Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-10-06
WHY o THEY 90 i75,

Ine Helena Herald mas suggested that
il the democratic newspapers of this
state intend so stand by the free coinage
proposition. they ought to indicate that
purpose in some way. Quite right.
Immediately after the defeat Of 1896.
the bourbon journals discarded the pol
icy of cooperation on the part Of the
silver forces-a policy which had been
approved in the campaign of that year
as the only way in which practical results
could be attained. This attack upon the
one plan through which free coinage leg
emphasized when the state conventions
met in Anaconda in 1898, by it's utter re-
pudiation. ~
A little later came the general move
ment to re-unite the eastern and western
wings Of the democratic party on a basis
that would ensure their cooperation in
1900. This movement, at it's inception.
implied the placing of the silver ques-
ton in the background and the selec-
ton of some other paramount issue. Ac-
cordingly, Colonel Bryan and other noted
leaders of the silver cause in 1896, an
bounced that some such question as anti
trusts or anti-imperialism would be the
party slogan mex year. Then state
convention after state convention voted
down resolutions calling for the free
coinage of silver and gold at a ratio Of 16
to /. though some of them supplemented
this action by a general endorsement of
the Chicago platform. which. under the
circumstances meant merely ar approx
al of the general principles of bimetal-
lism. without the free coinage ratio.
During these plays on the political
ch~eckerboard not a democratic paper in
Montana has raised it's voice in protest.
Instead of declaring their steadfast ad-
herence to the paramount issue of 1895.
they have practically abandoned all de-
fence of it, and entered with zest into
the work of giving greater prominence
to the anti-imperialistic issue, with the
apparent understanding that it is to be-
come the paramount question to which
party energies will be dedicated in 1900.
Some of the democratic newspaper eX-
the extreme of openly and avowedly dis
claiming the free coinage ratio of 16 to
l, insisting that the ratio of values be-
tween silver and gold should be- regulat-
IL H., ~. ,~r1l op.Io,,~oc V1,;c i1oo
evidently met with great favor, for no
democratic newspaper in this state has
attempted to controvert it, or make a de-
Tense of free coinage as understood in
1896.
But one inference is possible, namely.
that the democratic newspapers of Mon
tana do not intend to insist upon sthe
the free coinage ratio. and thereby inter
fere with the contemplated reunion with
the gold wing of that party. Montana
is a great silver producing state, and the
expressions to be found in the columns
of the press are interpreted in the east
as indicating the sentiment Of the peo-
pie. Care has therefore been taken by
the bourbon organs to say nothing that
would arouse the resentment Of eastern
democrats. The free coinage issue has
been dropped, and every energy devoted
to an assault upon the government for
defending the honor Of the country in the
Philippines. Little wonder, the Herald
wants to know why the democratic news
papers do not say something in favor of
free coinage if they really intend to make
a fight for it in 1900.