The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1899-10-21
Is BOB A GOLD-BUG7


elected attorney general of Idaho
on the fusion ticket in 1896, has
written letter to M. p. Stevens,
editor Of the Juliaetta Register in
which he denounces fusion and
expresses his lack of sympathy or
patience with those whom he is
pleased to designate as political
degenerates, who have endeavored
to create political issues out of our
conflict with Spain and the result
ant difficulties in the Philippines.
Unfortunately; however, for the
democrats who have heretofore
supported Bob in his political as
pirations, and have labored with
him in effecting fusion in both
county and state, he fails to make
known just where he stands polit-
ically. Now, if Bob is goldbug
we can readily understand his OPP
position to union of all the silver
forces or the state, for we we'll
know that such union has been
bitterly opposed, Con principle, of
course), by every goldbug in the
state from the very first.
Bob's letter has been hailed with
delight by the republican papers
of the state, which have reprinted
his letter and commented upon it,
and complimented him, and some
have even extended him a cordial
welcome into the ranks of the re-
publican party.
Some of the silver papers, how
ever, are inclined to doubt if Bob
ever was Simon pure silver man,
and supporter of the Chicago
platform 'from principles" and to
suggest the possibility that his
support Of the fusion ticket of 500
was, to use his own expression,
''void Of principle and only for the
purpose of placing few selfish
politicians into office" In short
that his democracy is of the Grover
Cleveland variety.
Now, Bob was formerly a resi-
dent Of this county and the demo-
Gratis have supported him in his
political ambitious in the past, and
we are not willing to admit that at
that time his democracy was not
Of the genuine article. We must
concede, however, that he has
fallen from grace; that he is not a
loyal democrat. If he were, he
would advocate union of all the
silver forces of Idaho on what
every democrat believes to be the
paramount issue, the financial
question.
That he has read himself out OF
the party by this letter is plainly
seen. In it he comedies that the
democratic platform of 1900 will
declare against expansion, and
later on he declares himself in
favor of expansion. Well, SO be
it. We doubt not it cost Bob a
struggle to break away; but then,
it is not SO sudden. 1t is generally
reported that he supported almost
the entire republican state ticket
last fall, and that his action was
caused by personal animosity
toward certain candidates on the
fusion ticket with whom his off
cial relations had not been all they
should be. His letter coming now
seems to indicate that time has not
healed the wounds and that he is
determined to renounce his party
allegiance rather that fraternize
with those with whom he lately
contested for leadership. We re-
greet the whole affair, but the dem
ocratic party is too large and its
mission too important to allow us
to be swayed in our party aflilia-
tions by the private, personal ami
mosities of one of its members.
If Bob's change of heart had
taken place before the last demo-
cratic state convention; if he had
not been an active participant in