Arizona silver belt., 1898-02-24
THURSDAY. FEBRUARY a4, 1898,
SILVER THE ISSUE.

Recent occurrences in Congress and in political circles in the East have de- termined beyond paradventure of a doubt what the paramount issue will be in 1898 and 1900. The money question is to be kept to the front. Presidents McKinley's speech before the Manufacturer Association in New York, and Secretary Gage's speech be- fore the Trade League of Philadelphia, proved conclusively what had been dis puted in some quarters-that there is entire harmony between them on the financial question. There was suiii- cient proof before that the administra- ton was not sincere in its prolessed desire for bimetaliism. The appoint ment of Lyman Gage, rank gold bng, to be secretary of the treasury, and his retention in office in opposition to the wishes of considerable faction oI the Republican party, strengthened this belief.
 President McKinley's election was effected by the votes of Republicans who, while they favored tie restoration of silver coinage, deceived themselves by believing that the promises made in behalf of Mir Mckinley during the campaign, that he was true bimetal- list and would do something for silver, would be fulfilled. The appointment of the Wolcott commission was per functory compliance with a pledge made in the St. Louis platform, but all the time that the commission was abroad treating with the European nations and with England for the hold ing of another monetary convention, it was apparent that the administration had no expectation of the success of the negotiations, and iu fact discredi.ed the commission by lending its sym pathy and influence ct home to the movement to more firmly establish the gold standard.
 It is we'll that the president Las spoken so plainly and forcibly in favor of the gold standard that all doubt as to his position is removed, and no ground is left for trimmers such as Senators Wolcott, Chandler, Hans brough, and Clark and their followers to stand upon. They must now choose between the Republican gold bug party and the allied parties which demand the restoration of free silver coinage
 The debate and vote on the Teller resolution erystali2ed the issue and placed the Republican party on record as unalterably opposed to legislation in the remotest degree recognizing silver ss money of ultimate redemption They demand that silver dollars as well IS the treasury notes shall be redeemed in gold.
 Thus the issue is made aud the friends of silver accept the challenge. The leaders of the Democratic, Pop mist and Silver Republican parties, after conference in Washington, have issued addresses to the people urging that they unite against the common enemy with the firm purpose to redeem the country from the paralyzing grasp of the money changers and the trusts Success can come only through . union of forces, agreement upon free silver coinage as the chief plank of tho plat form, and the elimination of those minor issues concerning which there gre serious differences and which might impair the chances of success. There must be complete harmony, willing ness to relinquish personal ambitions aad party pride, in the interest of the common cause, in order that in every state and congressional district there may be complete fusion of parties op- posed to the Republicans.
 It is satisfaction to the people of the West to be assured that there has been no abatement of the silver senti- ment among party leaders, and it re- mains with the producers and wage earners of the land to say whether they will longer submit to the reign of plu- tocracy and their own enslavement, or whether they will resolutely stand to- gether to rescue their country from the domination of the money power and to restore the money of the consti- tution-silyer and gold at the ratio of 16 to l..
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 Our dispatches today in refersn ce to Inc Cuban crisis indicate serious turn