Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1897-12-31
A Rift in the Clouds.


The Democratic National Congress
!onal Committee i, preparing lor a
vigorous campaign on precisely the
~amc linz that were ~ closely defined
in til" last general contest. While
thcr, i some change in the personnel
g. the committee, made necessary from
changes in the membership OF Con-
grc>S. there j. enough union of >cnti-
mcnt between the Old and experienced
leaders Who remain ana the new blood
which enters, to guarantee harmony
and zeal. The party and its committee
ere in full rhaprort with the National
Silver Clubs, who have established
headquarters in Washington, to aid
that ca,i>c from any and all sources
which may become available as the
work progresses. THIS organization
Is nnn-partiSan in its character, but
will be ready to weld It's influence in
favor OF such parties as give the best
assurance of sincerity and success.
The Association of Silver Clubs will
be- the medium through which the
major part of the educational work
will be done. 1t will labor mainly
through the local clubs of each State,
and will aid the Congressional candi-
date in each district who is free, out
spoken, consistent and honest advocate
Of reconciliation OF silver 1t is
expected, however, that there will be
no friction between the association
and the Democratic committee, for
the party's plain and unequivocal
stand on that principle and the grip
which it is shown the money power
has upon Secretary Gage and the pres.
ent Administration, will 60 far to unite
all silver men upon use of the only
available means which afford q reason
able prospect of success-a union upon
the Chicago platform, which embodies
principles that very few in the Silver
clubs can find much objection to.
There may be few Republicans who
possess a traditional love for protec.
ton, but it must surely be modified by
the results of the new schedules pre-
pared by Republican Congress and
approved by Republican President.
The outlook seems to be exception
ally fair for the usual sweep of the
board which our Republican friends
designate as result of "off-year"
effort. 1t has been observed, however,
that nothing promotes success like
success, and that party efficiency is
immeasurably advanced by close
contest, with victory to crown their
efforts. The fact really is, that quite
as much effort is made to carry off
years by both parties, as usual, but
the party in power has always to ac-
count for some mistakes and is pun
ished for them.
A ripple of this current was man.
ffested a month ago in the municipal
elections, which were almost uniformly
"forninst the government" 1t will
be manifested much more decidedly
next November in aid OF cause which
many-very many-Republicans have
had near at heart, the placing of our
silver coinage in position that will
aid the people to pay debts, to pay
taxes, and enable them to sell their
property at something like a reason
able price to attain that object. Thou
sands of farmers in every Congress.
ional district are ready to sacrifice
party or anything else which stands
in the way of this consummation,
and hundreds of mechanics are ready
to cut loose from anything which
keeps the wage-rate at starvation
figures.
Talk Of prosperity! Where has any
been seen that is not attributable to
palpable natural causes, despite VIC
ious gold-bug legislation. The farm
ers have had partial chance to re-
cover their losses from ample crops at
home and famine abroad. Some few
miners have discovered exceptionally
rich deposits of gold in the northwest.
This has made business for transpor-
tation companies and dealers in Klon-
dixie supplies-a transitory result, at
best, in which few are benefited and
many are injured.
What we want is for the country
to return to her normal condition
for resumption of a system of fin
ance which afforded money enough to
transact all business, which gave labor
ample wages, and made business of all
kinds brisk and the people happy.
Nothing can restore the prosperity of
those halcyon days but q return to
the conditions which produced and
maintain thrift, and nothing can riv
ct the chains more firmly than to per-
sist in policy which has been fraught
with so much disaster to the masses.
THE Coliseum in Chicago, the larg-
est building on the continent, so far
as the area covered counts, was de-
stroyed by fire Christmas eve. It
seems that an explosion of gasoline in
the X-ray exhibit occurred and some
of the burning fluid fell on pet dog,
which at once ran among the draper
les which hung to the floor causing an
almost simultaneous blaze in the GEN.