The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1897-09-04
GOES BACK ON FREE sILvrn
Ex-GOv. Doies Confesses the Pn,u,.
of the Policy.

4
of the Policy.
There is constantly accumn,o.,-
evidence that the more sagacious or,nas
the late advocates of the free coirsass
of silver at the ratio of sixteen n So So
of gold are beginning to confess ~
futility of their policy and recocri,s
its utter failure as a means of restor;.S
prosperity to the country. Senator
Stewart, of Nevada, who has been ide,.
titled with the free silver forces fro,,,
the start, both by his interest as a larna
mine owner and political theoris,
has recently announced his conyiction
that the price of silver bullion will Con-
tinue to decline, while the market vain.
Of wheat and other agricultural com.
modities as constantly advances con-.
trary to all theories and confident nrs-
dictions of his political allies a VOC,
ago. Now another western politician
who has been a conspicuous leader II
the ranks of free silver, has spoken nm,
in terms even more specific and EN-.
phatic than Senator Stewart has dons
In a speech before democratic mass
meeting at Marshalltown, Ia. ey.C;ov
Horace Boies, of that state, held forth
as follows:
Under circumstances as they now er,s.
with silver demonetized by the great cow
mercial countries of the globe. win ~
frightful chasm that separates the com
merciai value of the metals constantlv
widening, and In the light of our own recent
national election, i cannot bring nv mind
to believe that the free coinage of silver AZ
the ratio of sixteen to one with gold d
within the reach of its friends nor can
help the fear that 1t would not be des.rahs
even IL attainable.
IT have never been able TO say and can.
not now say that l know free coinage AT
such a ratio under existing conditions
without safeguards of any kind to main.
tain the parity of the metals. would not
drive gold out of circulation and leave IA
practically. at least, upon silver basis"
1t is all the more significant that these
sentiments should have been utteredat
a meeting designed to open the cam.
paign in the interest of candidate for
governor standing on n platform re.
iterating the doctrine of the Chicago
convention of 1896, and that their au-
thor should have been the chosen leader
of the fusion party of Iowa, not only in
the office of governor of that state but
as their candidate for president in the
convention which resulted in the nomi.
nation of Mr.. Bryan. II is true that
Mr.. Boies has been regarded by some
of his political allies as having been sus-
piciously lukewarm in his advocacy OF
some of the measures of the Bryan DEM
ocracy, but his Identification with the
party was unquestioned, while his con-
servatism gave him n large degree Of
influence with the thinking men of his
party.
While conceding, as he practically
docs IN the above, that an attempt TO
establish tho free coinage of silver at
the ratio of sixteen TO one would have
the effect to "drive gold out of circula-
ton and leave us practically, at least,
upon a silver basis" Uncle" Horace
expresses the belief, from what now is
a matter of notoriety everywhere, that
the fear of this is So deeply grounded
in the public mind that unyielding ad-
herence 10 that one ratio by those who
believe themselves the real friends Of
silver will permanently destroy the
cause they would promote" Thisprop-
osition being true, the champions OF
free silver would seem to be not only
the enemies Of stable financial policy
but the most dangerous enemies OF
their own cause.
Mr.. Boies follows this declaration with
an Endorsement of the scheme OF Sec
rotary Window, proposed in 1859, for
n solution of the silver problem by the
issue of treasury notes based on the
deposits of silver IN the treasury at the
market value of the metal at the time
of deposit. While it is too late 10 Sc
cure the adoption of this policy-espe-
cially in view of the rapid decline in
silver during the last few months-its
acceptance by former champion Of the
free coinage of silver at the ratio OF
sixteen to one indicates marked adj
vance.
The general drift of Mr.. Boies' speech
shows that, so far as he is able TO give
direction to the pending Iowa cam
paign. it will be fought on other issues
than the financial one. This is indi-
Gated by his attempt TO stir up the
ghost of hard times TO brighten the
farmer and the laboring man, in lace
of the fact that the one is already re-
ceiving larger prices for his commodi'
ties, while the opportunities for en-
ployment at remunerative wages are
opening up the other. The fact that ne
is now able to perceive the errors OF
his party on the silver question justlnes
the hope that he will yet be hble 10
see their error on the labor question
likewise. IN
On the whole, there is ground for the
belief that our "Uncle Horace" already
sees abundant reason for congratula'-
ing himself that he was not made the
leader in failing cause one year ago.
If he continues in his present mood NC
may have reason to rejoice that he mas
no responsibility for the state campaign
of 1s97.-Chicago Tribune.
DRIFT OF OPINION.
DBryan is learning how to taik