Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-08-02
SENATOR CLARK'S INTERVIEW.

Step by step the policy Of the democrat
ic leaders is being unfolded and the cam
paign for 1900 outlined. With an apparent
effort to avoid suspicious haste in the
matter, they are preparing to drop the
free coinage issue and if possible relegate
in to the political museum of antiquities.
Months ago Mr.. Bryan recognized the
trend of things in his party and fastened
to place himself on record as favoring
anti-imperialism as a paramount issue in
1900. and later on at st. Louis declared
that anti-trusts sould be the slogan for
the democracy in the next campaign.
The lesser lights of his party followed
suit, and the disposition to exchange the
paramount issue of 1896 for something
new in 1900 has become the fixed policy
of the democracy.
The chief concern of the leaders of that
party has been to bring about the change
of front SO gradually that the ultra silver
men would not take alarm and desert
IAN OSAO4S IACy Nou1o Sll1lSI lIl6lI
sympathies in other questions which the
democracy roposes to champion. By a
system of gradual retrogress.on from the
free coinage issue they hope to lose no.
thing from the strength Of the silver
wing While gaining the full strength of
the anti-silver wing for the coming con-
f7:ct Thcx- hopa ~ ~ oLfo 80 -Lo-, ~.
pronounced free coinage men within their
ranks that while their faith in silver has
in nowise diminished, circumstances has
forced other issues more prominently to
the front-that if they will only wait till
the next century begins to get bald
headed with age, and the democracy gets
its second wind, something will be lone
for silver!
AS has heretofore been pointed out in
these columns, there was a concert of
effort looking to the displacement of free
coinage as the paramount issue for 1900
when the democratic party last year re-
pudiated the policy Of cooperation which
prevailed in 1896. 1t made the next step
more easy, and placed the party in states
like Montana in easy touch with the ma
tional leaders of the party in RELOCATING
silver to the rear.
Only half an eye is required to note the
progress that is being made in a local
way to prepare the democrats of this
state for their new environments in 1900.
More than six months ago the recognized
exponent Of one wing of that party, the
that the free coinage ratio of 16 to was
immater.al-that the ratio of value be-
tween silver and gold was regulated by
the worlds exchanges. Now comes the re-
cognized leader of the other wing of the
Montana democracy with an interview in
which he lines his following up to a posi-
ton practically abreast the advanced"
ground taken by the Standard. An Asso-
ciated Press dispatch from Los Angeles.
California, under date Of yesterday, SAYS:
Senator w. A. Clark, who is in the city.
stated III an interview To-Day that in his
opinion there is nothing sure about Will
lam j. Bryan's nomination by the demo-
cratic party at it's next national conven-
ton. The senator also said that he is not
sure about silver being the great issue for
the next campaign, though he still calls
himself a b.metallist. He believes to a
certain extent in expansion, and feels
that the war in the Philippines must be
carried on until the Filipinos surrender.
With the leadership of one wing of the
democratic party in this state %abrogating
the free coinage ratio, and proclaiming
the soundness Of the goldbug proposition
that the worlds exchanges should regu-
late the relative values of silver and gold.
and the leadership Of the other wing pro-
claiming a doubt as to silver being prom
inent!y N issue e year, there is little
encouragement left for Montana demo-
Gratis who may sincerely believe in the
good Intentions of the party.
President Mckinley has not yet uttered
one word which proves him to be the
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