
oppose the organization upon which |
the president whom they assisted in .
electing is obliged to rely for success
in the political battles that may re-
main to be fought before the re-
form can be effected and placed be-
yond the reach of its enemies.
Thus silver Republicans will come
drifting into the Democratic party; and
there they will remain unless that
party, in the full tide Of victory and
in the enjoyment of power, shall com
NIT some great blunder which shall
again stir the patriotic impulses of
these men and lead them to oppose it
as they now oppose the national Re
publican organization.