The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-08

Along with the other formal pro-
/ nouncements. comes a communication
! addressed by Congressman Hartman
/ ito all opponents of the gold standard
/ in Montana We take IL that the
congressman's manifesto is intended
/ especially for the information and
| guidance of republicans in Montana; at
any rate republicans who are still
| tempted to try the impossible by want
ing to be for silver and still stay with
! the administration party, will find Mr..
| Hartman's open letter worth reading.
| 1t was received yesterday from Wash
ington by the newspaper offices in the
state-the Standard prints it on this
mornings second page.
Says Mr.. Hartman at the outset: Il
have observed some few evidences in
Montana of disposition among certain
individual members of the three anti
gold-standard and anti-monopoly par
ties of the state, to oppose the co-opera-
ton of our forces in the coming cam
paign. ! cannot believe, however, that
such opposition will assume formidable
proportions / shall be greatly sur
progressed far. it does not practically
pass away"
The congressman calls attention to
the fact that the republican national
convention declared in 1883 for both
gold and silver as money" that in 1892
1t demanded the use of both gold and
silver as standard money" but that it
drfted in 1896 to a declaration in favor
of the gold standard unless an interna-
tional agreement could be secured. The
letter sums up the first twelve months
of the record of the Mckinley admins
tration. 1t says:
While n commission Of distinguished
gentlemen was in Europe obsequiously
wooing the consent of foreign governments
TO our exercise of the right of self-goyern-
ment. and ostensibly carrying out the
empty promise of the ST. Louis platform
to promote the free coinage of silver
by international agreement. and at time
most critical to the success of the en-
bassy, IL any success at all were posi-
bic. the president of the United States in
a special message to congress on the oath
of July. 1897. endorsed the scheme of al
legged monetary reform propounded by the
so-ealled indianapolis sound money con-
venton, based on the maintenance of the
single gold standard the retirement of all
kinds of government notes and the sur
render To banking corporations of the
sovereign function of issuing paper mon
ey This conspicuous. reputation at home
of any disposition toward bmetallism
must inevitably, If no other cause had eN-
listed, have sufticed to defeat all negotia-
tions in its favor abroad.
A few weeks ago, when the public was
made acquainted with the plans of the
free coinage leaders, through the mani
festoes sent from Washington, the
Standard tried to present the relations of
Montana to the national aspects of the
silver question. 1t was said then that
Montana is safe enough for silver that
the state is of account only wherein it
aids the work in other states by show
ing its readiness to accept cheerfully
the leadership of these men and respond
Loyalty to their call. That point is
expressed in a paragraph of the Hart
man letter which reads: Men who are
seriously contemplating the advocacy
of a division of our forces in Montana,
ought To remember that even though
our local conditions are such that there
is no fear of the republican party
winning in the state, nevertheless we
cannot afford To present the example
of selfish contention and disharmony
within the ranks of the allied forces of
Montana, which will serve to embarass
or prevent the accomplishment of COM
plete cooperation in states where it is
necessary before victory can be ours
We should remember that the contest
in Montana is only important In so far
as it aids or Injuries the cause in other
states and in SO far as our state con-
test is a part of the great national
campaign. Shall we be guilty of the
objectionable offense of imperiling the
success of the general cause in the
nation by petty quhhling among our
selves as to which one of the three
parties is strongest in the state, or as
10 which one shall have assigned to il,
in the cooperative agreement some
particular office or Offices The duty of
the hour demands the subordinaton of
every personal ambition, the suppress
sion of every animosity. and the COM
nlete determination To present a united
front to the common enemy"
Undoubtedly. the letters we have
referred 10 this morning will provoke
comment. They concern first of all the
silver republicans of the state; among
these people some signs of differences
Of opinion have lately been manifested
The Standard is content To put all the
facts before silver's friends In the state.
following the expressions of opinion
they call out and taking no present
share in the discussion of political
methods for the immediate future.