Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1896-02-20

plank was Cunningly drafted SO ms to sat
isfy both gold and silver men, with the
| intention that 1t should be interpreted, II
Cleveland was elected, as meaning the ces-
sation of silver coinage and tho forcing Of
gold standard upon tho people Inter-
preted according to tho plain use and
meaning of English words, tho platform
means bimetallism, but there arc oOndl-
lions and ambiguous phrases which have
afforded an excuse to tho elastic conscience
OF tho bullheAded and self idolntrOus man
who holds tho reins Of power to pursue the
policy h0 has. Whether the scheme wRs
agreed to by the president in person or not
and whether he bound himself in plain
terms or not will perhaps never be known.
His course has been answering In the alb
soluto contradiction Of his public profess
SiOns and letter Of acceptance. The eXpec-
tatiOns and interests of tho people have
been forgotten and ignored. The party
which elected him has been betrayed, and
its banners, which lloated so trlumphantly
in the breezes of 1892, now trail In the
dust of disgrace and defeat. The practical
destruction Of the party has been accom-
plishcd AS a proof Of 1t, while the ma
tional convention Is only six months off,
there Is no one prominently mentioned rs
its candidate for the presidency. No one
seems willing to offer himself MS yicarl-
Gus sacrifice Oh tho altar Of diSgraced
and dishOnOred party. Inc Republicans,
who had been defeated by such an over
wholming vote at the last presidential
election IRE now in possession Of tho other
branch Of congress by a majority unknown
to our history, except during and immedi-
ately after tho war. They are there not
because there has been All increase in the
Republican veto, but because hundreds OF
thousands of dlsgusted Democrats have
stuid at home aud lot the election 20 by
default.
There was no troublB with the gold re.
soryo and no hint Of any loss Of con fldenCo
IN tho national credit until about tho timo
Of tho presidential election. While the
secretary Of the treasury, Mr.. Foster was
contemplating the probabilities Of deficit
in the revenue the rniding Of tho treasury
by withdrawing gold did not begin until
after Cleyeland's election
There were Withdrawals Of gold In tina
regular order Of business, but the endless
chain had not begun to work.
Object Lesson Of 1898.
We then for the first timo got glimpse
OF tho conspiracy Of which have spoken.
Mr.. Foster gave tho holders OF grecnbacks
and treasury notes Inception OF having gov.
eminent paper eashed In gold or silver, and
as they all demanded gold the gold In the
treasury rapidly ran down. The financial
papers took up the cry OF the country going
to n silver basis and the first premonitory
breezes Of tho panic Of 1898 swept over the
land. While there were no reasonable
causes to produce distrust the consplratorJ
fomented 1t by every means possible and
set in motion tho machinery Of the news
papers which they control to torrorize tho
business interests OF the country and make
rssdy for the "objeCt lesson" which Mr..
Cleveland told US whs coming. 1t was
sIpSStsd By the OOnAdlnS Democracy thAs
the instailat!on Of the new administration