The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-10-12

words and misleading war cries. avoid
giving any countenance to socialistic or
anarchistic tendencies and know that the
first condition OF prosperity 10 any and
all classes OF people is a peaceful COM
monwealth and assurances OF social or
der. The monetary question Is. indeed. a
secondary issue in this campaign. I have.
however. my convictions In this matter.
The free and unlimited coinage OF silver
dollars at ratio OF l6 to by the United
States. Independently OF the other great
commercial nations. into dollars which
shall be made legal tender. will disturb
the whole business OF the country and
bring upon II a financial depression far
beyond anything which We are now ex-
periencing. The question before the peo-
pie OF America to-day Is the coinage Of
silver by this country Independently Of
the great commercial nations OF the
world at the ratio OF l6 10 1. This ratio Is
the double OF the present commercial
value Of silver. The consequences OF un-
are easily perceived. The one hope OF the
silver party is that under free coinage
We will raise the value OF silver to 81 ~
an ounce measured in gold.'
ION what authority Is this saidf On
the mere word OF the men who make the
assertion. The experience Of our own
country contradicts the assertion. The
purchasing of nifty millions Of silver bull
lion per year under the sherman act was
notable TO prevent the fall In the value
of silver from over a dollar an ounce to
its present low value. Common sense Is
against the assertion. Silver Is now pro
duced In such quantities at such small
expense OF production that Its value can
not be kept up to Its former standard
And Is the whole business of America to
be imperiled by a leap into an expert
ment which those very men who advo-
cate II confess to be only an experiment
and which experience and common sense
condemn"
Worse, to my mind. than all this
Is the spirit of socialism that permeates
the whole movement, which has is
sued from the convention OF Chicago.
II Is the International of Europe. now
taking body in America. OF this one
cannot be convinced when the move
ment Is closely observed. the shib-
boleths of its adherents listened TO. the
discourses OF its orators carefully ex-
amined. The war Of class against
class is upon us. the war of the pro-
letariat against the property holder.
given TO the appeals TO the common
pee pie no the laborer' to the roor and
down trodden' and 10 the denuncia-
tions against 'pIutocrats' and rorpora-
tIons and money grabbers' and
.bankers' Many adherepts of the
movement do not perceive its full
meaning: but let them beware: they
are lighting torches which. borne in
the hands OF reckless men. may Hight
nm In the country the lurId Ares of a
commune America, heretofore. has
been free from socialistic hatred and
warfare. n has been n country of op-
portunIties for ALI men and II has given
10 the laborer A livelihood hieher and
better than ia efrorded him In any
other country in the world. In this all
to be changed? Is social chaos. gloat-
ing over ruins. TO be the method of
social elevation of the nassea? There
NAV be room in some things for peace
ful amelioration through we'll
informed public opinion and orderly
legislation hui class hatred and angry
passion never lead TO aught but general
misery and suffering.