The Ravalli Republican. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1894-1899, 1896-07-08
SILVER TIDAL WAVE,
1t"Strikes the Middle States and Con.
vcrts Politicians.


1t~Strikcs the Middle States and Con.
vcrts Politicians.
William Beck, an old resident of
Montana and one Of Buttc's we'll
known business men, returned YES
terday from a five weeks trip through
Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri. Mr..
Beck has lived in Montana a good
many years and has always been a
consistent advocate of silver regard
less of party, and in his time has
heard good deal Of discussion of the
question but he declared yesterday,
in conversation with a Standard re-
porter, that during his five weeks
trip he heard more talk for silver
than he had before in all Of his life.
Before he started on his trip lie had
an idea that the silver sentiment
was pretty strong in Montana, but
he now knows that it is very mild
compared to the feeling in the agri-
cultural states Of Missouri, Kansas
and Nebraska.
Everybody is talking silver there, ("
said Mr.. Beck, "and | never was
more surprised, for I always thought
that the silver sentiment was strong
est in the silver states. They talk
about nothing else. You can hear
silver talk on the trains, ut the
hotels and on the street corners, and
L believe that silver will sweep Nc
brasl1a and Kansas as thoroughly as
it will Missouri. The revolution in
the feeling in favor Of silver seems
to have taken place in these states
during the past few weeks. 1t has
taken special strength since the re-
publican convention declared against
silver.
"On my way cast I met on the
train the right-of-way agent Of the
burlington railroad, who is a resi-
dent of Lincoln, Nebraska. Tie is a
gold man and naturally we discussed
the subject. He spoke Of the silver
question as a 'crazc' and told me /
would find no sympathzcrs in Lin
coin, where / had intended to stop.
lie declared that there was not a
single Tree silver man in the CITY
and referred me to one Of the leading
hotels, where he said ] would find a
good subject for conversion in the
proprietor, who, he said, Wasa strong
gold standard man. l stopped at
the hotel and the first pesson l. heard
discussing free silver was the pro-
prlctor. and he advanced as strong
arguments for silver as any ! ever
heard. In view Of what 1 had been
told by the railroad man l could not
hclp expressing my surprise and he
told me that very recently he had
very materially changed his views on
thc silver question, as anyone must
who will give it careful consideration.
lie said the state Of Nebraska had
been struck with Il silver tidal wave
and had carried him along with it,
During ny short stay in Lincoln, !
same mind.
II met my Burlington friend the
next morning after my arrival and
suggested to him that he could not
be very we'll Informed as to the Sill
yer sentiment in his town and he,
too admitted that there had been Il
remarkable change dnring his alb
sencc OF a few weeks and said he
could not see where the silver craze |
would end. He was surprised at the
Of sensible men who were
carried away with it.
81 found the same condition in
Kansas. Nearly every man / met
democrat, republican: populist or
rohibitionist-was a free silver ad-
yocatc. There is little need of Mis-
5ionary work in that state, and in
Missouri. Well, Il gold man is very
hard to find in that State. Il Mon
5ana man who imagincs that he lives
in one Of the great silver states
must be prepared for d surprise when
lc visits Missouri"
e. $. Jackson, the insurance man,
las just received a letter from his
'ather-in-law, a lifelong republican
# some prominence in Cincinnati,
)hio, giving some idea Of the growth
If the silver sentiment in the cast
,rn states. The gentleman saws sill
'cr has entirely ovcrshadowcd every
'thcr question and the struggling
'tforts Of republicans to make the
arl1f an issue is given Il very cold
reception. He spoke Of the McKin-
ey ratification in that city, and said
t was the most lifclcsS dcmonstrl-
ion he had ever seen.