Great Falls weekly tribune., 1896-10-09
THEY ARE ON THE RAGGED EDGE
Republican Candidates Find Them.
selves Between the Devil and
the Deep Sea.
They Refuse to Sign the Silver Pledge
Lest They Lose Goldbug
Votes.

Ine republican candidates for county
offices are in an anxious frame of mind
these daye Whether il would be better
to offend the goldbug McKinleyites by
declaring themselves for silver, by sign
ing the silver pledge prescribed at the
late silver republican convention as a
condition Of their names being certified
to the county clerk or, on the other
hand, refuse and run the chance of
losing silver republican votes, was the
question that has been agitating them
for some days back. The pledge
itself was harmless and mean
lngiesa affair, purposely framed
so that any McKinleyite might
have signed it. 1t only required the
candidate to say that he was in favor of
the free coinage Of silver and would do
all he could to bring it about. But even
that was bugbear to some of the can
didates. Indefinite as its terms were,
perhaps they felt it would hurt their
conscience to sign it and then vote for
Mckinley, or perhaps they feared some
single gold standard man might scratch
their names on the ticket. At any rate,
they determined to persevere in their
efforts not to go on record, and refused
to sign. The result is that their names
we're yesterday certified as silver repub-
lican nominees without having to define
their position on the silver question. 1t is
we'll known fact that large majority
of the names on the ticket are
those of Mckinley men. The convention
at which they were nominated was en-
gineered and bossed by L. G. Phelps
and Frank Klepetko, two of the most
prominent and active Mckinley leaders
in this section OF the state. Three of
the candidates voted with the Sanders
crowd every time at the state conven-
ton, and the public know where to place
them. The three who had thus the
courage to show their colors at the con-
vention are Joseph Schuler and H, H,
Nelson, candidates for the legislature,
and F. D. Cooper, candidate for county
commissioner. These names are marked
by loyal silver men, who won't do thing
to them at the polls. Warned by their
fate, the other county candi-
dates on the republican ticket nave
since determined to stick to the
cowardly policy of silence, hoping
to be able to catch the votes of
silver men who are not onto their game.
For this same reason no platform was
adopted at the republican county con-
vention, and the vital question was ig-
nored.
Now, reports are coming in from every
section of the country to the effect that
voters who believe in silver as an issue
of the campaign will not vote for men
who are either against the best interests
of the state and nation or too cowardly
to let people know where they stand on
the question. The result is that con-
eternation prevails at republican head
quarters, and it is feared that their lat
ter condition will be worse than their
first and that the good Lord,
good devil policy will not
work. The few Bryan silver
republicans on the ticket are kicking be-
cause they feel that the odium of the
cowardly policy adopted will leave them
in the lurch with the rest, and a general
decentralization has set in. 1t is safe
bet that before the campaign closes the
voters will know where every candidate
stands on the question of silver, and that
men who have put their whole heart and
soul into the battle for the cause of hu-
manity, as represented by the white
metal, will not vote for either double
dealers or enemies to their cause.
These are some OF the difficulties and
disconragements that are worrying tbs
republicans in the county campaign and
they will grow more serious as election
day draws near.