The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-22

that he had heard it rumored and that
he had read IL in a few newspapers OF
the state hat there was no such thing
as a silver republican party in Mon
tana. He would present this onven
ton as a re%futation of such an asser-
ton or belief. He desired to express
at the outset his qualification at the
character. standing and intelligence OF
the delegates assembled. which
terbalanced what the convention might
lack i'm numbers. The delegation to the
silver republican convention was APP
pointed on a basis of only one-half that
of the democratic convention, but
from the magnificent audience present
to-day, II was apparent that If the
committee had wanted To enlarge the
convention. il could have had all the
delegates il wanted. He was gratifed
that the people Of Montana took the
view of the matter that they did.
Mr.. Mantle then referred to the
causes and circumstance which led up
10 the split in the republican party
two years ago. When the division &C.
CURED il was the hope Of all that cir
Cumstances might arise speedily which
would be such that the we wings of
the republican party might be reunited.
In this they had been disappointed, so
far as the silver question was con-
cerned. The national republican party
had failed to solve the silver question,
but on the contrary had drifted con-
stantly and steadily toward the gold
standard, and hat party has entirely
dropped the subject of bimetaliism
since the failure Of the International
monetary commission. II is to-day
deemed political heresy to make a dec
laration for silver.
Bimetallism is the basic principle or
the silver republican party. BY BIZ
metallism he meant the coinage of both
gold and silver at the ratio Of l6 To |,
by the United States. without refer
cnce to the consent or refusal Of any
other nation to do likewise. The
speaker believed that bimetallism con-
ccrned the interests Of the masses as
did no other issue. The restoration Of
silver to its proper pl8ce In the financial
system Of the United states. would
mean great prosperity. not for Mon
tana alone. for the entire Rocky
Mountain region and the whole
try. Bimetallism would restore the
wealth that had been destroyed by vic
ious and untoward legislation. II
would furnish additional employment
for labor. There was not a spot whore
it's beneficial results would not be felt
at once-not a home. not a farm, not an
interest but would feel it's effects. He
firmly believed that the demand for hi
metallism was based on Justice and
constitutional right. He believed that
sooner or later the necessities Of the
people would bring about the party's
wishes in this respect.
He believed they were right in 1896
i'm standing by their own interests and
by the interests Of their neighbors and
their state. If they were right then, II
is the paramount issue now: II II meant
the welfare Of the people then. IL means
the welfare Of the people now. Moth
ing has transpired i'm two years To les
a E-..- r.
speaker was one who believed the gold
supply of the world was inadequate to
the demand. The Klondike and other
boasted gold fields had been entirely In
capable OF supplying the world with
gold. England cannot get the gold
with which TO maintain the gold stand
ard i'm India. and there was talk Of
opening the minis of that country 10
silver at a ratio Of % 20 l. Even at
that ratio. il would have "A good effect
on silver. The people of India are
sublimely ignorant that they are
sub%stantiatinE every argument that the
advocates Of bimetallism make. If In
dia needs bimetallism. what would be
the effect Of bimetallism I'm a great
country like the United States?
Passing To the question Of independ-
ent action by the United states. the
speaker asked II a nation which had
the independence to pass and maintain
stringent protective laws. which are
inimical to the interests Of European
nations; a nation which had the indie
pendence to enforce the Monroe doc
trinc: a nation whoch is equal to one
fourth Of the world in produCtiveness.
ought to have strength enough to en-
force a financial system Cf it's own.
The silver republicans maintain that
they have not left the republican
partv but tina the republican party
has left them. They claim. and with
right. that they are the orthodox menu
hers Of the old-time party organiZa-
tiCn Of Grant. Seward and James G.
Blaine. Their brethren in the national
republican party have wandered into
the wilderness. hut the silver repuh-
leans viii wait for them To come back,
until they return and once more he
come a united whole. The silver repuh-
leans have surrendered no part Of their
belief I'm the policy of protection for in
dustries and labor. They maintain
tina the protective policy can never
shed it's benefcent influences under a
reign Of the single gold standard. Ri
metallism is the handmade OF protec-
ton. and the two propositions are two
sides Of the same question. Bimet-
allism, however. is paramount. Money
affects all things. while protection af-
fects only certain things. Free trade
and the gold standard are the exposi-
Al'Al u 'lFh lilfTNs HAA AiA'iA HN'lfAi'fAa
and maintenance will result in the
cheapening of everything, including la
Dor.
Senator Mantle then took up the
matter Of cooperation Of the silver
forces. He reviewed the causes which
led up to the addresses Of the great sill
Yer leaders to the silver forces Of the
country. These leaders tell us that no
nan need leave or abandon his party
yet ang to say. in Montana. the
greatest silver-producing state in the
union. a great part Of the democrats
set themselves in opposition. They say
no one can be for silver unless he Is a
democrat. In the lei breath they "a
there are other issues TO which the
democrats stand pledged. They say
that the cooperation OF the silver
forces would have a demnra1iy'n~ -
feet in the East. or IN other words ~ y
say the fewer number ~ votes cas- for
silver in Montana. the bette IL is for