Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-13
Gold, Silver or Both1

The question of the hour is: II the re-
puhlicans mean gold, and gold only, as
many of them claim. why should there be
any opposition to putting gold into the
platform?
Three reasons are offered against a gold
declaration:
% stringent gold plank in the plat
form would misrepresent the party. The
party Is not in favor of the single gold
standard. 1t Is in favor of the double
standard. safeguarded. Gold payments will
be maintained until bimetallism is secured
by international agreement, or, safely, by
other means. Gold monometalism has new
er been advocated by the republican party.
There would have been no talk of 1t at
this time if the republican party had re-
manned in power. The Sherman law would
probably have been modified, but something
in silver's interests. and reasonably salts
factory to siver's friends. would have been
put in its place. The republican party,
though always opposed to the free COMA ge
of silver as an Independent act by this gov
eminent. has always been friendly to sill
yer, and Is the author of all the laws de-
signed to help rehabilitate silver
(O To commit the party to what would
be construed as gold monometallic policy
would. it is feared. send 1t to defeat at
the polls. The west in those circumstances
would be certain to bolt. and a large re-
publican sentiment in the middle states
would be chilled into indifference. The act
would be characterized complete and
abject surrender to the money power and
bimetallists by the hundreds. as well as
straightout silver republicans would. it
Is believed. go over to the support of the
Chicago nominees.
CD The leading argument against the
democracy would be destroyed. The DEM
'oorats are certain to declare for free COIN
age at 16 to l. and will claim in the cam
paign that that means bimeta!lism. The
republicans will denounce the deliverance
one leading up to silver monometallism.
Gold would be driven out of use. The
democracy will be accused Of trying to
Mexicanize the finances Of the country
The way to prevent that-the only way
will be for all who oppose lowering the
finances to the single silver basis to support
the st. Louis nominees. It will be insisted
on that the republican party is for genuine
bimetaIlism.
It is evident. therefore from these three
reasons. tfat the republican leaders who
counsel a conservative plank see danger in
hoth extremes. Ihey are Wiling, OF course
anxious even-that the democrats shall
take the risk Of declaring for free silver
coinage at the ratio Of Is to 1. but on their
side they want no delverance which would
be likely to defeat their claim in the cam
paisn of being in favor. of the double
standard. when safeguarded by interna-
tiona1 agreement. They foresee that the
real struggle will be between those who
favor and oppose the silver mono
metallism that will result from free
coinage at 16 to 1; they believe that the
fight will be fierce one. and to insure a
sound money victory. and the maintenance
of the present standard until bimetallism
can with conceded safety be substituted.
they wish to gather under the republican
banner all who oppose silver monometallisn,
as disastrous to the public credit and ma
tional prosperity.