The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1898-10-08

"On the EopulisC party getting |
into the middle-of-the.road on the
proposition of strictly paper currency
and the Democrats preparing to stifle
the question two years hence, am led |
TO conclude that the prospect for sue
cess to the cause of silver is rapidly
declining and that it will constitute
nothing more than a local issue in
1900.
Il am the moro reconciled to this
state OF things in viewing the prosper
lty which has come to the nation with
out free coinage, whereby the princi-
pal argument in its favor with me has
been refuted, for /, once, did not be-
lieVe that prosperity could come ex
cept as a result of free and unlimited
coinage of silver"
Some of the Populist papers init
mate that your abandonment of free
coinage as the paramount issue is of
very recent date" was the next sug-
gestiOn.
Measured BY years or months that
is true" was the response. "After
having witnessed the prosperity pre-
Vailing in the east my faith in the
principle was very much shattered, in
deed, 1 was thoroughly convinced that
the issue Of free silver would not be
heard Of in the east after 1898. Never
theless, as this was an off year in poll
tics, thought it might be well to keep
alive that issue in this state by uuion
of all who still believed in its para
mount Importance leaving to the ma
tional conventions to be held in 1900
the treatment of that subject in their
platforms.
1.-THE action taken by the numerous
state conventions of the (so-called) sill
yer parties in this state in the month
of August strengthened and confirmed
my belief that the free coinage Of sill
yer had already ceased to be the para
mount issue, even in Idaho. The sill
yer resolution in the Democratic and
silver Republican platforms in this
state-that pulsating silver chord
which binds the Democratic Office
holder to the silver Republican office
seeker-may deceive some few into
the belief that silver is an issue in Ida
no and there are silver parties patriotic
self sacrificing and bold enough to
come out and declare for silver to the
subordination of everything else. even
desire to hold all the offices, but alas,
the facts are known. Executive ses-
siOns could not keep from the public,
nor silver resolutions blind the most
ordinary observer to the fact that the
principle of the free coinage of silver
hever once entered into the calculations
of the leaders in any of the numerous
conventions which assembled In Boise
on August "a.
"As had declined to have any thing
to do with either Populist convention
/ occupied the position of an outside
observer and flatter myself that my Op
portunities for observation were very
good. The action Of those conventions
the utter abandonment, after the
Rrst day of all pretence of being fol
princIple-decided me in Withdrawing
from all connection with the Office
holding, Office. seeking trust, which II
its mad scramble for Office tramplec
upon the only principle which all thu
parties thereto profess to indOrse."
"What is your opinion of the future
of political parties in this state?"
"The Populist party is in process O
Observation-Disclosures so much as a result
of the open split in its ranks as from
causes which lie further beneath tn
surface.
"One half of the party in this stat
Is made up of a radical element adVo
eating social reforms along the lines o.
a social Democracy. Mr.. Boyce ant
Mr.. Sovereign are representatives ant
leaders of this element, which ha
never regarded silver as an issue para
amount to the social reforms advocates
by them.
"The other half joined the party be
lieving in moderate reforms and
publication of politics, the Obliteratio
of the Office seeking class and the issu
of free silver as paramount to a
other.
"The former will continue as a pc
litical entity-pOssibly under som
other name than POpulist-the latte
will be wholly absorbed by the tw
leading national parties, after whicl