Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1897-03-05
SILVER MEN READY.
WILL NEVER LET UP UNTIL
VICTORY COMES.

Tho Six Million Three Hundred Thou
eand Democrat Popullst-s silver Votes
Represented the Solid yeomanry of
the Nation.
(From the Silver Knight Watchman).
The genuine bimetallist Is not at all
discouraged. While all Of those who
have favored the unlimited gold and
silver coinage provisions plainly au-
thorized and by implication required
by the constitution, extremely regret
ted the defeat Of the silver forces in
the late campaign, they are, neverthe-
less, far from gloomy on this, the eve
Of McKinley's Inauguration. No one
who supported free silver in the late
campaign is less aggressive now than
when he advocated the peoples cause
in the midst of the struggle. The BIZ
metallic masses have lost none OF
their strength. They are not ashamed
of the 6,360,0OO electors who voted for
Mr. Bryan. Mr.. Walter Wellman ian
Englishman, who is Washington cor
respondent for the Chicago Times-Her-
aid, also owned by man with foreign
leanings) who has lately analysed the
election returns, informs us that the
Bryan strength was made up as fol-
lows:
Foreign born or of foreign
family q, 325 900
Native white American. .......4 ,O35, 900
He estimates that the Mckinley vote
was thus composed:
Foreign born or of foreign
family NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. ,61O,OOO
Negroes 4Zo,OOU
Native white American ,.......3 ,075,OO0
He thus establishes that 60 per cent
Of the foreign vote went to Mckinley
and 81 per cent of the native vote to
Bryan. Certain prominent gentlemen,
whose views of their abilities do en-
tire justice to themselves, have pointed
to the want of education in several OF
the states casting majority for free
silver; but when it is remembered that
the illiteracy complained of was al
most wholly represented by elements
in those states which supported the
gold standard, the result suggests an
entirely different conclusion from that
sought to be derived by the somewhat
egotistical commentators to whom IA.
fer.
The most ignorant, the most de-
pendent, and the wealthiest constitute
the three leading elements which sue
ceeded in electing the Republican tick
OF. The Democratic-Populist Silver
strength was not the outcome of
threats or monetary influence. In
fact, it is safe to say that there never
was campaign conducted as econom
ically, honestly, and periodically as
was the silver contest of 1896 upon the
part of those who advocated the Chi
cago platform. Nothing has occurred
to dampen the ardor of these Ameri-
can citizens. Hundreds of thousands
Of them made great sacrifices, and de-
liberately abandoned political associ-
ates with whom they could no longer
conscientiously act, knowing that no
personal advantage could possibly ac-
crue to them. These men will not
waver On the other hand, the gold
people spent millions upon millions to
win the contest. That their managers
Systematically stuffed registers and
ballot boxes is generally believed. The
tn tno or notl, Of
Indiana and Ohio are subject of
familiar and significant comment
After this enormous outlay the gold
people find themselves meeting an I'M
purchased phalanx Of honest and de-
termined Americans, and 1t is not to
be wondered at that they look upon
the prospect as gloomy and ask them
selves whether, after all, their vast dis
bursement has been good business.
Besides, many honest men, many of
those who could not pay their mort
cages or other debts, were deluded into
the support Of the Republican ticket
upon the promise that good times must
follow the accession of the new combi-
ndJlOu W pOWSi' lhC AhoiioinI, oeLiu
these WHY gold men, that it appears
certain that Mckinley has been elected,
money will become, not only plentiful,
but cheap. Interest will go down and
all will be prosperous" But the cleo
ton has come and gone. Some months
have passed. Business remains de-
pressed; money cannot be had; the
mortgage insists upon gold which the
product of farmers and other debtors
cannot realize. In other words, the
good times have not come. The con-
trary state of affairs prevails. So obvi-
ously have the moneyed classes failed
to redeem their promises that it is
certain that If the question were re-
submitted to the American people to-
day the Judgment would be reversed.
Nor is there any reason to suppose that
the future will weaken the silver cause.
Mr.. McKinley's leaders do not pre-
tend that they will do anything for
silver unless 1t is accomplished through
the proposed monetary commission.
The recent discussion in the senate
proved the futility of this measure.
No one made a suggestion justifying
in the slightest degree the hope often
expressed by pretended bimetallists
that another conference would bring