The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1897-11-06
DEMOCRATS AT A LOSS.
STRANDED by tho Failure OF Free
Trade and Free Silver.
Popularity OF the New Tariff and the
Visible signs of Prosperity
Leaves Them without
an Issue.

sue now thar silver is being gradually
dropped, owing TO its growing unpopu-
larity. IL is not surprising that the
free silver advocates find their forces
breaking away from them, and taking
grounds in favor of absolute fiat money.
Large numbers of men who supported
free silver last year are reported from
oil sections OF the country as transfer
ring their party adhesion from the sill
yer ranks TO those of the parties and
organizations fayoring an enormous
issue OF paper money by the govern
ment. IL IL entirely logical that the
men who year ago were willing 20
see the government issue dollars which
would be 60 per cent. fiat, are by this
tine willing 70 60 further and make the
dollars all fiar. Will Mr. Bryan follow
that wing OF the late silver party which
is now declaring in favor OF the free
and unlimited issue OF paper, which
costs nothing, instead OF silver. which
costs 40 cents on the dollar? Ii would
not be surprising 10 see him do this,
since his expressions have all along
shown him a fiatist at heart
1t is an acknowledged fact that the
wing OF the democratic party which i'm
last years campaign adopted free sill.
yer as its cardinal principle has been
gradually losing ground and disinte-
grating aud that while some OF its mem
bership still adheres TO the cause of the
sixteen 10 one idea, a large proportion
of them are looking about for another
issue 10 take up, which. as soon as found
-. fH,fts feF nnff,,t
for the silver fallacy.
The free coinists are loudly pro-
claiming that the recent statement OF
England shows that the scheme for
international bimetallism is dead
and that the only hope Of silver is in
American action without the assistance
of any other nation. But the refusal
of the British government 10 agree
TO open the Indian minis should not
be looked upon as at all discouraging
20 the proposed international action
on the silver question. On the con
trary, ii cannot be reasonably expected
that England would agree to open the
Indian minis in advance Of the pro-
posed conference. The fact that her
statesmen indicated clearly that they
would be glad TO send delegates to an
other international conference, and they
preferred delaying action on the In
dia proposition until that conference
should be held, indicates rather a dis
position to cooperate with the nations
Of the world in the joint action in
favor of silver rather than any adverse
intention on hers part.
The question of the tariff has entered
largely into the decline in interest in
the silver question, and the apparent
prosperity throughout the country is
considered by many its death blow.
Mr.. Bryan's trip TO Ohio gave him
some food for reflection. He recalled
that he went through that same section
Of country just one year ago, predict
ing dire results should the people re-
fuse to adopt free coinage and free
trade; yet he found much greater pros
perity than existed a year ago, al
though free coinage and Organism had
I'M the meantime been rejected, and a
protective tariff adopted. The opera
tons of the new law are more than
satisfying to its friends, considering
the adverse circumstances under which
II came into existence.
The expectations continue TO be
very heavy. 1t is probable that the
igurcs for the past month will eX-
coed those OF any October for many
.years, and will continue 10 show large
sales abroad Of our manufactured
goods. The claim OF the free traders
that our exports would fall oil the mo-
ment we adopted a protective tariff,
especially our exports Of manufactured
articles, is not proving well founded.
On the contrary, not a single country
has closed it's doors 10 or lcgislated adj
yersely 10 our products. The demo-
Gratis insisted during the consideration
OF the Dingley bill that It's adoption
would force them 10 exclude our mer-
chandise i'm retaliation. But the ex-
ports OF grain and manufactured ar
ticles go ON just the same as before, in
creasiug rather than decreasing, and
none Of the nations which threatened
such terrible things as result OF our
protective tariff have reduced their de
mand or shown any serious disposition
10 cut of the supply Of our products
which they were purchasing from
month to month before the adoption OF
the Dingley law-Chnrles ID. King.
uyThe price which Mr. Bryan gets
for his / speeches i'm Ohio has not yet
been made public. II is understood.
however, that they are being hand
s1mcly paid for. especially in view Of
shc fact. possibly. that they may have
the effect Of giving John r. Mclean
second place ON the presidential ticket
with Mr.. Bryan in 1000.
rvlf the president can afford TO 90
from Washington Co Ohio 10 vote can
my other member Of the republican
party afford TO stay az home on election
day. or neglect 10 vote the entire ticket?
ABOUT PEOPLE.
Picquct, the plumber who distin-