Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-07-26
Remarkable Change of Sentiment on
the Financial Question.
REPUBLICAN VICTORIES PREDICTED
States to Be Carried on Straight
out Gold Platform.
SOUND MONEY DEMOCRATS

There has been a most remarkable
change of sentiment on the Pacific coast
toward the financial question" said Mr.. r.
X. Schoonmaker to a Star reporter today.
Mr.. Schoonmaker has been in the coast
states since the beginning of the Oregon
campaign, in which ne. took a prominent
part, under the auspices of the republican
committee, and since the election he has
taken an interest in the politics of the
other states.
The Oregon election was the first out-
ward indication of the revolution which
has swept over the far west, and which Is to
n axe itself manifest further in the cleo
tons of next fall" he continued. THE
republicans will carry Washington. Cali
fornia, Montana and Wyoming upon q
straightout gold platform. more radical IN
character than the national platform
of the party adopted at ST. Louis. The re-
publicans will be enabled to do this with
the assistance of the gold democrats OF the
est, who exist in considerable numbers.
The Oregon Campaign.
When the Oregon campaign was organ
ized it was before the war, and at d time
when there was some doubt whether there
would be war. The Oregon republicans
got together on the most radical gold bs-
sis that could be imagined Not only did
the platform declare out and out for the
gold standard, but went beyond. am dep
recated any further agitation of the silver
question.
Following this action came a fusion Of
the opposing forces. 1t was probably the
most powerful fusion ever effected in any
state. Ii included the silver republicans.
In numbers and Of prominence, ;he silver
De mocrats, the populists and the middle
ot-the-road popuiists.
Mind yon, now. the fight was strictly
upon the money question. The war issue
had not arisen, and in the campaign no
reference made TO the war The re-
publicans weeded out of their lists Of can
c1dates every man with taint of silver on
his record. Representative Ellis a strcnn
ard popular man. was defeated for renon-
II aton because he had voted for the Teller
resolution. The result of the campaign
was, as every one knows. a sweeping VIC
tory for the republicans throughout the
state.
A Lesson for Washington.
''Now. that Orego n election, together with
scme other influences, is going to have a
good effect throughout the far west Wash
ington is already falling into line and the
republicans will undoubtedly carry the
state. The people of Washington have laid
a rather severe object lesson, since the
state went for Bryan. two years ago. They
have had their eyes opened to their folly
After Bryan carried the state hard times
became harder In Washington. Money was
withdrawn from investment, loans were
called in and there a general loss of
confidence in business and financial circles
Right across the river in Oregon, a state
which had declared for sound money the
conditions were the reverse. Loans were
renewed, money was invested and there
was confidence and prosperity.
THE success of the gold standard plat
form in Oregon and the prosperity which
follows the alignment of a state for sound
money will induce others TO fall in line
next fall 1t has been demonstrated that
the sound money democrats will vote a
republican ticket with gold in it, IL the al
tentative is free silver
Prediction for California.
California VIII be overwhelmingly re-
publican next fall. Protection to her indus
tries and straightout gold platform will
be the winning cards. The same influences
at work in Washington and California will
operate in Montana and Washington. The
fusion OF the disorganized free silver ele-
nients cannot beat combination OF sound
money democrats and republicans, for they
are the controlling factors in politics ID