The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-10-28
To the Voters Of Montana:

nation OF the supreme political conflict
OF this generation; contest In which
not alone our own countrymen. but
the peoples Of the whole civilized
world. are intensely interested. Not
since the memorable campaign OF 1860
has so vital an issue been presented
In this. or any other, country for the
arbitrament OF the ballot. 1t Is an is
sue forced to the front by the masses
of the people, and they are fighting
It out in their own good way against
the allied forces of the money power.
with prospects Frightening every day,
of a victory as great as has ever been
won at the polls in this country.
THE ISSUE JOINED.
The issue Is squarely Joined and the
lines closely drawn. The republican
national convention met in st. Louis.
and being completely in the control Of
the money power, declared unequivo-
cally In favor of the single gold stand
ard and In opposition to the coinage
OF silver, on equal terms with gold,
unless the ''leading commercial ma
tions of the world should graciously
consent to such a course. 1t Is the
first declaration Of any political party
Of this country for gold monometal-
lism. This cowardly declaration not
only revolutionixes our financial pol
Icy; not only runs counter to the coin
age Of the constitution; not only pro-
poses to reduce by one-half the pri-
mary money Of the nation. with all the
attending evils, but 1t reverses and
deadens the independent policy Of the
United States by placing US In finan-
cial serfdom to foreign nations. No
wonder the people are revolving from
such a policy!
Later, the democratic convention
met at Chicago. In many respects it
was a most remarkable gathering. 1t
was an organized revolt against the
domination of Wall street and more
than two-thirds of the delegates.
pledged to the cause Of the people.
stood as firm as Gibraltar against the
assaults of the representatives Of the
British policy; while the convention.
by its candidate and its platform, pro-
claimed its devotion to true democrat
ic principles. It's platform Is new
declaration. of-independence. and Its
candidate. William Jennings Bryan.
the young giant of the West, is one
Of the bravest and most devoted Of the
peoples champions.
Later yet. two other national con-
ventions were held at st. Louis, those
Of the peoples party and the silver re-
publicans. The peoples party had
larger delegate representation than
has ever before been seen In such a
gathering. and with patriotism
worthy Of the highest commentator.
placed the interest Of the country
above the interest of party by nomi-
mating for the presidency William ].
Bryan, In order that the friends Of BIZ
metallism might be united in the Inn
pending conflict. The silver republi-
can convention, representing a re-
spectacle body of republicans who re-
fused to follow their party Into the
gold camp. took Nike action. also NOM
mating Bryan. and thus making per-
feet the union Of the hosts Of bimet-
allism.
THE PARAMOUNT ISSUE.
The parties that have nominated
Bryan. declare that the financial ques-
tion is the paramount issue Of the
campaign. and their shibboleth IL the
free and unlimited coinage Of silver
and gold by the United States, on
equal terms. without waiting for the
consent of any nation on earth. The
republicans stand for "the present gold
standard" The issue Is directly Joined
and the contest is being waged on
these lines, under conditions unprece-
dented In the history of presidential
campaigns In this country. To con-
siderable extent party lines have been
obliterated, and we find on one side
the plain people," as characterized
by Abraham Lincoln, while arrayed
against them, In solid phalanx. is the
money power. representing corpora
tions. banks. trusts, syndicates and
those generally who believe their in
terests are best subserved by an ap-
preciating medium Of exchange and
depreciating prices.
It Is peculiarly a contest Of the
masses against the classes; Of the pro-
ducers of wealth against its manipu-
lators and Jugglers. II Is the conten-
ton Of the American policy against
the British policy; OF American inde-
pendence against foreign subserviency.
On Nov 8 this great question is to be
passed upon by the American people.
and while Mark Hanna Is chuckling
over the millions of money at his COM
mand. by the aid of which he hopes
to subvert the will of the majority, be-
hind Bryan and his American policy
are millions of sturdy. unselfish. patri-
otic voters, who cannot be bought or
coerced. and they will bury the candi-
date Of the plutocracy in an avalanche
OF ballots.
THE CONTEST IN MONTANA.
In Montana the friends OF the cause
of silver. represented by the demo-
cratic and peoples party, and the sill
yer republicans. are marching under
the same banner to victory. All are
heartily united In support OF the pso-
pies champion, William ]. Bryan, and
his majority in this state will be over
whelming.
In order to promote this result, and
more firmly cement the union OF fhe
forces OF bimetalllsm. the democratic
and peoples party have united against
the common enemy IN the nomination
ot state ticket. and IN many portions
of the state IN the nomination of Iegis-