Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-22
n TRUE REASON.

The public is informed by the demo-
cratic press that the recognized leaders
of that party have reaffirmed the posi-
ton taken on the silver question in 1896,
with all the emphasis that can be
thrown into language"
The Inter Mountain has no h~esitency in
branding that statement has absolutely
and unqualiiedly untrue.
This paper has published columns of
excerpts from the public u~tterances OF
men who We're at the forefront in demo-
cratic leadership in 1896, as we'll as the
editorial views Of the most prominent
newspaper representatives of that party,
all declaring, with all the emphasis that
: can be thrown into language" that the
silver question must be placed in the
background and the free coinage ratio Of
16 to 1 must be dropped from the roster
of democratic principles.
The Inter Mountain has repeatedly
called the attention of the local demo-
cratic press to these statements, in the
hope that some rational explanation
might be made consistent with the claim
that the democratic party is still in favor
of the free coinage cause.
But no such explanation has been
made.
Shutting their eyes to the inevitable
trend of their party leadership, like
the ostrich which buries it's head in the
sane these visibly perturbed organs Of a
lost cause, iterate and reiterate the I'M
supported statement that the democracy
is true to the principle of free coinage
and will fight it's battles at the polls.
No rational explanation can be made
of the course pursued by the local organs
of the democracy, other than a desire on
their part to mislead the public as to the
true situation in national politics, in the
hope that a political advantage in this
state may be thereby attained.
But with all their efforts to persuade
the public that the democracy is still the
u~ndaunted champion of free coinage, two
important concessions have been made
by them which undermine the position
taken.
They admit that on account of a DIFF
ference in opinions within party lines re-
specting the ratio, some f1exibility on
that point has been allowed; and they
concede that silver has not maintained
its position as the paramount issue.
It would be necessary only to quote
from the democratic press and the ora
tors Of 1896, to conclusively show that
any deviation from the ratio of 16 to | is
fatal to the free coinage cause.
1t was then maintained with unan-
sWerable logic that any but the scientific
ratio would disturb the relation of debtor
ana creditor, ambulance the fnancia
system. and do a palpable injustice to
silver.
To permit any change in the ratio is to
controyert the position taken by the
democracy in 1896, and resolve the who'll
proposition of free coinage into a howl
irS farce. Senator Allison, the eminent
republican fnancier, was roundly abused
III 1886, together, with other gentlemen OF
the same school, because he was willing
to accept bimetallism With a ratio of
80 to l.
Now, the local organs of the silver
democracy are willing, for the sake of
harmony in the democratic party, to adj
nit the propriety of making concessions
as TO the ratio.
The prominent eastern democrat who
declares that he is for silver, but against
the ratio of IS to 1, is looked upon as
the champion Of free coinage, while Mr..
Allison is a goldbug,
1t requires no argument to show the
Inconsistency of this, or to point out the
fact that it is a decided recession of tha !
democracy from the advanced ground of
1896.
If the local democratic newspapers
have reached the conclusion that the
ratio Of 16 to ! can with safety to the
free coinage cause be set aside for al