The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-03
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1899.
TWENTY-FOUR PAGES.
The Disguise Thrown Off.

has peSH eNlueHL 1OT several
N months past that the greatest fear
Of certain alleged silver republicans
lin this part of the state was that the
democratic party would not abandon
the silver issue. Everybody has under
stood that as they opposed the republic
can party in 1896 because of its advo-
cacy of the gold standard, the only valid
TO that party would be either the drop
ping of the silver issue by the democ-
racy, or some action by the republicans
that would indicate a sincere purpose
TO retrace their steps in the direction
of bimetalism.
1t was as clear as light that instead
of wavering in their adhesion to gold,
the republican leaders would go far
Their in their efforts to fasten it upon
the county So the retrograde move
ment was begun by a, plaintive wall
on the part of these people that the
democracy had weakened upon the
question that was the leading issue in
the campaign of 1896.
1t was claa med alternately that the
issue had betan altogether abandoned
and that it wa no longer being made
the paramount issue" IF some gold
democrat made a statement to the eff
feet that the silver issue should be laid
aside, instantly it was proclaimed by
these silver worshipers'' that it had
been laid aside. If Mr.. Bryan made a
:Deech in which he devoted more time
to some other subject than to silver, he
was at once charged with Wavering or
something worse When a democratic
convention reaffirmed the sixteen to one
principle, the fact was either ignored
or the convention was bitterly assailed
upon some other ground.
When George Fred Williams revolu-
tionized the Old Bay state, and the
democratic convention there declared
for free coinage, instead of rejoicing at
60 marked and decisive a gain for the
silver cause, these people who had pre-
tended to regard it with SO much reyer-
ence, trained every hostile gun upon
that democratic convention. 1t was
sneered at because of some disorder
that prevailed. 1t was charged that the
convention was prematurely held, and
the silver men were even accused OF
taking an unfair advantage of the gold
minority.
Finally the plea that the democratic
party had turned it's back upon silver
became so transparently false that it
was measurably abandoned, and the
cry of "copperhead' and traitor was
raised. Still claiming that the silver
question was the most important, their
whole line of attack showed that they
were making the var in the Philip
sines the leading issue, and directing all
their efforts 10 the support of President
McKinley's war of conquest.
And now the disguise is virtually
thrown off When the silver republic
cans hold meeting in Chicago
and resolved in favor of supporting the
democratic candidates in l900-proVidad
they be good silver nen--this meeting
is assailed in manner that is positive
ly virulent, showing that there is q per
sonal feeling in the matter ever
stronger than the political one. 1t il
claimed that all of them, excepting
Teller, are democrats. and in no way
representative of the silver republican
party. 1t was kind of them to ever
make an exception in favor of Teller.
If Charles A. Towne, Fred 7. Dubois
Charles S. Hartman, John T. Shafroth
and those who were associated will
them at Chicago, are not fairly repre-
sentative of the national silver repub
lIcan party, we would like to know
who are. Even the self-constitute'
organ Of Mckinley Silver republi
cansn1" in this state admits that Telle
IS silver republican, and we are no
advised that he raised any question a.
10 the party standing of his associates
These men are planning a great con
ysnt!on for next year. If those here ii
Montana who claim that the chicag