The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-08-26
COL. BRYAN ENTERS A DENIAL.

WIN LILY dI OSSldlCu llldl IL llC" 10
sues arise which seem to be more i'm
portant than those OF the past, it is
proper for the Democratic party to give
prominence to the new ones and even
use them as the basis of the coming
presidential campaign. AS this signif-
cant utterancc came from Mr.. Bryan
about the time that Richard Croker de-
nounced Imperialism and eulogized
Bryan as one of the greatest men that
America has produced, the Republican
politicians inferred from the coincidence
that an understanding had been arrived
at between the Tammany leader and the
gallant Nebraskan to relegate silver to
the background and make imperialism
the paramount issue. Some reporters
OF the plutocratic press went so far as
to report Mr.. Bryan as saying that sill
yer would be made subordinate issue
in the platform OF next year. Every
body knows that the delegates at the
national convention are the persons to
decide what the most prominent issue is
to be, and they will be governed largely
by conditions existing at that time.
Mr. Bryan is too sensible politician
to announce in advance Of the conven-
ton what issue should obtain pre-em-
inence in the platform. He is careful
to avoid the appearance OF being die
tator to his party, and false reports OF
his speech at Des Moines would place
him in wrong attitude before the
country. Therefore it is that he took
the first opportunity to set himself
right. In speech delivered at Omaha,
Neb, on Aug. 18, he said:
II never said at Des Moines or any
where else that the money question
should be sent to the rear. I have in
sisted at all times and in all places that
the money question will be before the
country until bimetallism is restored. 1
.have repeated over and over again that
this nation must act alone, without
waiting for the aid or consent of any
other nation, and that 16 to is the only
ratio at which the minis can be opened.
There is no possible excuse for the con-
slant effort of section Of the press to
misrepresent the views of free silver
men.
81 have never for one moment
thought compromise desirable or pos
sible. In 1896 100000 persons voted
for candidates pledged to international
bimetallism and 100000 voted for the
candidates pledged to independent BIZ
metallism. Every vote for bimetallism,
whether international or independent,
is a protest against the single gold
standard We have the gold standard
to-day, not because the people want it,
but because handful OF English fnan-
ciers defeated President Nc Kinleys
effort to secure foreign aid in the resto-
ration OF bimetallism.
"The republicans are now preparing
to make all contracts payable in gold.
This will lessen the quantity of legal
tender money and make the scramble
for gold more intense. The republicans
also contemplate retiring the green
backs in the interest of national bank
notes. Can the money question be for
gotten while the money-changers are
Ito quote the language used by Mr..
Mckinley in 1So1) trying to make
money scarcer and therefore dearer-
money is the master and all things else
the servants? The gold men know that
our abandonment OF the ratio OF 16 to
would be equivalent to an abandonment
OF the money question and they know
that an abandonment of the money
question would lead to the surrender OF
all that the party gained by the Chicago
convention. The republicans fear the
money question and, therefore, the re-
publican papers are ready to praise the
wisdom and magnify the prominence OF
any Democrat who will give out an in
tcrview against 16 to L.
1t will be seen from this latest speech
OF Mr.. Bryan that he has not changed
his views one iota on the money ques-
ton, and that he has never said, as re-
ported, that it should be sent to the
rear. 1t will be also observed that he
does not say the money question should
be placed at the front in the platform
to be adopted next year. The question
is as important now as before, if not
more so, and yet more important
question may come up and get prece-
dence in the platform. The Philippine
question may be the great issue if the
war is not over by convention time, but
it is too far ahead to speak with any
certainty Of what action may be taken
on that vexed problem, in the event Of
the surrender of the Filipinos to Amer
lean authority by an increased army Of
invasion. Time alone is the great un-
folder OF events, and the Democracy
will be wide awake to take every ad-
vantage Of, the blunders committed by
the man on horseback.