The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1896-08-22
oovERMoR MoooNELL lETrER.
A Few Extracts from a Communication
Recently Addressed To The Spokane
Spokesman ReVleW-SOme
Plain and Pertinent
Facts.

We give few extracts from letter
which Governor Mcconnell recently
addressed to the Publisher of the
Spokane spokesman Review, regret
ting that space viii not permit its pre-
sentation in full 1t is worthy Of care
full reading and profound consider
alton.
"The so-called ''crime," demonetizs-
ton of silver, was enacted by Republi.
can congress in 1873. What was the
condition then OF your-now state-of
Washington2 You and know that it
was vast expanse Of prairie, noun
tain and forest, but sparsely settled.
In all of its vast domain there was not
one town worthy to be called city;
there was not a mile of railroad except
a tramwaV at the Cascades, and per-
haps the narrow gauge of DIR. Baker be-
tween Wallula Walla Walla-and L
am not certain that even that was con-
structed at that time.
Look again at your beautiful state as
it was four year ago, when we were
entering upon the presidential cam
paign which resulted in the election of
Grover Cleveland. What change had
taken place! Inquire what magician's
wand had touched and animated your
beautiful country, and ask yourself, if
you will, how it was possible that so
much could have been accomplished
during time when silver was refused
admission to the minis. BY what pro-
cess have, the vast prairies been settled
and turned into cultivated grains fields?
By what species Of encouragement have
cities sprung up like magic2 How
has capital been obtained to build such
magnificent lines of railway.
Upon inquiry, you Will find that the
Republican party, which your columns
now so severity condemn, is deserving
of the credit for this progress. Through
their legislation, granting lands to the
landless, tens of thousands of happy,
prosperous families occupy what in
1878 was. wilderness. The protection
of Republican legislation by fostering
the lead mines, the coal mines, the
lumber industry, the hop industry, the
wool industry, the flax seed industry,
the barley industry, and every other in
dustTy of your state, has made it pos
sible for such unprecedented develop
ment. In 1873 not one brick of the now
beautiful city OF Spokane had been laid.
| Where your court house stands today,
the yelping coyote might be heard
every day and night in the year. Yet, in
the less than 20 years which interviewed
between the decentralization of silver
and Cleveland's election, your city at
tanned its magnificent proportions, al
though fire with its bosom of destruC-
ton had once swept it into nothing
ness.
In the fall of 1892, at the time to
which J. refer, not only the property in
! your city but all over your state, was
held at high values: the farmer who
desired to change his place of residence
| could find ready buyer for his prop
eTty at reasonable prices; the resident
of your city who wished to remove could
dispose of his property. But NOvem-
! Der, 1892, arrived. The news was
flashed from one part of the continent
to the other that the Democratic party
had triumphed; that Grover Cleveland
was elected. With bated breath,
Thoughtful men and women in every
state of the Union began to talk of the
probable consequences. Values of all
classes of property at once began to de-
cline until now, after q little over three
years of Democratic administration,
real estate in your city and everywhere
in your state, will not average over
One-half the price it was when CleVe-
land was elected. Is it because the
silver mines, or the mines in the vicin-
itY of your state, especially your city,
are less prosperous? The contrary is
the case, as you we'll know. Have we
less silver in circulation, or have we
had during Cleveland's administration
than before, or have we less money of
any kind? The monthly reports of the
treasury show the reverse to be the
case.
Then please explain to me why, as a
friend of the free coinage of silver, L
should cast my vote for the representa-
tive of party whose touch is as fatal
to the business interests of this nation
as is the simeon of the African desert
to human life. Explain to me how the
decentralization of silver in 1873 brought
the panic of 1893. Explain to me how
it happened that the progress and de-
velopment of this nation during the
years between 1873 and the election of
Grover Cleveland were greater than
ever before in its history.