Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-07-06
FREE COINAGE AND THE DEMOCRACY.

The Inter Mountain will venture the as
sertion that every silver republican in
the state Of Montana. who supported
Bryan in 1896, would gladly welcome a
condition of affairs that would bring
about the free coinage of silver and gold !
at a ratio Of Is to 1, by the independent
action of the American republic. These
gentlemen proved their loyalty to the
white metal by making sacrifices which
the democratcs We're not called upon to
undergo. The free coinage movement !
came to the democracy in 1896 as a politi-
cal godsend, at a time when that party
was bereft of an issue and was rapidly
going to pieces as the result of the disas-
trous administration of Grover Cleve-
land, which it had foisted upon the
people.
Conditions We're such that the new
issue revived the dropping energies of a
'discredited political organization, bring
ing to it's support more than 5000, 900
votes that it could not otherwise have
= SeCuItu lOI It's IlplllllcSS. IL iCSdll!Su ia
part the footing it had lost through four
years of democratic rule, though COM
PEELED to repudiate it's own work and re-
verse it's record, to do so. In the silver
producing states it acquired the control
Of affairs and an opportunity to redeem
its character before the world-an oppor-
tunity which has been most persistently
abused. Thus, in ehampioning silver in
1896 the democracy made no sacrifice. On
rthe contrary. it seized upon its only hope
for existence. and though defeated in the
national election. realized handsomely
upon it's investment in many sections Of
the country.
1t was the silver republicans who made
the sacrifice upon the altar of their devo-
ton to the free coinage cause. They broke
away from the political traditions of a
ltfetime-from a party history made
glorious by great achievements in the
fields Of progressive statecraft-from
principles devoutly cherished, and from
the great names of the Republican order
to bring back to the people of this coun'
try the blessings of bimetallism. They
mingled their political energies with those
of the men whose principles and precept:
they had for years condemned, that from
unity of effort IN a noble cause great goot
might come to all the people.
The fight for free coinage was mad
and lost. To the silver republicans blu
presented itself. and that was to con
tinue the contest, regardless of all othe
considerations. until the victory wa
finally won. They believed that if it We
right to nail free coinage to the mast
head in 1896, and subordinate all othe
public questions to the one great issr
of financial reform, it was right to do 5
in 1898 and in 1900.
But the democratic party though
otherwise. To it the silver question W.
merely a bridge leading from the ballo
box to a public of1ice-not a great pril
ciple to be held aloft till settled and sc
lleu flSut. LIE poiIIy vi to-opSio Nv
to which every silver democrat in Il
land subscribed in 1896, was condemn
with equal ardor in 1898, when it was b
lieved that the prestige of the Bry;
campaign might tide that party throus
to the partial possession of the offices
the silver states. Notice was official
served on the silver republicans and pc
ulists that cooperation with the demo
racy in behalf of the silver cause wou
no longer be ated-that to associa
politically with the democratic party o
must be initiated into its mysteries a
pledge undying fidelity to all it's alleg
principles Il methods of conduct
public affairs. This arbitrary, INSULT
and disgusting course of procedure, viii
would nave deprived Bryan of 5000,
votes had it been adopted by the demo
racy in 1886, is still in vogue
."
It was known in 1898, as it is kno'
now that a continuation of the policy
co-operation would have compelled
democracy to remain true to the cause
free coinage as the paramount issue
each and every campaign until the VIII
metal is ~remonetized. To such a line