Great Falls weekly tribune., 1896-02-28
THE SILVER DEBATE.

During the silver debate in the senate
Wednesday, precipitated by the speech of
Senator Carter, there were blows to take
as well as blows to give, and a glance at
the report will show that tho free coin
age men did not get any the worst of it,
on the contrary, they were in possession
OF the field when time was called. In
the fight only republicans participated,
though the cross firing that ensued de-
veloped that the rcpublicanism of Car
ter and Teller was ratcu by their col
leagues as being of doubtful quality.
The western gentlemen. however, do
Tended their political integrity effectively
and to the entire satisfaction Of their
friends, If not Of their adversarics. Both
Teller and Garter insisted that their ac-
ton was strictly in accord with the re-
publican platform of 1892 and that Nor
ril and Sherman and those who were
acting with them were fnl-r to the
party pledges. In this contention the
silver men are clearly in the right. The
financial plank in the Minncapo!s plat
form declared in favor of bimetaliism
and the use of both gold and silver as
standard money, because "the interests
OF the producers Of the country, its
farmers and its worliingmcn, demand
that every dollar, paper or coin, issued
by the government shall be as good as
any other" This is plain enough. Yet
majority Of republicans in congress
have as dctiantly ignored it as has
Grover Cleveland trampled down the
financial resolutions that were a part of
the democratic platform. Di4tort the Ian
guag"aa they will, quibble as they may,
men Of either party who are in author
lty, and who are opposing bimctaIism,
are guilty Of dishonesty in its most con-
temptible form, eyading the clear spirit
and shielding themselves behind the
letter Of the text as thcp interpret it.
With this party resolution staring
them in tho face, it required great
ettrontery on the part of Morrill, and
Sherman to attack Carter and his silver
colleagues and attempt to read them out
of the party. As the matter stands it is
question Of the construction to be
placed upon the republican financial
plank, and there are but few who will
not agree that Teller and Carter are as
competent to do that aa are Sherman
and Morrill,. "But,' Indignantly asked
Morri |, after he had been placed on the
defensive by the Montana senator, "doy you
ask US to surrender our convictions and
support free coinage?' The question
implies that orly the gold men are en-
titled 10 have convictions, or il the silver
men have any they muet be surrendered
at the dictation Of their opponents. THIS
has been the practice SO long that the
present revolt comes in the nature Of
genuine surprise. A halt has been
called on the rule or ruin policy of the
eastern representatives. The west has
concluded that the only way to secure
justice Is to insist on having it, If,
rather than accord justice to the west,
the east sees tit to disrupt party organi
zatiOrs il must assume the reRpongihIity
1t is now on the defensive; the issue ia
fairly made, The west only aske what is |
right and what it is willing to accord
other sections, and that it will have. AaI
M. Teller remarked, free chinage is not
dead, it is not sleeping, it is not even tax
ing doze, it is wide awake, in excellent
health and has Oh its lighting clothea.