The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-08-06
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular Correspoudent.l
WAsHINGTON, Aug 3. 180G.

paid employee Bryan is said to be,
to corrupt the unthinking masses
with fallacious arguments and
promises Of something for nothing
viii end in defeat for the party of
anarchy and reputation. Every
day information is received from
communities in which it had been
supposed that the silver sentiment
bad full sway showing that the SEN
,iment in favor of honest money
and protection to American indus
try, which is solely champIoned by
the Republican party is on the IN
crease. This too in the face Of the
fact that the Republicans have just
begun the sharp shooting Of the
great battle which is to be wagcd
in the interests OF our right to
have an honest currency and the
night to earn it by honest toll.
In the campaign literature that
Is being sent out by the Republican
Congressional Committee every ar
gument that is being advanced by
the advocates Of the free and indie
pendent coinage of silver by this
government is being fully met and
refuted, but a protective tariff,
which most Republicans believe to
be the thing in which the country
stands most in need of and from
which it will derive the most bene-
1T, is also being advocated just as
strongly as though there were no
such issue as silver in the campaign.
Had there been no Democratic
tinkenng with the tariff law which
the Republicans left on the statute
books, the silver question never
would have risen to the dignity Of
National issue, notwithstanding
the extensive and expensive agita-
ton which has been carried on for
several years at the expense Of the
men who own the big silver mines
they are the only men who would
be largely benefited by the free
coinage of silver, now standing at
ratio Of 81 to l, at ratio of 1G
to l.
There are a number Of Senators
whose prosy and mOnotonous style
Of making speeches on hackneyed
subjects never fails to clear the
galleries whenever they speak, but
for some time Senator Stewart, of
Nevada, has held the record for
clearing the galleries oftener, and
quicker than any of his colleagues.
Senator Jones, Of Arkansaw, chair
man of the Democratic National
Committee, knows this and that is
why he is in quandary as to what
10 do about Senator Stewards offer
to take the stump for Bryan. If
be declines the offer he will offend
Stewart and some of his personal
friends, and if he accepts Stewart
will make more votes for Mckinley
than for Bryan, If allowed to speak |
IN his own way.
The National Republican Protoc-
5iVe Association. an organization Of |
prominent colored men, the main
object Of which Is to educate the
oolored voters upon the questions
at issue in the campaign, has opened |
headquarters it Washington. While |
the association will endeavor to get |
in touch with colored clubs IN all |
sections, it has decided to pay es-
peolal attention to the states of |
West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia,
North Carolina, Alabama, Tennes
see and Kentucky, in all of which |
Mckinley and Hobart are believed |
to have more than fighting chance
to win, and in all Of which the sill
yer men are trying to work on the |
0olored voters.
Representative Tawney, of Min
nesota, now in Washington on bust
ness. said: 81 believe that we will |
be able to carry Minnesota for Nc
Kiuley, but it will require herd work
as all the clements opposed to Re
publicanism are going tO'effeot a
thorough fusion. Nelson carried
tie state in '94 by large plurality
but very small majority over the
combined vote Of the Democrats,
Populists and Prohibitionists.
There are signs of a reaction against
the free silver movement and | be-
leye there will be many changes
among voters who have been tenn
porarily misled by the fiat money
lelusion. The advocates of silver
have hurt their cause greatly by
raising the sectional plea of a south
ern and western alliance against the
east. They have also done them
selves harm by publishing detached
sentences Of a speech made by Mr..
Blaine, containing artfully picked
out expressions speaking of both
silver and gold as the money of the
constitution, and suppressing what
he SAID in the same speech about
the dishonesty Of stamping dollar