Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-09-05
IT Will NOT DOWN..

The wide reputation attained by
Ranquo's ghost. as an entity that cannot
be kept down, is likely to be shared by
the agitation now going on in the demo-
cratic party over he silver issue.
Though Colonel Bryan recently indicated
that his loyalty to the white metal had
lost none of its luster. and was in no
danger Of suffering from political rust.
it appears that his late fiat collidel with
his former declarations as to the greater
prominence of other issues, thus stirring
up a very lively hurrah all along the
line.
Instead Of giving up the fight against
the ratio of Is to /. the democrats who
oppose that idea are laying the founda-
tons for a neat little scrinmage IN the
national convention. Mr.. Clark Howell,
editor Of the Atlanta Constitution. and
a member Of the democratic national
committee. has written a letter in which
H. takes strong grounds in favor of
emitting details in the endorsement Of
the general principle of bimetallism. He
is one of Bryan's strongest friends and
supporters, and stood by the party in
1886: but he has reached the conclusion
that no declaration in favor OF 16 10 l
ought to appear IN the national! platform
in 1900.
In commenting on this remarkable let
ter the New York Journal, a Bryan
paper, says: Mr.. Howell sees the op-
p%ortunity for success along new lines
After noting the fact that Ex-Governor
.AItseld sees the situation in the same
light as Mr.. Howell, the Journal adds:
rs there not hope that Mr.. Bryan will
range himself with the progressive ele-
ment Of his party and give thu democrats
VINO went astray in 1896 a chance to re-
turn to the fold2?" The Journals inter-
rogatory IS IN part a prayer for Colonel
Bryan to think it over IN a new light and
it IS in part a threat. It shows concIu-
sively that the Journal is Of the opinion
that Mr.. Bryan is not properly aligned
with the progressive elements of his
party. and IS not taking a position con-
sistent with what it and Others believe to
be necessary for democratic success at
the polls.
- When democrats like Mr.. Howell, and
newspapers like the New York Journal,
begin to ask for a change in the atti-
1u1e of the silver wing of the party it
means that the request will be followed
by a demand, and the demand by an ex-
ercise of political muscle TO enforce it. In
many sections Of the east the democratic
press is far more ~outspoken than the
Journal, and the rumble of opposition to
the free coinage idea is becoming mora
pronounced. The Philadelphia Record,
conceded to be one of the ablest and most
influential democratic papers published,
says:
- Mr.. Bryan has made his speech: and il
is as true now as before that his free sill
Yer issue standsasa rock of obstruction
high as Gibraltar in the pathway of the
democratic party in power. With this
obstruction removed, the democratic
party would have a bright prospect of
success in the coming contest. They
would then have an opportunity to in
augurate a new era of democracy in the
opening of the twentieth century as the
Jeffersonian democracy began their ca
reer in the dawn of the nineteenth. The
masses of the democratic party are
weary of this silver issue. They shrink
from another campaign of its barren
platltudes, fallacies and humbugs, and
above all. from the real dangers which
Turk behind this cheap silver programme.
- With this sentiment prevailing in the
east it is evident that d storm is brew
ing. and that the original idea of uniting
the free coinage ratio from the plank
endorsing bimetallism will be finally
adopted by the national convention, or
the break-aWay of 1896 will be repeated.
There is little probability that the gold
wing of the democracy will confess itself
wrong as the price of readmission to the
favor of the silver men. The symptoms
Al least do not point to a cheerful aeaui-
essence on Their part. Under such cir
rumstances the election of Mr.. Bryan on
IL silver platform would be followed by
the maintenance of a house of repre-
sentaiives ~antagonistic to his views,
making remonetization an impossibility
during his term Of office. To this end the
gold democracy would most industriously
work.