The representative., 1900-04-19
FREE SILVER DROPPED.

Charles A. TOwne, Free Silver Repub
lican, Is Neither a Republican M,
an AdvOcte of Free Silver,
Charles A. Towne frankly admits that il
his Judgment the financial issue is not the
one upon which the opposition will go be.
fore the country this year, and in the fol.
lowing Associated Press dispatch from Du.
luth Mr.. Towne makes a formal statemen,
to that effect, couched in the sugar-coated
language which might be expected under the
circumstances from such famous master
OF the English tongue. Towne says:
The principle on which the claims for
bimetallism rested in 1896 is avowed by
every standard political economist that
mas ever written during 1000 years in
any language or any country, and it is
no abandonment Of that principle to
admit that circumstances NAV temnor-
arily have obscured the Importance of
the question, either by relaxation of
the rigors OF monometalism through in
creased monetary supplies, or by the ap-
pearance of other issues which. be-
cause OF their far-reached Importance
must claim first place in the interest of
the people until they are settled right,
There are no terrors for me in the
detractions OF either malevolent mis-
representation or ignorant malice. The
Republican party has followed up it's
surrender to the banks in 1896 by as base
surrender to the trusts, and above and
beyond all else 1t has challenged the
patriotism OF the American people by
laying an unholy hand upon the consti-
tuition and by proposing to divorce the
flag from the glorious legends of liberty
that have heretofore always waved up-
on its resplendent folds.
l have not the slightest hesitancy in
saying that all other questions must re
main allbOrdfnQtQ IN thio
OF how to save the government of our
fathers from Its recreant betrayal at the
hands OF the present day leaders of the
Republican party.-Minneapolis Journal.
We have no desire to abuse or de-
nounce Mr.. Towne; he is an able man
and with good impulses; but we cannot
forbear calling attention to the fact
that in 1896 he would not enter the
Peoples party, although deserting the
Republican partyj that he was 80
welded to free silver that he called his
organization the Free Silver Republican
party. He has made a thousand
speechs in favor of free silver. and now
he declares that free silver must be
made subordinate to later and tempo-
rary issues growing out of the Spanish
war. He thereby acquieses in releeat-
Ing the great financial issue of the age
to the garret of the worlds forgotten
lumber. He thus plays into the hands
of the money power. which he fought
in 1896.
He will find that the issues he refers
to. while they may be right enough in
themselves, will not touch the hearts of
the common people.
The question of free silver interested
every intelligent person, because If sill
yer was wiped out as a fundamental
metal and foundation for our money.
1t reduced the value of all property. and
all labor, one-half. Hence real estate
In our Minnesota cities is almost valu-
less, notwithstanding the fact that the
banks are striving to make up for the
Of silver by the issue OF in
creased quantities Of paper money.
The Democratic party land Mr.. Towne
% now practically Democrat) would
not advocate free silver until the Peo-
Pies party polled q million votes in its
laves. and now 4 q scudding away