The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-01-03

A HORRIBLE HOLE. To DE IN.


little about the money question. In his
address before the Monticello Club on
tie last day Of the cid year he laid out
new programme for his party.
Whether his party La the Democratic
party or the Peoples party cannot be
determined from anything he said; but
for votes upon two plaaks. and hs has
plunged free silveritcs Into a horrible
hole
The most important point about his
speech, however. Ii his expressed doubt
whether IL win be wise TO hold on 80
is to L." He sayg: ITO my mind the Is
TO proposition has always savored
something Of superstition" Judge Nc
Ccrnsii has advanced 80 far On the road
TO recovery that he should begin 10
be skep.lcai" he says. '-of the value
Of allies as opponents OF monopoly. Il
they persist that IL must be fought only
in connection with those radical de-
rnasids for the restoration Of silver ~
the value it had more than "A quarter OF
a century ago"
This means nothing more than that
Judge Mcconnell neither knows
whether 1t lie practical nor cares what
its effect. provided Ii serve to gather
the forces sufficient TO put him and his
friends in office. He gives the whole
thing away II silver cannot be re-
monetized on It's value OF more than n
be restored to that value by enactment
how can IL be restored to any value
which the market does not give it?
What was the value of silver a quar-
ter Of a century ago. If Ii was not either
the market value or one hundred cents
on the dollar Of gold? The whole plea
Of the silverites was that silver in 1873
was worth as much as gold and the
crime consisted In covering Its value.
Why could not legislation restore -
silver the value IL had more than a
quarter OF a century ago?" II 1t was
worth a hundred cents on the dollar.
al they claimed 1t was, is that not it's
value nowr
This man has thrust his party be-
tween the horns Of terrible dilemma
from one OF which they cannot escape
implement
There Is not free silverite who UNI
derstands the free silver question who
VIII not be furious at the absurd posi-
ton In which Mcconnell has placed
them and the Popuiists must be spit
ting their sides with laughter at The
absurdity of his reasoning. The '1s to
/" free silverite had at least plausible
theory; and the Popullst not only be-
lieves that legislation would restore
silver to the value of one hundred cents
OF gold, but that It could take a piece
OF paper and make IT the equal Of one
hundred cents Of gold.
ITO my mind the Is 10 I proposition
has always savored something OF super
stition." Was there ever such an at
tempt at ear-tickling by an unthinkirg
weird spinner? The only reason Nc
Connel thinks IS he says he does "a
displayed In another part Of his speech,
when he intimates that II was the ratio
of is to which kept many thousands
from voting the Democratic ticket. lie
ia one OF those superficial politicians
who are always ready to abandon ans
principle or devise any plank In order
u capture votes Such IA plank would
not capture a single sound money vote.
and IL would lose thousands of ropulist
and free silver Votes, because neither
could fall TO see through the absurii;y
Of the issue presented
The other plank is rot hit mere At
.raetive. and too dlffuse and threadbare
to SUSTAIN party. II opposes all trusts