The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-08-18
A MORAL EFFECT OF FUSION

When the fusion movement was
started in this state very much was
said about it being absolutely neces-
sary for the moral effect it would
have on the silver forces throughout
the country. Not even the promoters of
the movement pretended for a single
moment that there was any necessity
for fusion in Utah to insure the cleo
ton of a representative and senator
who were for silver first, last and all
the time. Fusion in Utah was wanted
for its moral effect"
That staunch Democratic and ag-
gressive anti-fusion paper, the Butte
Miner, said a few days since that with
fusion in Montana, the people of other
states may be justified in believing the
silver sentiment is growing so small
here that it is necessary to effect a
coalition of parties in order to elect q
man who viii properly represent the
people of this state. 1t is not hard to
guess the moral effect of this"
That was the view of our Butte con-
temporary, one that could not but ar
rest the attention of any friend of sill
yer who was studying the fusion ques-
tior in all its aspects. This view is not
an alarmist one urged for a sinister
purpose, but a weighty one. That this
is so is proven by the leading editorial
in the Atlanta Journal of Saturday
last. The article is entitled, Can Such
Things Be?" and is as follows:
In no state of the Union did the Chi
cago platform receive a more emphatic
or more nearly unanimous endorsement
at the election in 1896 than in Colorado.
For the first time in the history of
the state its electoral vote was cast for
Democratic candidate. In fact, the
Democratic candidate came near get
ting all the votes. The count stood
Bryan 161, 269 Mckinley 26,279, scatter
ing 1850.
Colorado was the banner free silver
state of the Union. and it was gen.
orally believed that the free silver flag
was more secure in Colorado than any
where else in all the land. This was Il
natural superstition. for Colorado is the
largest producer of silver and silver is
larger local interest there than in
any other state except the rotten Dor
ough, Nevada, and the one-horse COM
monwealth, Montana.
With what surprise. then, do we see
signs of alarm in the amalgamated free
silver party OF Colorado. an aggrega-
ton made up Of Democrats, Populists
and Republicans.
How queer it is to hear a cry for help
come from the recent citadel of free
silverismi
And yet these phenomena are before
US. All the free silver papers in Colo
RADIO are flying the distress signal. The
Denver Times. owned by ex-senator
Hill, who owns also several silver
mines, to which he is nobly devoted, is
almost hysterical in its appeals for help
to the cong1omerate silver ticket in
Colorado.
We had supposed that the silverites
in that state. having laid aside all other
issues and come from Democratic. Pop
ulist and Republican camps into one
common camp would have another
walk-over this year, but their news
papers indicate that they are badly
scared. What would happen to the
cause of free silver if it should meet
defeat in its capital and citadel?
Fusion's chief effect in those COM
munities where the silver sentiment is
inconsiderable, will be to make the en-
cause is losing ground in the silver
producing states; that is the natural
effect and was to have been expected
The moral effect" of fusion is very
fine, indeed. Fusion is about as we'll
intended to give moral effect to the
silver cause as a solar plexus blow is
to aid a man physically.