Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-06-12
THEY ARE DECLARING THEMSELVES.

The members of the national demo-
cratic committee are expressing their
views quite freely as to what the issues
of 1900 should be. the opinions of a num-
Der of these gentlemen being given IN to-
days Inter Mountain. 1t will be OBJ
served that while some of these gentle
men say that tbe platform of 1896 should
he reaf1irmed. and that silver should not
be overlooked, they are almost unani-
nous in the belief hat the paramount
issue should be something else. Some
insist that a declaration against the
trusts should take the lead. while others
are equally positive that 'militarism'' or
neutrality-suspicious. should become the
pivotal question Of the campaign.
Mr.. Trout of Connecticut alone scales
the heights Of bimetallism and insists on
free silver as the dominant issue. 1t is
reserved for the land of wooden nutmegs
to produce a fish that is not looking for
new bait. Five members of the commit
tee believe that silver should have as
much prominence as possible, after Civ
ing to other questions the right of way
as dominant issues. These gentlemen re-
side in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Ar
kansas and the Indian territory, which
does not vote for president. 1t will be
seen that the member from Mr.. Bryan's
state is in accord with the views Of that
gentleman, as expressed at the st. Louis
conference, namely. that silver should
not be wholly overlooked, though an
other question is entitled TO preference
as the paramount issue.
The gentleman from Maine, DR.. Seth
Gordon, seems 70 be more in touch with
democratic sentiment in Montana than
any other member of the national COM
mittee, using almost the exact words i'm
puted to Committeeman Mediation of this
stale when he says that the slogan of the
democracy for 1900 should be: Free sill
Yer and down with the trusts But DR..
Gordon goes a little farther than Judge
Mediation in defining what free silver is.
hSSR All. al w u Dc Jul dIIui
date, and the platform will not insist
on the 16 to / doctrine, but will be a rope
fition of the bimetallic plank of 1892. ="
according TO DR.. Gordon, the plank OF
1892 was good enough, and will bring tbs
inharmonious elements of the democracy
together. In holloing for free silver, DR.
Gordon not only agrees with Montana's
committeeman, but reaches across the
continent 20 take the Anaconda STANDARD
by the hand in the matter of %repudiatins
the ratio Of IL to /. He is so closely il
touch with the policy of western demo
Gratis in declaring for silver with fret
coinage left out, that his views are likel!
to meet with widespread approval il
bourbon circles.
Mr.. Dwyer of California is of the opin
ion that the next democratic platform
should embrace the Constitution Of tn
United States, the Declaration of Inde
pendence and the Ten Commandments
He believes that a platform of that kim
would sweep the country, for no on
would doubt the ability of the demo
cratic party to enforce the Ten Com
mandments if Mr.. Bryan should be elect
ed on that sort of a platform. 1t Nigh
work a little hardship on some of tn
democratic leaders in Montana, unit,
they got used to it, but political dis
cipline would finally bring them int
line.