The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-06-20
SILVER And TELLER
The Boilers Of the Republican Con-
vention Issue an Address.
1T IS TIME FOR A CHANGE
They Review the Causes Of Their
Action and Suggest a Union of
the Forces In support OF the
Coloradoan for President.

~s @4Sest ~ sectaont
st. Louis. June 19.-The silver men
were In conference again to-day. They
have issued the following address:
To the people Of the United States:
Obeying the call Of duty. and justi-
Ned by the common citizenship of this
republic. We address this communica-
cation to the people and to the forth
coming conventions of the United
States. In doing this we claim no au-
thority or right other than that which
belongs to every man to express his
personal conviction; but we respect
fully solicit the cooperation of all who
believe that the time has come for a
return to simpler and more direct
method OF naming men for national
service than has obtained In recent
years.
Political party organization u nee
essary, because. without 1t. the indi-
vidual voter Is dumb. But the party
Is only the means not the end; II Is
the voice and not the sense. As the
the world advances In this wonderful
epoch Of intellectual development and
physical Improvement, there is a con-
stanat requirement for better things.
The individual feels that requirement
and heeds II, or fails In life's endeavor.
Parties must also obey the same law.
1t follows, therefore, that the moment
a party shah choose to stand still or
retrograde 1t also becomes inefficient
to achieve the end to which the people
are necessarily destined. There is no
sanctity In mere party name. and the
mark Of decay Is set on individual
strength in the nation when the abso-
lutte rule Of political organization CO.
erces men from the truth for the sake
Of expediency and establishes insincere
submission to partisan rule for the
sake Of power.
Recognizing the value and the splen-
did achievements Of political parties
In this country. as elsewhere. we are
yet constrained to believe that for
has been entirely sufficient for the
needs Of the people. The great trend
to better things resting in the hearts
and purposes of all men has been
stayed during the latter part Of this
generation by the failure Of parties
to express. In their achievements. the
highest hopes and aspirations of the
mass of the people who constitute 'hs
parties And there has been growing
In this country. swelling with each
recurrence Of national elections, o great
mass Of independent thinkers and vot-
ers, which. failing within itself to con-
troll. has gravitated between the two
great parties. Since 1872, excepting
possibly the election of 1875. the pen
dulum has swung from side to side
with each four years. In 1870 the re-
publican party elected the president;
in 1876 the democracy claimed the elec-
ton; In 1880 the republican party elect
ed; In 1884 the democrats elected; In
1888 the republicans elected; In 1892 the
democrats elected; in 1886. until within
few weeks, II has been conceded that
the republicans would elect.
What has been the cause Of this
mighty oscillation Of a mass which,
this year. has probably obtained con-
trolling proportions. every man can an
swer to himself. II he has been an OBJ
server; II he has had interests that
were affected; II he has felt hope to
see greater justice done and has seen
that hope blasted; II he knows that
the general dissatisfaction has arisen
from the fact that party promises
made were broken to the people by
party performance. he knows that as
soon as the election was over and the
successful candidates installed. they
became the servitors of the party and
the advocates of a narrow and nom
progressive policy within which alone
there seemed to be an assurance of
selfish safety and partisan approval.
During all this period we have lacked a
great constructive administration.
No new social truth has been put for
ward In an effective way. While In all
the departments Of physical life there
have been developments and achieve
ments Of ease and comfort to the fav-
ored Of mankind: in the still greater
and more important domain Of social
reform. we have stood still or retro
graded.
1t is not because the people have not
felt the STRINGS Of determination that
this inaction has endured. but because
of the rule Of the party which has
largely controlled men in and out OF
Office. II has been q source of reproach
to any man that he should dare to re-
nounce allegiance to organization.
Men have been expected to submit
their Views to the dictation of conven-
tions. although II Is common know
ledge that conventions have been sway
ed to views and declarations not the
most approved by the mass Of people,
nor conducive to their welfare.
We do not arrogate to ourselves one
iota more OF intelligence. patriotism OF
courage than is possessed by
other of our fellow citizens.
But we feel that the thine has
come for the performance Of a duty to
our country; and. for our part. though
we shall stand alone we will make an