The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-06-27
The SILVER MEN APPEAL
BIIETALLIsM MUST NOT DEPEND
ON EXISTING PARTIES.
VIII Be Compelled to Drop
Party Affiliations.

in conference again today Ihey nave
issued the following address:
ITO the People of the United States
Obeying the call of duty and justified by
the common citizenship of this republic,
we address this communication to the
people and the forthcoming conventions
of the United States. In doing so, we
claim no authority or right other thanthat
which belongs to every man TO express
his personal convictions, but we respect
fully solicit the cooperation OF all who
believe that the time has come for
return to simpler and more direct meth
cd of naming men for national service
than has obtained in recent years.
Parties Should Not RetrOgrade.
Political party organization IS neces-
saiy, because without it the individual
voter is dumb, but the party is only the
means, not the end; it is the voice and
OF the sense. As the world adva IS o
this wonderful epoch of intellectual de-
velopment and physical Improvement
there is a constant requirement for bet
ter things. The individual feels that
requirement and heeds it or fails in LIES
endeavor. Parties must also obey the
same law. 1t follows, therefore, that the
moment a party shall choose to stand
still or retrogade, it also becomes in
efficient to achieve the end to which the
is no sanctity in mere party name, ard
the mark of deep decay is set on the indi-
vdual strength of the nation when the
absolute rule of political organization
ccerces men from the truth for the sake
of eXpedence and establishes insincere
submission to partisan rule for the sake
of power.
Recognizing the value and the SPLEEN
did achievements of political parties in
this country, as elsewhere, we are yet
constrained to believe that for more than
70 years no one of them has been en-
tirely sufficient for the needs Of the peo-
pie. The great trend to better things rest
ing in the heart and purpose of all men,
has been sta!d during the latter part of
this generation by the failure of parties
to explain in their achievements the high
est hope and aspirations of the mass of
the people who constitute the parties.
And there has been growing in This
country swelling with each recurrence
of the national elections. a great mass
of independent thinkers and voters which,
failing within itself to control, has gravi-
tated between the two great parties.
Since 1872 excepting possibly the election
of 1870, the pendulum has swung from
side to side with each four years. In 1872
the republican party elected the president;
in 1876 the democracy claimed the cleo
ton; in 1888 the republicans elected; in
1892 the democrats elected; in 1896 (until
within few wee5s) it has been conceded
that the republicans would elect. What
has been the cause of this mighty Oscil-
lation of mass which this year has
probably obtained the controlling proper
tons? Every man can answer for him
self. If he has been an observer; If ne
has had interests that We're affected; if
he has felt a hope to see greater justice
done, and has seen that hope blasted; if
he knows that the general dissatisfaction
has arisen from the fact that party prom
Uses We're broken to the people by party
performance, he knows THAI as soon as
the election was over and the successful
candidates installed, they became the
servitors of the party ana the advocaters
Of narrow and nOn-prOgressiVe policy
with which alone there seemed to be an
assurance of selfish safety and partisan
approval During all of this period we
have lacked great constructive admins
tration No new social truth has been put
forward 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 favored
of mankind, in the still greater and more
important domain of social reform, We
have stood still or retrogaded.
1T is not that 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 CON
trolled men in and out of Office II has
been a source of reprOach to any nan
that he should dare to renounce allagi-
ance to organization. Men have been ex-
pected to submit their views to the dicta-
ton of the conventions, although 1t is
common knowledge that conventions have
been swayed to views and declara lions
not the most approved by the mass OF
people, nor progressive for their vel
fare.
I'VE do not arrogate to ourselves one
iota more intelligence, patriotism or cour-
age than is possessed by other of cur
fellow citizens. But we feel that the
time has come for the performance OF
a duty to the country. and for our part.
though we shall stand alone, we will
make an endeavor in the direction of
that duty. Parties may outline their use
fulness; that truth never becomes obso-
lete. Every generation Of freemen has
the right to affirm the truths of past
knowledge and present requirements, and
if the enforcement of these truths shall
make necessary a departure from party
organization, the people have the eight
and will exercise it until all parties shall
return to the truth or new parties snail
be created to effect it into law.
IF the voices which have sounded ia
us from every state in this Union are
an indication of the real feeling, his
year Is the appointed time for the people
to assert themselves through such me-
diums as may give tho best promise OF
the achievement of justice. But wheth-
er we are mistaken or not concerning
the general sentiment in the United
States, we have not mistaken our own
duty in withdrawing from the republican
convention, feeling that it is better to he
right and with the minority in appar-
ent defeat than to be wrong with the
majority in apparent triumph. We hold
that in the great work of social evolu-
ton in this country monetary reform
stands as the first requisite. No policy.
however promising of good results. can
take ntqnn 4,