Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-06-20
THE QUESTION or JUSTIFICATION.

The Anaconda Standard this morning
gives its political muscles a little exercise.
and produces the following of local in
terest relative to what it is pleased to
designate as "so-called silver-republican
newspapers"
1t is evident that these papers and the
few scattering voters whom they repre-
sent do not intend to vote for the demo-
cratic candidate in 1900, and are looking
for a justification however flimsy.
The Inter Mountain has repeatedly
shown wherein the democratic party has
forfeited the support and political good
will Of silver men who belong to other or
CARNATIONS, and if it's arguments a
been "fimsy' in any respect the Stand
ard has signally failed to point out their
weaknesses. To men of ordinary intelli-
gence it would seem that a great demo-
cratic newspaper like the Standard ought
to lose no time in demolishing the argu-
ments used for the apparent purpose Of
DETECTING votes from the democracy.
To the Inter Mountain the reasons why
silver republicans cannot support the
democratic party in 1900 are many. These
reasons ave been presented to the public
from time to time. and the logic of the
situation discussed in all its bearings. yet
no effort has been made by the Standard
to disprove any statement made in these
olumns Its nearest approach to an
argument is the unsupported inference
that silver republicans are looking for
"flimsy" excuses to withhold from the
democracy in 1900 the supper accorded
that party in 1896.
The Standard ewes to it's constituency
an effort at least to show wherein the
silver republicans are wrong in refusing
to again align themselves with the de-
mocracy. 1t should disprove the allega-
tions made by the silver republicans as
to democratic treachery to the free COIN
age cause. and explain away, if within it's
power to do so, the statements of fact
which have ilnpelled s~elf-respecting sill
Yer men to look upon the pretensions of
the democracy with doubt.
1t is a mistake to say that the silver
republicans and populists have been
looking for a justification for the with
drawal Of their support from the demo-
cratic party. The justification came
when they neither looked for it nor ex-
pected it. 1t was forced upon them by
the d of the democratic party, and
by evidences of insincerity in the treat
ment OF the free coinage question that
could no longer be disguised under a thin
veneering of Grassland politics.
~
Inc arguments advanced by silver re-
publicans to show that the democracy is
pursuing a course that is disloyal to the
true interests of the white metal, and
which can result only in deferring the
day of its recognition in the monetary
affairs of the country, cannot be success
FULLY met by the demagogical CRY that
their motives are dishonest. After the
democratic press awe demolished the
arguments they can then take up the
question Of motive, but not before. No
silver republican newspaper has ascribed
dishonest motives to the democracy.
without first presenting the facts from
which such an inference could be deduced
VIII the democratic press of Montana
be equally fair and candid?
VIII they explain in what manner the
cause of silver was advanced by abb
rcSatlng in 1898 the policy of Cooperation
which was deemed essentia in 1896? If
1t was right for silver men who belonged
TO different political organizations to CO.
operate IN support of the free coinage
issue in 1895. why did that policy sud
denly become al abomination in 1898?
No democratic newspaper in Montana
mas attempted to explain this, ana Vet
1t is a matter of supreme interest to
SILVER men, for it has a direct bearing on /!
the issue.
No democratic newspaper in Montana !
has attempted to show wherein if was >
necessary for a silver republican or popu-
list to become a democrat and give
equal support to other articles of p~olitica,
faith, If silver be the paramount issue.