Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-18
THE TREATMENT OF SILVER.

The Inter Mountain has repeatedly
shown wherein the national democracy
through it's accredited leaders, has com
united itself to the retirement of the free
coinage issue to the background. In sc
doing this paper has not been compelled
ito rely alone upon the logic of the stu
alton for its data. but has quoted copi-
ously from the public utterances of the
most distinguished men in both the silver
and gold wings of that party, with nu-
merous excerpts from the leading dem
ocratic throughout the land.
A concensus of opinion has been shown,
reaching from Candidate Bryan to Dick
Croker, and in no case has any bourbon
organ in Montana dared to take issue
with the popular drift of the democratic
party. In his numerous addresses
throughout the country. since his resigna-
ton from the army, Mr.. Bryan has not
in a single instance declared that the
paramount issue of 1896 should be the
paramount issue of 1900; but he has re-
peatedly stated that neutrality-suspicious."
would be the leading question, and that
anti-trusts would cooperate with it in
unifying the democratic forces for battle.
Mr.. Bryan has gone just as far as the
standard bearer of the silver forces in
1896 could go in RELOCATING free coinage to
the rear. So successful has he been
-, ,,,.L;~- ~ ,,,-+:1 - H. f,1n4
by touring the country in their behalf,
that the interests of the white metal have
sbean practically lost sight Of in demo-
cratic councils. With such adroitness
and skill has free coinage been over.
Nt.elmed through the creation of a false,
faverish and wholly unwarranted senti-
3nent known as anti-inperialism, that
Bryan has to a certain extent been able
to win to his support as a presidential
candidate many of the most pronounced
gold men in the democratic party.
Men of the Dick Croker type, Who have
publicly pledged themselves against the
endorsement of free coinage by the dem
oeratic party, have announced their
willingness to support Mr.. Bryan. since
that gentleman surrendered the idea of
making the silver question the paramount
issue of the campaign. There never
was any question as to Mr.. Bryan's ahili-
ity to keep the free coinage issue to the
front, had he SO desired; and the respons-
Utility for its retirement lies with him
and the so-called silver wing of his party.
Had Mr.. Bryan given to free coinage a
1.-THE of the attention bestowed upon
anti-imperialism, since he retired from
the army for the purpose of building up
an artificial issue to %supplant that OF
1886, he would rave driven from his sup
port the gold wing of his party. as he
did in the past, but he would have main
tanned his consistency as a silver man.
He chose rather to placate the enemies
Of silver, and effect a party reunion:
and must stand upon the record he has
made.
The fact that his work in artificiallv
creating a paramount issue to take the
place of that Of 1896 has been approved
10y the so-called silver wing of his party,
makes that element of the democracy
jointly responsible for the retirement of
the white metal. Not a word in criti-
.cism of Mr.. BIyan's methods has appear
ed in any of the would-be silver news
paper representatives of "a would-be silver
democracy. And yet, any man with a
grain Of sense in the custard-like sub
stance between his ears ought to know
that the silver question is placed at an
inconceivable disadvantage when it is
authorised as the paramount issue of the
campaign, after having ridden in the
saddle in 1896.
1t requires no argument to show the
distinction between a issue
and a subordinate issue. The former is
a test of party fealty, and a pledge to
party action if successful at the polls:
the latter becomes a legitimate bone of
party contention, to be tossed aside as
impracticable when it threatens the CO.
~hesiveness and strength of the argani-
cation.