The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1896-09-03
THE SITUATION TODAY.


The action of the silver Republi-
cans, in their convention at Boise,
in endorsing the major part of the
fusion ticket Of the Democrats and
Populists, practically forces, to our
mind, some sort of broad minded
action to settle division between
honest men so as to unite silver ele
ments on harmonious lines. We may
be censured in some quarters, but
when we honestly believe every pa
triotic thread, each weak singly,
should be woven into Il good strong
rope to hang the oppressors~ of our
country, we should not be condemned
for expressing that belief 1t carries
no reflection on our manhood.
Such was the idea OF the Demo
cratic county convention when it ex
pressed its desire that. its delegates
to Boise should use their endcavors
towards union OF all silver ele
ments. Acting under the will of
the county convention, the Washing
ton delegation went to Boise and did
its best to have the call OF the state
committee carried out But while
the convention held itself bound
by that call in one thing in an
other, this one, it coolly over
threw the state committee. While
the Washington county delegation
was on the minority side, its con-
science was clear and it felt that il
had tried to represent its people. l,
felt that it had done right 1t thought,
with its county constituency, that
democracy was the symbol of hui
manity and justice, that it was al
ways the symbol of the common
cause OF the common people and was
now, and that IL it found men who
had been its political enemies, now
coming to it with open hands, hav-
ing spurned the evil tendencies of
their own party, and expressing
themselves as willing to become allies
of ours IN this cause, that the added
strength should be welcomed and
treated fairly A union, so the mi
nority thought, of all silver forces at
this time would be but the incarna-
ton OF that great spirit which the
laws OF the world sometimes raise up
against the world and by which the
worlds injustice is sometimes awful
ly classified; that it would be an en-
bodiment of that spirit which, on a
vast national theatre, sometimes rises
up, majestic and sublime, to peace
ably overthrow the oppressors Of the
people. II silver republicans had
pierced the golden veil of their party
and abhorred what they saw beneath,
II, Notwithstanding its delusive at
mosphere Of aristocracy, its attend
ent elements OF literature and science,
wealth and luxury, commerce and
plutocratic glory, they had still been
able to see the millions of victims
crushed beneath the wheels OF the
machine-the health sacrificed
lives ruined-the boards breadless-
the jails filled--ihe hospitals reeking
throughout the land--and in their
humanity had spurned the policy that
fostered it all and had come to march
under the silver banner, should they
not be applauded and the glory sbar-
ed with them? Should parties battle
npon catchwords and struggle over
things OF straw while nation sinks
to rum? Was it democratic 10 pelt
each other with the bubbles OF fac
ton while states decay? Would such
action have no parallel in the past?
The fathers awaited themselves OF
such means to battle against human
wrong Wosld jefferson, Jackson !
or Lincoln haggIe over the means in
such desperate il they were
serc now? Would they not lit THEN