The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-06-01

were everywhere falling; values Of every
description depreciating, and business
stagnation characterized the situation in
all directions.
The popular discomfort manifested IT.
self in all of the elections that occurred
after the Inauguration of Mckinley.
States additionally Republican were held
to the faith only by the greatest exertion
and the lavish expenditure Of money,
but majorities were dissipated and plu-
ralities shrunk. New York and Kentucky,
whose electoral votes had gone to the
Republican candidates the year before,
returned to the Democratic fold by more
than a majority of all the votes cast, and
Nebraska increased its majority for the
Democratic ticket. The electoral votes
of states enjoying Democratic admins
trations in 1897 were sufficient to place
Bryan in the executive chair.
Famine abroad, which had augmented
by nearly six hundred million dollars tha
balance of foreign trade in our favor, had
indeed temporarily improved the material
conditions of five millions of our people,
but this relief was regarded as only
temporary, and was clearly seen to have
been produced by no act of the admins
traton, by no legislation within it's
power, but came unbdden, in spite Of
anything done or promised.
The Republican party, at the time when
the Cuban imbroglio eliminated in the
Maine disaster, stood discredited before
the country, it's pledges VIGOROUSLY dis
honored and it's doom practically sealed.
Discerning Republican leaders viewed
the situation with dismay. The personal
organ of the president urged declaration
of war against Spain, insisting that Moth
ing short of a foreign war would prevent
the country from falling into the hands of
the free silver Democracy. A little later
Republican senator boldly predicted
that, unless the party should at once as
sumo a bellicose attitude, a free silver
congress in 1898 would be followed in
1900 by free silver president.
1t is to the everlasting credit of the
allied bimetallic forces in congress that
they put behind them this conceded tri-
umph for their cause, almost within their
grasp, and to man voted for declara-
ton of war-voted to place fifty millions
of dollars in the hands of the president
voted to give to him the undivided control
Of the entire land force and sea power
of hof hsa
might be maintained, that the nations
humanity might be indicated, that the
nations security might be placed be-
yond peril.
This patriotic course was adopted with
the fullest realization of the great power
and prestige with which it would rehabil-
itate a PROSTATE and almost vanquished
political foe; with the fullest apprecia
ton of the fact that it would Immediately
stifle the voice Of discomfort, so loudly
sounding throughout the country; with
the knowledge that treasury deficits, fall
ing prices, industrial depression, and all
of the mooted schemes for the eradica-
ton of these growing and grinding evils.
would be drowned by the spontaneity and
universally of the loyal acclaim. 1t was
adopted not without apprehension, that
has since become warranted, that the war
might be waged by the administration
with greater regard for the welfare and
the continued dominance of the Repub-
lican party than for the honor and the
lasting glory of the nation; that it might
be prolonged so that the natural disincli-
nation of the people to swap horses while
crossing a stream" would turn the swell
ing tide in the direction of an approving
vote in the congressional elections of No
vember; that it's successful conclusion
might give to the administration pres
tige far beyond it's merits. and result in
the choice Of another Republican con-
gress that by it new issues might be
raised up, demanding speedy solution,
which would have a tendency to
overshadow the great economic question,
so calamity championed by the Democ-
racy in the last national campaign, jointly
with their loyal Populist and Silver Re-
|
pionship of which promised such early
and grateful fruit.
And it is to the further credit of the
Democrats in congress that they have
not, as Republican journals SO strenu-
ously contended they would, taken ad-
vantage of the governments financial ne
cessities to force upon it the policy OF
free silver coinage. They have gone nc
further than to suggest the use of small
accumulation of silver now lying idle ir
the vaults of the treasury, paid, for and
owned by the nation, and the coinage 81
which, without further legislation, Is
wholly within the discretion of the Sec
rotary of the treasury, under the pro-
visions Of the unrepealed sections of the
law of July IA, 1890. They do antagonize
a further increase in the interest bearing
debt of the nation, as wholly unnecessary
but not without offering helpful sugges-
lions for raising adequate revenues for
| the vigorous prosecution of the war.
The friends of silver have abundantly
displayed their loyalty to country when
imperiled from without Will they be less
loyal to the nations welfare when i'm
periled from within?
ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE
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