The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-01
The silver Debate.

Great Falls Tribune: During the silver
[, debate in the senate Wednesday, pre-
| cipitated by the speech of Senator Car
ter, there were blows to take as we'll as
blows to give. and a glance at the re-
/ port Will show that the free coinage
men did not get any the worst of it;
on the contrary, they were i'm posses
! sion of the field when time was called.
| In the fight only republicans participat-
| ed, though the cross-firing that ensued
| developed that the republicanism of
| Carter and Teller was rated by their
| colleagues as being of a doubtful quail
| ity. The Western gentlemen, however,
defended their political integrity effect
| lively and to the entire satisfaction of
| their friends, IL not of their adverse
| ries. Both Teller ana Carter insisted
| that their action was strictly in accord
| with the republican platform of 1892,
| and that Morrill, and Sherman and
those who were acting with them were
false to the party pledges. In this con-
| tention the silver men are clearly right
The financial plank in the Minneapolis
| platform 'rcl red in favor of bimetal-
lism and the use of both gold and silver
as standard money. because "the inter-
ests OF the producers of the country
Its farmers and it's workingmen, de-
mand that every dollar. paper or coin.
issued by the government shall be as
good as any other" This is plain
enough. Yet a majority of republicans
In congress have as defiantly ignored it
as mas Grover Cleveland trampled
down the financial resolutions that
were a part of the democratic platform.
Distort the language as they will quib-
Die as they may, men of either party
VINO are In authority. and who are OPP
posing bimetallism, are guilty of dis
honesty in Its most contemplate form.
evading the clear spirit and shielding
no ind h. 11f
as they interpret it.
with this party resolution staring
them In the face, IL required great eff
frontery on the part of Morrill, and
Sherman to attack Carter and his silver
colleagues and attempt to read them
out or the party. AS the matter stands
IL is question of the construction to
be placed upon the republican financial
plank, and there are but few who will
not agree that Teller and Carter are as
competent to do that as are Sherman
and Morrill,. But" Indignantly asked
morrill,, after he had been placed on the
defensive by the Montana senator. do
you ask us to surrender our convictions
and support free colnage?" The cues
ton Implies that only the gold men
are entitled to convictions, or IL the sill
yer men have any, they must be sur
rendered at the dictation Of their oppo-
nents. This has been the practice so
long that the present revolt comes in
the nature Of a genuine surprise. A
halt has been called on the rule or ruin
policy Of the Eastern representatives.
The West has concluded that the only
way to secure justic is to insist on
having It, If. rather than accord JUS
tlce TO the West, the East sees fit to
disrupt party organizations, IL must
assume the responsibility. 1t is now on
the defensive; the issue is fairly made.
The West only asks what is right and
what 1t is willing to accord other sec
tions, and that ii will have AS Mr..
Teller remarked. free coinage is not
dead; 1t is not sleeping; II is not even
taking a doze; it is wide awake, in ex-
cellent health, and has on it's fighting
clothes.