Hutchinson gazette., 1898-10-13
AN HONEST REPUBLICAN.
CAN HE FOLLOW THE WANDER
INo9 OF HIS PARTY2
A. Some Point Between Conventions and
for Some Cause Unknown, the He-
publican Party Deserted BimetaliSm
so Long Advocated.

remarkable process Of evolution, has
now become the nvowed champion OF u
a single gold standard. A gold stand
ard, pure and simple, without any nj
10y OF international or other form OF
bmetallsm is to-day the dominant ar
ticlo of It's creed. The democratic par
~ standing stcadfastly by the Chicago
platform is the champion OF a double
standard 10 be made effective by the
restoration OF silver TO free coinage.
This is the real division line between
the parties. All other differences Rs
TO monetary policies are secondary
consequences OF these primary posi-
tions. The two parties are thus Mt last
face TO face upon distinct issue be-
tween single standard OF gold and n
double metallic standard. On the re-
publican side II Is new departure. No
republican has ever before the present
year been required or asked TO vote for
u gold standard, lie has always hith-
erto been told thHt his party was in
favor Of bimetallism, At the last ecc-
tion in 1896 it was assured by his po-
litlcnl leaders not only that the party
was in favor OF double standard but
proposed more effective way to
reach 1t than the Independent free
coinage for which the democracy had
declared. Now he Is told that all this
bimctallc talk was either ill-consider-
ed or insincerc; that modern, full-de-
veloped republicanism cannot longer
tolerate any such unwisc and mischicv'
ous proposition OF friendship for silver
in any form. That l am right MS
TO the previous position of the party |
ask attention to the following extract
from the platform Of the Colorado re-
publican convention held only a few
days ago. The republican conventions
In other states have almost unanimous
Up declared for single gold standard
and have carefully avoided any refer
ence to the previous attitude of the
party. The Colorado convention has,
however, insisted upon calling atten-
tion in very specific way to this past
record They say.
The republican party is and always
has been n bmetallc party. The re-
publicans of Colorado are earnestly de-
voted to the cause OF bimetallism. II
has no sympathy with recommendation,
and believes that the final imposition
OF a single standard upon the people
of this country would work irreparable
injuries. It's members believe that the
proper place for republican bimetal.
list is in the ranks OF the party and
not out Of 1t.
The statement that the party, judg'
ed by its platforms and the teachings
Of its leaders and advocates has hith-
erto been bimetallic is strictly true.
The assertion that it is so now, in the
light of the nearly universal pronun-
Citations by its representative authori-
ties, is just us strictly untrue. The
party is irrevocably committed to q
gold standard. Every present member
Of the party who remain in 1t must
now subscribe to gold standard with
out any qualification or alternative, l
am confident that very large number
will not retain membership on that
condition. l credit the republican
voters with a degree of intelligence
and independence which will compare
favorably with that Of the members Of
any other political organization. l
think, therefore, that before they will
accept this remarkable change Of the
party financial policy they, or many OF
them will, ask some questions first to
themselves and then to their leaders.
Naturally the first one will be; Why
this changer What has caused it, made
IL necessary or desirable? Going back
to start with no further than 1896,
why did we then declare chat we were
in favor of bimetallism only insisting
that the best way to get it vas by act
ing concurrently with other nations,
while now we say we do not want BIZ
metallism in any form. Did not our
orators and leaders tell us In that cam
paign that they were better bimetal-
lists than the democracy? Why then
do they now tell us that we are not
bimetallists at ALL that we want moth
ing to do with silver or with anything
else as a money basis than goldP Here
Is change which amounts to revo-
luton in monetary policy, involving as
II does the very foundation of financial
System. What has produced or justi-
ded IT? What reason or even plausible
excuse can be given for it? What has
occurred in less than two years here or
anywhere else in the world to warrant
or even suggest it? The republican
voter who puts this question to him
self and tries to think out all answer
will find none satisfactory. He will be
able to discover no explanation, be-
.Aw.s,AAnt tyit1, anH hnn-