Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1896-08-04

SILVER tITl, ~. NJ, August ISL
Whatever may be The position OF any
citizen who has affiliated with the re-
publican party in the past, in the pres
ent campaign he cannot but regret that
such a condition exists In New Mexico
as precludes a possibility Of uniting
the voters who have yielded a loyal al
legiance TO that party, under its ban
ner, In the next election.
In some OF the northwestern states
the party organization will be main
tanned and, while the voters choose for
themselves what electoral ticket they
will vote, the party candidates for on
gress, the legislature and state and
county officers will be voted for as re-
p%ublicans. In doing this 40 man sur
renders his convictions upon the issues
of silver reconciliation or protection.
Believing that the election of Bryan Is
necessary to inaugurate a policy Of BIZ
metallism, through the use Of The
standard silver dollar as money Of re-
demption--leading inevitably to the
opening Of the mints to the ~freescoin-
age Of silver--he casts his vote for the
democratic electors, while voting for a
republican for congress and republi-
cans for members Of the legislature,
who will vote for a republican for the
United States senate. Still the voter
who 80 chooses to cast his ballot does
not sever his connection with the party
organization. This, Of course, requires
a conciliatory spirit upon the part Of
the conflicting elements in the party,
instead Of prescription, de~nunciation
and abuse.
How much easier this course might
be pursued in New Mexico, where we
have no vote for president, had the re-
publican leaders and the newspapers
claiming to voice the sentiment Of the
party taken a different courseP
The first mistep vas taken Mt the
Territorial convention, at Albuquerque,
on the 23rd Of March, when the repre-
sentatives of the party failed to declare
its position upon either the tariff or
silver. l was not a delegate In that
convention, but attended it,as a repub-
lican, especially Interested In what 1t
should do in regard to the silver ques-
ton. Many of the delegates will now
recall the persistent efforts which |
made to have the following resolution
brought before that convention for con-
sideration and adoption:
"Resolred, that the republicans OF
New Mexico are in favor Of the COM
plete remonetiz atom ofssilver and use
of the standard silver dollar as money
of final redemption, and believe that
the bond holder and money changer
should be compelled to accept in re-
demption of treasury notes and other
evidences of Indebtedness Of the gov
eminent the same forms of money as
are paid the laborer for his hire; and
we are in favor of the free and unlim-
tied coinage of both gold and silver,
upon equal terms at the minis of the
United States, at the ratio of l6 to L."
In that convention a motion had car
ried that all resolutions be referred to
the committee on resolutions without
reading, and that no resolutions except
those reported by the committee w0Wld be
considered By the convention. The COM
mittee ON resolutions, with Ex-Governor
Prince as its chairman, avoided all
reference to the silver question as we'll
as the tariff, and the republican party
of New Mexico now stands before the
people upon two issues-statehood and
Mr.. Catron. The first has been effec-
tually disposed of by the republican
national convention, which declared
for statehood for the Territories when
s.regard for the interests of the United
States" renders it desirable, and which
nominated o man for president whose
immediate following are the most
venomous, unreasonable and uncom
promising opponents of statehood for
New Mexico. The latter issue may not
be presented to the people again and
need not be discussed at this time.
A more humiliating spectacle l have
never witnessed than that of the dis
gentleman, whose voice has
SO often been heard In behalf Of the
cause of silver, making excuses for the
presentation of the report of the COM
mittee on resolutions in that conven-
ton, emitting all reference to either
the tariff or silver. But for that act,
Governor Prince would be the logical
candidate of his party for deleg ate to
congress, but the voters will never ac-
cept the lame excuses offered by. HIM
in that convention for his abject sub.
mission to the party bosses, not the
least of whose objects was to place him
in a compromising position.
Ia urging upon delegates to that
the ACCESSIBILITY of a declar-
alton upon silver in harmony with the
of almost all the voters OF
the party in the Territory, regardless
Of the dictation of the bosses, and
warning them of danger Of the pro-
posed course Of ignoring the issues, I
met with contumely, threats and
reviling. Within the past six weeks, |
several of those-who were delegates to |
hat convention have said to me,
Carr. you were right at Albuquerque.
We should have declared our position
upon the issues OF hi. metallism and
protection in that convention, and now
We would have something to rally the
voters in our party"
The proscriptive spirit of a portion
the party press Of the Territory, af-
er that convention and before the as
'embling OF the national conv e%ntion,
the abject surrender of all
PRINCIPLES in the interest of One candi.
late for president, did not contribute
o a condition OF harmony. Nor has
he prOmulpatiOn of the decree that All