Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1896-05-02
"cL' oIIS POSITION DEFINED
Silver Wen Must Not Desert the oil.
Parties

Washington, April Ex-senator Wolcott
has written letter defining his position
IN regard to the St Louis convention
The senator's position is radically diff
fcfent from the position of his colleague
senator Teller, as Senator Wolcott indi-
Gates his intention of remaining with the
| iepubHean party whatever action it may
take on the currency question. His letter
IS as follows:
Washington, April 2S-Irving W Ho-
bert. Chairman Republican State Com
mlttee-Ny Dear Sir: During the past
few weeks | have received many letters
from Colorado friends the subject of
the coming republican national conven-
ton, many of them asking me if ! desired
to go Il delegate.
To avoid amy possible misconception as
70 my position | write this letter to you
hS the chairman of the republican state
central committee. ! prefer not to go to
s.. Louis as a delegate and have carefully
avoided the slightest indication to any
body of any sort of wish to be present
at the convention in that capacity.
Il have. however, an opinion of the sub
Ject OF our representation at the conven-
ton which it seems proper | should eX-
press to you. When the republican state
convention meets in Colorado, May A.
1t may decline to be represented at St.
Louis or it may select delegates. If the
atter, the duty of the delegation in my
opinion Will pt 10 attend Ine convention.
make the best fight possible for bimetal-
lis m in the committee resolutions and
o. the floor of the convention if there
Shall be an opportunity for discussion be
fore tne whole convention and after hay-
ing insisted by every proper method upon
tht duty of the convention to declare i'll
favor of the restoration of silver as a
measure of value equally with gold, to
accept the will of the majority of the
convention and endeaVor to secure the
ncmina ton of the candidates most friendly
10 western interests. There is no sacrifice
1 would not make to secure the remoneti-
zatiOn of silver. not because Colorado Is q
producer of silver, but because in my opin-
ion prosperity Will never return unless bi-
metalliSm at the former ratio is re-eStab-
lished. and because the apprecating value
OF gold and the shfinkage OF values which
necessarily follow this apprecia ton must
bring only disaster and poverty and suffer
ing to all the people of this country Who
are not lenders of money. To secure the
unlimited coinage Of silver | would count
party ties as nothing. At this moment
however, the situation which confronts us
is this: Both of the two great parties are
apparently opposed to free coinage by The
United States. The populist party favors
free coinage. but only as a means of Sc
curing more currency, as a stepping stone
to unlimited paper money, and it unites
with free coinage advocacy SOcialiStiC and
patefnaliStic doctrines which are danger
Gus in tendency, and which would be, if
adopted destructive to free institutions. |
know of no fourth party as yet entitled -
our confidence and support although the
wisdom of the leaders whose character
and abilities trust may find some com
mon ground upon which bimetallists
united with popuIism will stand.
It nder these circumstances and cOndi-
tions, therefore, l desire to be counted
a republican, proud of the traditions of my
party, glorying in its achievements and
still hopeful the great party which has
heretofore stood for the masses against
the classes may in this great economic
question yet range itself on the side of
humanity and Of civilization. If either one
of the two great parties shall declare III
favor Of the unlimited coinage cf silver at
our mints, existing political conditions in
Colorado will undergo a sweeping change.
In this letter ! only speak of the situation
as it is today. There is, in my opinion, one
event which might involve our country in
worse disaster than mOnOmctalliSm. and
that would be the triumph of populism.
Colorado suffered under the degradati ton
and blight of populist rule for two years.
| believe it the duty of every good citizen
to stand up and fight in open against
repetition of that rulnOuS experiment. One
thing further, our representation is small
at best. To have the slightest weight it
should. If any delegation is sent, be prac-
tically unanimous in sentiment anCs ex
preston. The occasion is not one where.
personal ambition or desire for patronage
should Influence selection.
Il have faith and confidence that the
way will be made clear for good citizens
in Colorado to cast their ballots this fall
without sacrificing their honor or their
convictions.