Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-08-05
THE EDUCATED MASSES.

The ENQUIRER has more than once
stated that, in it's opinion, no other issue
which has ever been presented TO the
country has been more thoroughly under
stood by the masses than the free coinage
question. This statement was not based
altogether on what we have seen at home
but also from information gathered from
the representative newspapers in all parts
of the country. The testimony comes moi
only from silver people; but from theii
opponents as well.
Judge r. M. Otter of Hillsboro, O., is
strong advocate of the single gold stand
ard. Previous to the recent Democratic
state convention he canvassed the state in
opposition to the alleged free coinage
heresy. How Ohio went, however, is ia.
miliar story. But Judge Otter did moi
drop the fight there. He has been doing
all he could ever since. At last he is get
ting somewhat discouraged. To the Gin
cinnati Enquirer the other day he gave
the following straightforward and frank
interview:
"Many waves of sentiment have swept
over Ohio, but have never seen any
thing like the present. In the country
districts the silver sentiment is intense
Every man you see is loaded with argyll
ments, and there is no use trying to talk
with him.
"The silver men have been reading
everything they could get hold Of on their
side of the question, until they can out
talk Harvey. 1t has become a sort o1
religion with them, and they will not
listen to nor tolerate opposition. You
can't make any impression on them any
more than you can argue man out OF bis
religious faith. The thing has spread SO
that l regard the result in the state as
doubtful, perhaps with the probablllty
favorable to Bryan.
"At all events, it is by no means certain
that Mckinley can carry the state. The
normal Republican majority is about
$1,000. That is the safe, natural Repub-
lican majority. There are about 81, 2,OOO
Populist votes and 10000 Prohibition
votes. Bryan will probably get 5o,oOo
Populist votes and Is, 900 Prohibition that
is, he will get the silver vote OF these two
parties.
"In the cities there will be considera-
BILE gold Democratic vote for Mckinley
in the country districts there will be a
large silver Republican vote for Bryan.
These may pretty nearly offset each other,
though it looks as if Bryan would get
more Republican votes in the country
than he will lose Democrats in the cities.
"There is hardly anything but silver
talked of throughout the state. The men
around the threshing machines at lunch
times, the groups around the country
stores and about the village hotels, Re-
publicans and Democrats, head to head,
are talking about the money question.
Men who never before could talk together
on politics without punching each others
heads are talking the matter over in a
sympathetic spirit"
1t has been argued that while the mass
es are we'll educated on this issue, it must
be remembered that the aggregate
wealth of the country is on the other
side, and in states like Ohio sufficient
number of silverites to change the result
can be bought up and marched to the
polls like sheep. While the like has been
done before, we hardly think there is any
danger now. People who have studied
an issue as this one has been studied cam
not afford to sell their votes at price
that those who would buy can afford to
pay, and for once they will vote their hon
est convictions in the hope that if they are
successful they will get practical benefits
the like Of which has never been derived
from political issue before.