The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1896-07-11
HARTMAN SERVES NOTICE.
And tho People Of Montana Will
Indorse His Courageous Stand for
Rectitude and Justice.

Hon. Lee Mantle, chairman repub-
lean state committee. Butte. Mont,
Dear sir: The action of the nation
republican convention at St. Louis
in adopting a platform declaring for
The gold standard, and the refusal of
delegates from certain states to APP
prove that platform. present a sub
iect now uppermost in the minds of
the people, upon which | desire to
submit some observations for public /,
alton.
Prior to the convention of June
Is, 1886, the national republican par
ty was pledged to the support of the
two great principles of protection and
bimetallism. AS an humble member
of that organization, / have always
cordially supported by voice and
vote these two principles. The re-
publican party of Montana in its va
rious platforms has announced its f.
deity to both protection and bimet-
allism and that organization has in
effect adopted as its definition of BIZ
metallism "the free and unlimited
coinage of both gold and silver at
the existing ratio"
Aside from the question of ratio,
this is in effect the definition given
that word by every economic writer
of prominence or authority prior to
the year 1895. The national repub-
lican party has now r~epudiated BIZ
metallism. From it's demand for the
use of both gold and silver as stand
ard money" in its platform of 1892,
it has receded and declared for gold
as the sole standard of money.
1t has the undoubted right to
change the party tenets whenever it
sees fit so to do. 1t has the right to
forsake bimetallism, or protection, OF
both. 1t has forsaken bimetallism
repudiated "gold and silver as stand
ard money and declared for the sin
gle standard of gold. 1t is the right
of every republican who does not be-
lieve in bimetallism to follow the ma
tional convention in it's desertion Of
bimetallism and its adherence to the
gold standard. 1t is equally the right
and duty of every republican who
hooestly and sincerely believes in bi
mctallism as an essential prerequisite
to prosperity in this country to re
use to follow, AS a republican O
Montana in exercise of hat right
deeply regretting the necessit,
which impels me to this course, | re
spectfully but positively decline tt
aid in perpetuating the gold stand
ard with its Legitimate and conse
puent evils upon the producers an,
wage earners of this country.
Believing sincerely, as I do, tina
no general or permanent prosperit,
can exist in this country so lonu a,
we attempt to maintain the golt
standard, | cannot consistently, witt
that conviction, and my sense of du
ty, support any man for presiden
who will directly or indirectly con
tinue the maintenance of that stand
ard.
The United States is the creates
producing nation on the face Of thu
earth. We are also a debtor nation
In our products consists our wealth
From these products our debts, bot
individual, and national are paid
How we ale to become Weather b
reducing the price of everything W
produce is a proposition am unabl
to comprehend, and yet the afirma
tive of that proposition must be sus
tanned in order to justify the contir
ued existence of the gold standard.
How we will de able, upon a basi
alike fair, equable and honorable t
to debtor and creditor, to liuuidat
our indebtedness from the proceed
of the sale of our products, when til
prices Of such products are continr
ally decreasing, is a question {
equal Importance and equal difficult,
TO say that it is just to require
larger quantity of a given product t
pay a debt than the amount that tn
debt would have purchased at tn
time of its contraction. is to ASSET
that falling prices are to the interes
of the producer, or else to assert tina
the right of the debtor and produce