Arizona republican., 1899-07-17
NEXT YEARS Fight
Some Interest Already Being
Token by Politicians.
as q Safe Guard in Inc
improbable Event of d Demo-
Cratic Victory Desire the Early
Passage of Gold Standard Law.

manifested at this time Il the political
situated with respect TO the prasi-
dental campaign. It 5 2 subject Of
comment that now more than year
n advance of the oamp-tgn. Issues IN
both parties seem to be shaping SO
definitely and the lines Of ths coming
battle are So clearly drawn
More than this, the direction of po-
lf5icaI events appears 70 be fixing the
probable presidential candidates. Few
republicans see any other candidate IA
their field than Mr. Mckinley. Many
democrats believe that the logical Sc
qusnoe OF p0r1ending events assures
the nomination OF Mr., Bryan.
Republicans ar5 eagerly discussing
a question which now appears 10 be
uppermost in their political ca,cuia-
tions-the wisdom of formally enac--
tng into law the gold standard. Surrey
ana steadily the drift of opinion
among the leaders is in the direction
Of an affirmative answer
At the same time due confederation
is bang given The other side of the
question. It is net being passed over
lightly. It is, however, b5ing out
weighed in the balance by the oppos-
ing judgment of the leaders.
Aside from the mere political ad-
vantage which the republicans b=lieve
they will gain from espousing the
cause of the gold standard in q battle
against free silver IS another consider
a'lion. It : the protection to the f1an-
citI and vested interests OF the coun-
Try which such enactment would afford
and which the republicans believe is
their duty to give
It is pointed out by republicans of
Prominence who discuss this subject,
that all contingencies should be pro-
vidsd against. Suppose, they say, that
Mr.. Bryan Should be elected, a mast
remote contingency in thar minds:
but nothing is Impossible II american
politics. With the republicans IN
control of the senate for sever1l
years to come. a free coinage law
could not be passed. But the Bryan |
tie secretary of the treasury in the
absence OF a law to the contrary could 1
redeem coin certificates in silver. The
result, from the republican standpoint. |
would be disastrous to the country. I
The efore, 1t might be wise to provide !
in the new currency bill against such !
a possibility.
The poEticaF advantage which the
expect to derive from an
explicit declaration fer the sold stand
ard, IS has been pointed out here @
fore, would cone from the ensuing
surrey that Mr.. Bryan would be the
democratic candidate. The reDubl.-
can leaders want him to head The op-
posing forces on his Gid Platform.
There is no denying the fact that
the republicans would visw With IN
sasiness the candidacy of an eastern
nan, say Mr Conan They feel
hat the platform upon which he would
stand would be a modification of the
Chicago platform. SO skillfuIly and
modified as possibly %
promise the adherence Of 2 large pro
portion Of the silver wing Of the party
While unifying the forces in the east.
They cannot contemplate with equa-
limity even the possibility of such
.lNnion CT democracy. Il would ne
repetition CT the grsat
lght of 1896. and the republicans are
.ot looking for a renewal of that no
able effort.
Republicans in discussing the propo- =
it-on to formally enact into law the
old standard rept! ths. ;ntimation thac
uch action wo@IG be a reversal of the +
osition assumed y the party n the :
-stiona1 platform of 1896. On the +
ontrary, they say, it would but be
mphasizilg tb5ir st;6.uda. g
I'VE are Therefore" said the finan- 7
iaI plank Of that platform, opposed e
o the free coinage OF silver except by t
agreement with the f
asding commercial nations of the V
-orId, which VIC pledge ourselves to a
remote, and until such agreement
m be obtained the existing god
tandasd muct be preserved
Th=re was a declaration by the y
2rty, II IS polllCd oui, tnat the gOld
tacdsrd exists and IS in practice. If
is necessary, they ask, % put that
into the law as well as
he platform, whsre IS the departure? U
Another section of that Platform de- L
Jared: I'VE are unalterably opposed Y
D every measure calculated 10 dsbase o
ur currency or impair the credit Of F
ur country" It is argued that enact 0
lg the gold standard would be but
linching this proposition and making n
effective in law. Il
Republican leaders say that enact T
lent of the gold standard need not be b
0nstrusd as formal abandonment by t.
be party Of the p-.nciple of bimetal II