The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1897-10-30
CHANGING THE ISSUES.
Democrats Dropping Silver Talk
An Along tho Line.
other Issues Are being Discussed
I'm the Campaigns az the vnri-
states Increasing
Prosperity.

three weeks OF It's close, Is the absolute
disappearance OF the silver issue. One
year ago II was the lending feature In
the campaign. Three months ago IL
was determined by the silver leaders
that II must be a leading issue In the
campaign Of 1897 wherever state and
local campaigns were 10 be made.
In Ohio. In Iowa. In Kentucky
and in sundry other states, IL
was made the leading. IL may be
said, the chief feature OF the demo
cratic platform in 1897. In Maryland,
the astute German. seeing the turn OF
public sentiment against the issue
which was so popular year ago.
adroitly shelved IL In the platform
which the state convention framed less
than 90 days ago. In New York il was
adopted by segment OF the democ-
racy. In Massachusetts, the George
Fred Williams element Of the demo
Gratis adopted IL. In Ohio, Virginia.
Kentucky. Iowa, Nebraska and other
states il was mnde, as already indicat-
ed, the chief, and In many cases. the sole
issue OF the state platform.
All this happened within tile past
four months. In that period the demo
cratic conventions in a half-dozen lead
ing cities i'm the union made the free
and unlimited coinage Of silver the chief
feature Of their platforms and IN every
state adopted declarations which
squiuted In that direction 10 say he
least Within 30 days of that action
on their part the republican congress
passed the Dingley protective tariif law,
n republican president signed IL. and IL
became the law Of the land.
What was the result? Factories
started up all over the United States.
Where thousands and hundreds Of thou
sands Of men were unemployed, where
labor had been without occupation
suddenly the smoke Of factories made
its appearance, the busy hum OF indus
try was heard, laboring men by the hum
drcds Of thousands and millions found
employment, the demand for the
products of the farm increased, and To-,
prosperity prevailed among not only
The laboring men in the manufacturing
ccnters, but among the farmers of the
country. Prices advanced Not alone
the price Of wheat in which there was
shortage abroad" but the price Of
corn, and rye. and barley, and wool. and
tobacco and everything which the farm
produces.
simultaneously with this advance in
farm prices, silver went down. An
ounce Of silver. which in June. when
democratic conventions were assem-
bling, was worth 60 cents, dropped by
Sc september 1 10 81 cents and did that in
the face OF a continuous and vigorous
advance in prices OF all farm products.
Everything produced by the farm adj
vanced in those short months OF June,
July and August, and while this was
happening, silver dropped 10 per cent.
in vnlue.
The result was paralysis Of the sill
yer issue. II had been made the leading
feature of state platforms in nearly all
of the leading states in which cam.
/ paigns were 10 take place. The plat
forms were made and could not be re-
called. Yet, before the campaign could
j open had come a fall OF Is per cent.
in the price OF silver and large advance
in the prices Of farm products.
AS a result there was nothing 10 do
| but TO dodge--in fact abandon-the
silver issue, although IL had been made
a leading feature of the platforms. Adj
vice from all the states in which cam
paigus are in progress show that this
/ programme has been adopted. As has
/ already been indicated. Chairman Jones
and other leading lights in the silver
organization have advised the abnn-
i donment Of silver as an issue. And that
advise is being adopted. The leading
! advocates OF the silver cause are riggid-
" excluded from the states in which
campaigns are In progress. a strict
quarantine has been established
against Mr.. Bryan. Mr.. Towne and the
other statesmen whose voices have
been exclusively devoted 10 the service
Of the silver trust during the past two
years. They are allowed 10 slosh
around In the few unimportant states
i where the democrats have no possible
hope Of success, merely by way Of per-
sonal compliment, but in every state In
which the party leaders have any hope
OF carrying state, or even Legislative
district, the state chairmen have cstab-
llshed a well manned picket line on the
state border with instructions to ex.
clude, under all circumstances, every
orator Of the free silver stripe. Ad-
vices from Ohio, in which state the
democratic party made the free and un-
limited coinage OF silver the chief. aud
practically the only feature OF It's plat
form, show that the silver question Is
absolutely eliminated from the dis.
cussionS OF the campaign. Ex-Congress-
man Towne. who entered the state with
n proposition 10 canvass II in the inter
ests OF the silver trust. was ignomini-
ously ordered of the stump and out OF
the state by the self appointed manager
OF the campaign, Allen o. Meyers. and
his action vas sustained by the men
who stand behind the management OF
the state campaign. Mr. Towne. MIR
Bryan and his co-laborers Ia behalf OF
the silver cause now sit afar Oft and