, 1898-11-07
A GRAND OVATION



coinage; We turn, as all right minded
people of good judgment would do, to
find some other way across the breach,
and some other avenue through which
we could reach the same goal and could
make our connection with prosperity
and good times. We know that the
broad and reliable venue of protective
tariff had a bridge erected SO high
across the same river that no draw
bridge was necessary, and that we were
sure of passing over safely if we could
but reach it. We reached the bridge
through a successful, election in 1896;
we crossed over on the other side, and
we are o whirling along through the
pleasant fields of sunshine of growing
prosperity, and the non-progressive
and the stubborn, that would not cross
by any other route. are still back there
on the other side. yelling and squalling
because the old bridge, with its ma
chinery out of order, won't again swing
into line and give them a landing. They
won't cross the river anywhere unless
they can cross it at their W particu-
lar point and in their w particular
way. Only this and nothing more.
About all the enemy seems to dwell
upon in this campaign is our position,
or our inconsistency as they are pleas
ed to term it, regarding silver. Even
if we had changed entirely in every
way. which we have not, we would be
far less inconsistent than our friends on
the other side, especially those who are
seeking your suffrage for the only W
places where a nominee can affect the
silver question, i.e., that of senator and
member of congress. The most that
can be said is that we have changed in
four years, while they change their po-
sition not once in four years but every
time they make a speech. l claim, and
the reading of speeches will prove It,
that their nominee for congress chang
ed his position completely within an
hour or an hour and a half, or whatever
time it takes to deliver his speech. He
tells you he is for a protective tariff
and then he proves by every line of his
speech, except the declaration, that he
is against 1t.
Silver is a product of our country and
should receive every care and protec-
ton that others do. Republicans stand
ready to accord this. The republican
party is the only party that has ever
done anything for silver. as the records
irrefutably prove. Individual demo-
Gratis nave favored silver; ditto repub-
licans, and other individuals Of both
parties have opposed, but in twenty-five
years every act favorable to silver has
been by and under republican admins
trations. and every law ~unfavorable to
the white metal has been by and under
democratic rule.
The Bland-Allison act. giving silver
a place In our coinage, was by republic
cans. The Sherman act. providing for
large purchases was by republicans.
The act providing for the coinage of
the seigniorage was by republicans.
And no longer ago than June, 1898, the
democratic party, including Wyoming's
democratic congressman, voted as a
party against the same seigniorage
bill, which provides for the coinage Of
an extra $44,O OO, 900 and over. But the
republicans voted solidly for it, carried
it, and the silver Is now being struck
off in the United States minis into shin
ing dollars. In the last democratic
senate and house Inc seignioage bill
failed. Thus it is, the republicans
have done everything so far accom-
plished for silver. The democrats have
accomplished nothing. Not a single
thing. They downed the Sherman sill
yer purchasing law Ivy its repeal; they
downed the first silver seigniorage bill;
they tried to down the last one by vot-
ing against it. but a republican ma
jority prevented them by all voting for
it. The great volume of silver, five or
six hundred million dollars, now In
circulation, was put out, is maintain
ed and will be hereafter maintained,
Just as our g%reenbacks are, by republic
cans and II anything more Is ever &C.
complished for silver 1t will be by re-
publicans. Judge the future by the
p~ast-acts and not words are what
count.
THE WAR WITH SPAIN.
Another thing our friends on the 9TH
er side are endeavoring to trifle with
you about is the war with Spain. They
would have you believe they brought
on the war, they appropriated the
none for it, furnished the soldiers,
engineered the pr~esident-and In fact
furnished all the brains and Drawn, the
muscle and means with which to con
duct 1t. Well now what have they done!
1 will tell you. They did do their share
to bring on the war. / give them full
credit for that, but 1t Is fair to say that
they were willing to plunge us into the
struggle without waiting for due pre-
~paration or making such provision al
would insure us against ignominoui
defeat. They insisted upon recognize
ing, without investigation. the present
Insurgents in Cuba as a legal govern