The Philipsburg mail., 1899-01-27
SILVER'S PRETENDED FRIENDS.


SILvER'S PRETENDED FRIENDS.
That the free-coinage arguments OF
the Democratic political leaders during
the past campaign were simply pretenses
for the purpose of drawing votes, can.
not be further denied. Prominent
Democrats now openly declare that the
16 10 one doctrine is not Democratic
but openly opposed to the principles OF
Democracy. This view upon the propo.
sition is becoming quite general among
Democrats everywhere. a few days ago
Mr.. E. G. Wall, member of the Demo-
cratic national committee from Wiscon-
SIN, expressed his opinion, as follows:
1t is my belief that the doctrine of 16
to one is neither Democratic nor
sound business proposition, but is
in fact entirely opposite to both. I
with many others accepted the plat
form of 1896, not because of that
declaration, but Notwithstanding it,
and at this time it seems proper for
me to enter, as I now do, my pro-
test as Democrat against repeti-
tion of that mistake
Mr.. Wall not only gives expression to
his sentiments, but protests as Demo-
crat against the mistake made two years
ago. Since the 16 to one issue, which
had been adopted for the purpose of
sailing into Office, failed to accomplish
the desired result, 1t is looked upon as
mistake and is pronounced un-Demo-
cratic.
Another prominent Democrat, Mr.
NJ. Shepherd, of Brooklyn, has
also discovered that the issue of free
coinage is drawback to Demo-
cratic success, and his views have some
what changed since the last national
Mr.. Shepherd now offers the
following excuse:
what now say is that any attempt
to establish it (bimetallism) except
it be done by the chief nations of
the world together, is as absolutely
impossible as to suspend the law of
2ravitation."
international bimetallism would, per-
haps, be acceptable to Mr.. Shepherd,
but we are inclined to believe that the
gold standard would be preferable to
the gentleman and tine party he repre-
sents. 1t is quite natural that our Dem.
ocratic friends in Montana should at
tempt to shift the responsibility by say
ing that the Democrats of the east, only,
are opposed to the restoration of silver,
bu. that Montana Democracy is unani-
mously IN favor of the free and unlim-
tied coinage of both gold and silver at
the ratio of 16 to one by the indepen-
dent action of the United States, and
without the consent of any other nation.
However, the Democratic press of the
state-the mouth piece of Montana De-
mocracy-has for some time been en-
gagged in blacksliding, which is being ac-
gradually and by degrees,
SO as attract no unnecessary amount of
attention. AS an example of ite faith in
the Chicago platform and the ultimate
success of the white metal, that staunch
free coinage advocate. the Anaconda
Standard, proclaims that 1.-THE ratio is
not vital factor in silver's restoration"
but that. 'the worlds exchanges practi-
cally fix the ratio" Such are the views
and sentiments of Democratic politicians
at the present time, and the extraordin.
ary supp ly of stability and backbone of
which Democracy possessed so much prior
to the last election, seems to have some
what diminished. The time for unmask-
ing is soon to arrive, and the apparent
devotion to the cause of blmetalllsm will
be discovered to have been a mere pre-
tense adop ed as disguise under which
it was hoped to mislead the public and
capture the spoils of Office.