Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1896-06-03

again we have warned out readers that
the tremendous noise the free-silver
politicians Of both the old parties are
making is intended mainly to lull the
fool people into state Of false Sc
curity.
Give us another chance: we are
going to do right next time" that's
the oily plea of the political scoundrels
who went to Congress in 1892 pledged
to free-silver. and who put the finish
ing touch to the John Sherman policy
of Contraction by closing the minis to
silver.
Just try us once more" says the Az
lanta Constitution, I'VE are going to be
honest this time"
Are you indeed? You fooled us with
that pretense in 1892; you fed us on the
same deception in 1894: and you mean
TO delude us again.
You will do anything in Gods world,
except quit the pie-counters of the
democratic party. You howled for free
silver in 1892, and then supported the
gold-bugs. You denounced the enemies
to free-silver in 1894, and then put your
neck to the yoke and helped 10 pull
them into office.
And what you did then, you will do
again.
So with the balance of these Demo
cratic free-silverites. They threaten
10 bolt in order to compel the party
TO pay them high price not to bolt
And they never bolt. There's that
blatant person, Tillman Of South Caro-
INA. He has been cursing the Demo-
cratic party for six years. Keeps the
reformers of South Carolina waiting.
hoping and believing that this time
llllman is going to bolt. The state
OF South Carolina is ripe for revolt
has been so for four years; but the re-
form element does not break away from
the Democratic party simply because
Ben Tillman does not give the word
He is always just on the edge, but he
never leaps.
In 1889 and 1890, Tillman was the
Moses OF the South Carolina farmers;
and was leading them out of the wilder
ness OF Democratic mis-rule. He or
ganized a country ring as against the
city ring, got the Offices for his own
combination, selected the best one for
himself,-and there you are! Moses
landed In high style in the Canaan
OF milk and honey, but so far as l can
see the children of Israel generally
the rag-tag and bob taiD-are pretty
much In the same fix they were before
Benjamin appeared.
The free-silverism of the two old
parties means worse than nothing. It
is pit-fall, snare, confidence game.
With one accord they howl wrathfully
against the gold standard candidates.
but with one accord they say, IF my
party dominates the gold standard can
didate. I'll support him."
What have we to expect from men
who have no test of truth and right
save the caucus dictation of political
bosses?
Not only do we find all the Demo
cratic free-silverites saying that they
Will support gold standard candidates
II nominated. but we find free-silver-
ties aiding the money power in put
ting gold-bugs into office. Last week
we showed how the free silverites of
Alabama had surrendered control of
the campaign machinery to the gold
bug Democrats.
| Does that look like they really care
for free-silver? Doesn't 1t seem as
though the free-silver issue is merely
the platform to get in on: merely the
sham-f1ght to keep the people fooled?
! But there is another piece of evidence
to the same effect. 1t is furnished by
that shifter political trimmer. Charles
F. Crisp.
This interesting man recently went
around over Georgia, with a palm tto
fan in his hand. pretending to debate
with Hoke Smith in favor of free-sjl-
yer. Said good deal against Hoke.
but nightly little in favor of free-sil-
yer. Caught sore throat and a heart
failure, and meandered back to Wash
ington, on his free pass, to rest and to
reflect.
While on his way back from this free
silver tour, he took occasion to send
into the district of General Catchings
Of Mississippi. the full force of his
recommendation of said Catchings,-
who is an ardent gold-bug. The free
silverites of Mississippi are after Catch
ings' scalp, and free-silver Democrat
is making the fight on him; yet Mr..
Crisp goes out Of his way to express
the hope that the free-silver Democrat
VIII be deisated.
In anotb .r place will be found a full
account Of the letters which have been
written upon this subject.
Mr.. Cri3p's attitude toward General
Catching. simply proves what we have
said all 2long,-that, at heart he cares
nothing for free-silver.
If hH really believed what he has
been saying in his recent speeches, he
could cot honorably support a gold-bug
against free-silver Democrat, when
the contest between them is for the
Democratic nomination.
But while We have no confidence in
Mr.. Crisp politically, and regard him
ns man devoid of political PRINCIPLES
we do not claim that he is the chief
OF the old party sinners on this silver
question. They are all alike-these
old-party politicians. They care moth
ing for silver itself. It's merely "stock-
in-trade" to them. They use it as they
would use any other popular sentiment
They mount this wagon as they would
mount any other that seemed likely to
carry them into Office.