The Van Buren press., 1898-02-26
The FIRST Gun for 1898.

From ne Warrington ID c. Post
What truly may be called the first
gun In the political battle Of 9s was
fired on Tuesday By a battery consisting
Of the Democratic. Silver Repa blican
and Populist national committees, in
the form OF addresses 10 the American
people. While differing in text and
details, all three documents present to
the nation In terse. vigorous, and con
vincing language, the present vital
necessity for practical union among all
organizations and citizens opposed 70
the single gold standard.
IL il certain that never before In the
history Of national politics have the
distinct and separate utterances of three
parties. differing from each other on
minor issues. breathed like these the
faith and spirit OF a common purpose to
sink all differences. ambitions, and
preludices. and create a real and
substantial union Of the people against
their oppressors.
In each Of these state papers the
evidence IL clear that all patriotic ele
ments of our citizenship have become
convinced that only in fight to the
death on the issue of bimetallism,
ignoring all others, can the redemption
Of the country and a return Of prosperity
be secured.
In the Democratic address Chairman
Jones. Of the Democratic national com
mittee, declares that the surrender Of
the Republican party TO the advocates
Of the gold standard is complete He
recites the violation Of the st. Lonis
platform by the administration. called
to power upon the solemn pledge of the
Republican national convention 70 pro
mote biInetallism. - but which Is now
before congress with bill. the leading
purpose Of which the secretary Of the
treasury admits to be: ITO commit
the country more thoroughly to the
gold standard.
The address epit0,niZes the decadence
OF prosperity under the conditions i'm
posed by the present financial regime.
and says: The country has already
for twenty four years. been so
thoroughly committed TO the gold
standard. partly By law and partly By
the usurpations of the executive branch
Of the government, that it effects are
seen on every hand wages are reduced ;
work is harder to get the weight of
debt is doubled the value Of land and
other property is reduced one half or
more, until the lives Of the people are
made bitter with hard bondage. -
Chairman Jones discusses and
denounces current attempts to destroy
the greenbacks and to transfer the
money issuing power of the government
to the banks:
The issue is joined we cannot avoid
it if we would. Either the friends of
bimetallism, or the advocates of the
gold standard. trusts and monopolies
must succeed. Who is not for us is
against us. We are asking no man to
abandon his party or change his politics ;
we ask no one to yield any principle,
but in this great contest we do appeal
to all good men to stand solidly
together for liberty and humanity and
strike down forever this conspiracy of
gold and monopoly.
The Silver Republican and Populist
manifestoes are equally urgent in the
direction of an effective combination
against the common enemy. Where
there is such harmony and fraternity
apparent among the leaders, there is
every reason to hope that the rank and
file of the several organizations will be
brought to present a solid front in
November.