Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1898-10-08
ROBERT EMMETT BURKE AND THE
FREE SILVER HANDBiLt.

FREE SILVER HAHDBiLt.
Local Democratic circles are greatly
ngitated over the appearance Of a
Free Silver handbill which Is being In.
dustriously circulated on the streets.
II Is entitled. "victOry for Free silver
In 1900" and the text Is as follows:
The paramount issue in the Cook
county campaign for the fail of 1898
is the free and unlimited coinage Of
silver ut the ratio of 10 to 1. The
Democratic platform of Cook county
for 1893 reaffir1ns the Chicago Free
Silver platform of 1896.
In November. 1906. $4,000 votes
were cast In Cook county and the city
of Chicago for the peerless ana fear.
less leader, William Jennings Bryan.
for President Of the United states on
u Free Silver platform. Let these 49,.
900 men vote the Democratic ticket
November 4. 1898, and victory will be
on the side Of the common people.
Let Chicago go for Free silver In No.
vember. 1908. Let Chicago, Americas
greatest commercial, manufacturing
and industrial city. elect the Free
Silver Democratic ticket November 4.
1903. ana II will give heart and
strength to the movement throughout
the United States, spread cOnsterna.
ton among the milliOnaires. pluto.
Gratis ana arlstocrats. and make the
gigantic corporations ana sOulless
money power beg for mercy from the
common people.
BE ON your guard, you $4,000 brave
and loyal men. ana register yourselves
and your friends October IL ana DC.
tOber %, 1903.
This document was handed to the
Hon. Robert Emmett Burke. who was
asked to express an opinion concern.
ing Il.
1t IL natural to suppose that such an
astute politician as Robert Emmett
Burke would have smiled pleasantly
and have said: "Thnt II what we ad.
vOcate In our local platform. ana con.
slider the handful good campaign lit.
erature."
But the maker Of tickets ana plat.
forms In Cook county said nothing Of
the kind. He frOwned darkly and dc.
nOunced the handbill as a Republican
trick" dodge to scare business men.
Yet this handful only contains In
more elaborate form the declarations
In the local Democratic platform.
with respect to the free coinage OF Sill
YER. The local Democracy IL pledged
to the peerless and fearless leader,
william Jennings Bryan It Is true
that Democrats In Cook county cast
$4,000 votes for him. Governor Alt.
geld ana Mayor Harrison. who are
also Democratic leaders, are urging
these $4,000 men to support Colonel
Bryan again In 1900, ana Mr.. Burke
certainly desires that these "l4?.OOO
brave and loyal men" will be on their
guard and register October Is ana
%"
Wherein, then, is the Republican
trick" In the issuance OF this handbill Z?
Will II scare business men any more
than the Democratic Platform and the
utterances OF Democratic orators?
suppose some one We're to issue q
handful calling upon the 2O4.OOO men
who voted for william Mckinley ana
gold standard to remain true to their
convictions and do II again, would any
Republican leader denOunce the hand
bill as u Democratic trick, dodge to
scare business menY
by disayOwing this Free silver
handful Mr.. Burke disavOws his plat.
form ana his party. II the handful IL
u trick and II dodge, then the local
Democratic platform Is trick ana u
dodge. II II were Issued by Republl.
cans to injure the Democratic party 10y
advertising the local Democratic plat
form, Mr.. Burke's denunciatiOn must
he taken rs u confession that the plat.
form Is unpopular and will not bear
publicity.
We are not In the secrets Of either
party, but II the Free Silver handbill
was u political bait II must be admit.
ted that the astute Robert Emmett
Burke rose to It Instantly, bit Mt eager
~ ana swallowed 1t hook and all.