The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-19
Carriers Topics.

r man CockriIrs latest word TO
i Chairman woolman had drawn
from the Carter coterie n statement OF
the issues which the administration re-
publicans were planning to ring in as
a part Of the proposed Joint debate: II
would be interesting to know how they
Intended to go at work in the effort to
divert attention from the real issue. the
issue. the only issue. the
silver issue.
We shall not heal from these Mon
tana goldbugs on that point. They are
afraid TO discuss silver in joint debate
before Montana voters. and the least
said the better-for them. How they
did run. Mr.. woolman's
was depiorably in evidence. He slipped
into his letter Of yesterday one sentence
in which he impulsively gave notice
that II Governor Smith wouldn't prom
Use right of to discuss whatever Carter
called an issue, then this will termi-
nate the correspondence" Lest that
might not be a heavy-enough anchor to
windward. Chairman woolman gave
notice that. II Carter must talk silver
in the proposed joint debate. then Il
will arrange meetings at once" where
Carter can talk on his W hook and
steer clear of free coinage. Mr.. Wool
man betrayed uncommon anxiety to run
his man to cover.
However. II Is possible to get some
idea OF the topics which Mr.. Carter
would have insisted upon as campaign
issues. In the platform adopted at
their recent state convention at Helena,
the Montana republicans set forth their
statement OF pending questions. The
platform demands that all the con-
quests OF territory resulting from the
recent war be made permanent Ameri-
can possessions; that the protective
policy be upheld: that an i~nter-oceanic
canal be built. The platform declares
| renewed allegiance to he. gold-stand-
ard platform adopted at st. Louis In
1895: II compliments the soldiers who
fought his country's war with Spain:
II asked for a larger navy; II lauded
the Administrations war record. the
bonds. Secretary Alger's rascality and
all: Il pledged the party to support the
administrators policies. Cages gold
bug scheming with the rest.
That is a full summary OF what
the Carter republicans lately declared
to be the issues. on several of these
the party line is not drawn'in Montana;
others of them confessedly are insig-
nincant compared with the silver oues-
ton. But Mr.. Carter wanted, under
the joint-debate's terms. plenty of
room for lodging. He wanted to be
in shape to insist on an hour OF time
10 discuss the Nicaragua canal. in a
mass meeting at Butte; he would have
talked a Phiiipsburg audience tired,
with wool for his topic; he would have
claimed the right to discuss an en-
larged navy before a campaign audi
ence In Great Falls; he would have
killed time by telling Bozeman people
about this country's crying need for a
Goa yard at Cavite; he would have un
dertaken to prove to the people OF Mis-
|, soula that Alger is a real nice mar
and that the soldiers who starved a
Santiago really killed themselves.
The whole truth is-the long and tn
short Of it-Mr. Carter doesn't dare, to
day, to face Robert b. Smith in from
of any audience In Montana and under
take 20 defend the Mckinley admins
tration against the charge that 1t
silver's persistent foe. II Is all YER
easy for Mr.. Carter TO bear false testi
mony when there is nobody on the plat
form to call him down: II the demo
cratic committee had been able to fore
him into a Joint debate. he would hav
been driven to eat his own words o
the spot.