The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1898-11-05
SETS THEM RIGHT.
Gold Democrats FIND That They Have
Becn Duncoed by the
silver Men,

An extremely lively and interesting
controversy Is ia progress In New York
and other states between republican
organs and gold democrats who IRE
working for silver nominees OF I'M
committed and unreliable regular"
party men under the spccious pretext
that state and not national issues are
dominant in the present canvass. Fair
minded men endowed with logical
faculty must, we think. hold that the
republicans have the better of the ar
gument.
In New York, for example, the gold
supporters OF Van Wycls pretend that
the silence of the platform on silver In
equivalent TO recantation and repudia-
tion OF the Chicago platform. Why
should not sound money democrats.
they innocently ask, support "regen-
Grated" democratic party2 The an
swer Is, OF course. manifest. The ai-
/ legged regeneration is figmcnt OF the
/ imagination. The national managers
cf the democratic party assert as Wig
orously as ever that the financial is
sue is paramount, that the Chicago
/ platform governs and that democrat
/ Ia congress would adhere TO the free
coinage proposition. Under these cir
cumstanccs silence out OF mere ex-
pcdiency is not rejection. and no hon
est gold standard defender can be de-
ceived by policy OF mere tricky eva
sion.
But there is more important point
raised in the controversy. The gold
democrats are declared by such pa
pers as the New York Times TO have
been deceived. betrayed. cruelty
Knocked and "bunkocd." II is said 10
he an 'affront" to their intelligence
and self-respect TO ask them 10 vote
once more for the administration pol
port IL. They helped the republicans
In 1896 TO elect the Mckinley ticket, we
are told, with the understanding that
the tariff would be ignored and the
currency issue kept at the front. In
stead, the republicans passed the Ding
ley bill end neglected, forsooth. all
their solemn pledges with regard TO
financial legislation. Hence they have
forfeited all title 10 the confidence of
democrats who believe in gold and n
tariff for revenue.
What is the answer to this queer i'm
dictment? In the first place. IL is sim
ply not true that the republicans
promised in 1896 to maintain the status
quo in the tariff laws. On the con-
trary. the platform and the leading re-
publican orators plainly and emphnt-
ically announced the intention to re-
peal the Wilson law and enact "A meas
ure more protective as well as more
revenue yielding. The democrats
knew what 10 expect and had subse-
qucntly no cause for complaint or dis
appointment. Between the repeal OF
the Wilson law and silver they wisely
chose the former, and IL is too silly
and unfair TO pretend that they ex-
pcctcd the republicans TO adopt demo
cratic ideas on the tariff.
As 10 the financial question, wher-
is the betrayal" or plockeryP True.
no new legislation has been adopted.
chiefly owing 10 the unexpected devel-
opments in the Spanish-American diff
nculty. But Secretary Gage has made
report as advanced as could be de-
sired, ana II mas Dccn cmDouitu III the
McCleary bill for the gold standard
and greenback retirement. A repub-
lican subcommittee has prepared and
introduced more conservative meas
are which over 100 representatives
have signified their Willingness TO sup
port. So much has been done in the
way of education that all doubt is now
removed ms TO the position OF the
party. The republicans are openly n
gold standard party. In the state plat
forms there Is no cquivocation. no am
biguity Gold is meant, and gold Is
everywhere named in lieu Of vaguer
terms republican house and senate
would unluestionably pass a bill more
dchGitely establishing the gold stand
ard and taking step toward green
back retirement
Yet in the face OF so much genuine
progress gold democrats complain OF
having been "bunkocd." The insin-
certify Is flagrant. II will deceive no
one who Is not eager 10 be deceived
Chicago rost.