The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1896-05-23
The ONLY CERTAIN ROAD TO PROS
PERITY: BIMETALLISM.
DRIFTING APART.

DRIFTING APART.
The two factions in the republican party
are gradually drifting farther and farther
apart, until it begins to look as though per-
manent and hopeless breach will be created.
The cause of the splits based partly on fund
amental differences of opinion, and partly on
other reasons. There are in the party what
may be termed a radical silver element and
a conservative silver element The radicals
have virtually avOwed an intention of DESERT
ing the party provided an unequivOcal recog-
uiton OF silver is not had at the national con-
vention. The conservatives take the position
that they will abide the action of the conven-
ton whatever it may be, and continue the
battle for silver within party lines. In other
words, the radicals take the position that if
the republican party disavOw the principle of
independent free coinage, they can no longer
be republicans; whilet the conservatives place
their republicanism first, determine to con-
tinue steadfast to the party in the faith that
the republican party has hitherto correct
ly solved all the great questions which have
confronted it. the same it will do by silver.
1t is difficult to see any basis upon which
these factions can tremendously unite. OF
course. il the national convention should de-
clare straight out for silver that would at
once settle the issue, but there is no possible
hope of that. The best thing that can be eX-
pected is a declaration along the lines of the
Ohio platform, virtually the plank of 1892.
But, judging from all present indications. it
is safe to say that the convention will adopt
n more radical anti-silver platform than that
of 1892. The demand for plain spoken plank
is universal, urged alike by silver men and
gold men; therefore, it would seem that the
convention will be forced to plain and un-
equivocal declaration, and it will certainly
not be for silver. The radical silver men
have already proceeded to such lengths that
the official party declaration must neces-
sarily oblige them to withdraw formally from
the party and unite themselves with the sill
yer party or populists All. then, that will
be left OF the republican party in Idaho will
be the conservative silver element, amount
ing to perhaps, one-half of the original num-
Der. This, of course, will leave republicans
hOpelessly in the minority, not only for the
present campaign, but for years to come.
However, it is better it should so; it is bet
ter that all men should be SO aligned that
they may be consistent with themselves and
harmonious with the whole. The principal
sufferers will be the politicians; there will be
no offices for them. Their vocation will be
gone,
The foregoing article taken from
the Caldwell Tribune, one of the best
edited papers in the state, takes a
view of the political situation which
is, at least, entitled to the thought
full consideration Of all those who de-
sire to see the republican party in
Idaho remain intact. We do not be-
lieve, however, that the republican
party in this state will separate into
two hostile parties so soon and so
easily as the Tribune predicts, and SO
soon and SO easily as the democrats
and populsts and certain dsappoint-
ed office-hunters, who have trained
with the republican party, desire.
The great mass of men who compose
the republican party are men of in
telligence and intense loyalty to re-
publican principles.
A thousand memories cluster
around the grand old party. Men