The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-09-15

Los Angeles Express, was in the City yes
terday with cheering news of Republican
prospects in that county, The silver men
have been boasting recently that they will
carry that county, because two years ago
the vote stood:
Populists, 400.
Democrats, 1900.
Republicans, IL $50.
On the foregoing ratio under the So
called fusion, Mr.. Bryan and his million
aire partner, Mr.. SewaIl, would receive
IL, 700 votes, while Mckinley would get no
more than II, $50 votes. But times have
changed since then. There are whole
lot of those same Democrats and Populists
who have refused to indorse the anarch-
istic planks of the Chicago platform; who
have expressed their intention of voting
for protection to the products of American
labor, and who believe that the American
workingman, the clerk in the store, the
bookkeeper, the author, the musician, the
painter and every other man who earns
his living by the sweat of his brow or the
labor of his brain should receive a dollar
worth 100 cents all over the civilized world,
and with the same purchasing power as
that of the silver dollar of to-day.
of the Investigations which he has made.
that large majority of the voters of his
county VIII vote for patriotism, protection
and prosperity.
Republicans are getting well organized,
and are doing effective work in a quiet
way. Not having any of Senator Stewart
campaign sack, they have not shocked the
welkin wit h brass bands and the strident
roar of unprincipled hirelings announcing
that under the operation of the free COIN
age act barrel of big bright silver dollars
would be placed on every corner in order
that the workingman for whom Senator
Stewards $4,000 900 heart is bleeding
might help himself and treat his wife and
children to diamonds, sealskins, roast
turkey and champagne.
Colonel Osborne related an occurrence
showing that deep down in the American
heart there slept sentiment of loyalty
that when the time came could always be
depended upon to rally for the defense of
American honor and American institu-
lions. The story went that a farmer
whose home lay away off in that part of
the Molave desert lying between Moiave
and Los Angeles came 10 Los Angeles last
week for the purpose of buying a store of
provisions. He was asked by Republican
friend as to the sentiment in his part of
the country, his friend telling him of a re-
port to the effect that all the voters up his
way had been hypnotiZed by Senator
Stewards silver wand.
The farmer was surprised at the state
ment.
"AlI the change that has taken place
up there" he said, sis this. Two Repub-
licans have declared themselves in favor
of free silver and two Democrats have an
nounced that they intend to vote for pro-
lection and sound money. That's all the
change there is, and you may rely upon it
that my precinct will roll up the usual
Republican majority"
Colonel Osborne said further that the
free silver club of Los Angeles County
had largely increased its mem bership on
hearsay. As a proof of this statement he
instanced the fact of eight Democrats
whose names were placed on the roll and
who afterward said that they were going
to vote for Mckinley, and that their
names had been signed on the books of
the club without their consent or even
knowledge.
Alfred Holman of the Rural Press, in re-
ply to CALL reporters questions on
financial matters, said:
Il have never believed, and 1 find less
reason to believe the more 1 study the
subject, that the United States can, by its
individual action, maintain a relative
equality between the values of gold and
silver. 1t appears TO me that an attempt
to do so would have the immediate effect
of putting this country upon a silver
basis, with the 10000 hardships and disad-
vantages OF reduced standard and of a
shifting unstable currency. l believe it
would destroy our commerce, and what is
infinitely more serious, would destroy the
credit OF our country for common honesty.
81 don't believe that the majority of our
people are willing to pay their debts in
flfty-cent pieces, nor do | believe that thew
are ready to surrender the policy of pro-
RI ind,
American labor, under which our best ad :
vancements in National and material
prosperity have been made. In my iude-
ment the shifting of this campaign from
the issue of protection to the issue of the
currency is largely artificial | believe
the question of protection to be of infn-
itely more Importance to the welfare of
the country and ! don't question that be-
fore the cam Daign is ended protection will
have assumed its proper place as the para
mount issue
There are, am told. very many peo-
pie In California who make light of the
protection issue, deeming it of minor I'M
portance TO the currency, but it appears TO
me that they are neglectful of the fact that
all the larger interests of California are
bound up in the policy of protection, and
that the welfare of the producers of Cali
lorna is absolutely dependent upon the
maintenance of that policy"
A. +. Chapman, business manager of
the San Francisco Journal of Commerce.
said:
II think that the adoption of free coin
age by the United States would be the
greatest calamity that could possibly hap
pen, and would inflict an injury greater
upon the working classes than upon any
other portion of the people, With refer
ence to the proposition that the advent of
cheap money is accompanied by high
prices, would say that the experience of
all mankind has been, in such case, that
the wages of labor are always the last to
respond TO any advance in prices.
''The advance in prices would be a hard
ship on the workingman and wage
Garner generally, because while his wages
would remain at standstill. there being
plenty OF idle men ready and willing to
take his place. he would be Obliged to pay
much more for rent and other necessaries