Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-08-07
SENATOR CLARK ON SILVER.

~AISSlC 1aGL VSSh mas NV to iieN
comment, in one way or another, tina
his newspaper, the Butte Miner, attempts
to place a qualification of its own on tina
gentleman's remarks. 1t discredits the
Associated Press report of the interview
and r%eproduces the following from the
San Francisco Examiner as genuine:
William ]. Bryan is certainly remark
ably popular throughout the west, but
as to his securing the nomination for the
presidency l should not care to predict,
Silver will not, in my opinion, be the pre-
dominating party issue next year. l am
as much a bimetallist as ever, under
stand; I simply predict that no set of
self-constituted leaders can at this time
throw themselves into the breach and
dictate the candidate or platform for the
democratic party.
The Associated Press report said that
Senator Clark expressed himself to the
effect that he was mot sure about the
denomination of Bryan and mot so sure
that silver would be the great issue in
1900. Just wherein the Examiners re-
Associated Press report is hare to deter
mine. It will strike the average man as a
distinction without a difference. If pos
sible, silver men will see less to encour-
age them in the revised edition thar in the
original print. When he says Il do not
care to predict" the nomination of Bryan,
does he not indicate that he is not so
sure of his nomination? When he says:
"Silver will not. in my opinion, be the
predominating party issue next year.
does he not say that he is not so sure
1900? What is the difference between
the great issue and the 'predomi-
mating issue of a campaign?
The Miner thinks that anyone who un-
derstands the English language ought to
see a difference between the two reports
of the interview. AS our morning con-
temporary becomes analytical as to ex-
pressions rather than as to ideas. it is
we'll to look at the matter from that
standpoint for a moment. The word
great" as applied to questions to be ar
Sucu, 1liSaliS SIlltiSu u earliest cUllSlO-
Grafton, weighty, important" according
to Webster, while the word "predomi-
nant signifies prevalent over others,
superior in strength, influence or author
ity." Thus it will be seen that if Senator
Clark used the term great ISSUE he IN
dicated that in his opinion the silver
nllpCtinn would NOT no tha mast ,,-airl,4,,
and important one next year, or given
the most earnest consideration, whereas,
If he used the term "predominating party
issue he Indicated that in his opinion the
silver question would not be an issue of
superior strength or influence in the next
campaign, the converse of which is it
may be an inferior issue of great weak
ness and painfully lacking in influence!
1t is difficult to see wherein the Miner
gains any comfort for silver men through
an effort to split hairs as to the exact
words used by Senator Clark in express
ing the belief that both Bryan and free
coinage have been laid on the shelf by
the democratic party. If Senator Clark
rs not willing TO predict the nomination
of Bryan, when such a prediction coming
from his lips would greatly strengthen
that g~entleman's chances, it is because
he does not want to have his political
judgment impeached by the future trend
of events. He knows enough of the drift
of affairs in The ranks of the democracy
an enthusiastic Bryan man when things
are being shaped up against the nomi-
nation of the silver leader, wen when by
so doing he might help the cause of silver,
And he does not state that in his opinion
silver will not be the predominatinp issue
next year, without a knowledge of the
purposes Of the distinguished leaders of
his party. for he might have greatly aided
the cause of the white metal by speaking
hopefully of its future and firmly as Ia
the duty Of the democracy to make it the
leading question of the next campaign.
The fact is, Senator Clark's interview
is another confirmation of the conten-
ton made in these columns that the de-
mocracy Is preparing to relegate free
coinage to the rear. 1t is pretty tough,
However. for sincere silver men to realize