The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1900-03-29
LAUGH AT THE PEOPLE.
Republican Leaders Make a Jest OF
Platform Promises.

j MIRA MISSOURI ulsLTlct- "Io 7HN' 49,
ed Mr.. DOckerv in congress, Is 81 the
opinion that the republicans should
be unmasked. Their record OF The
last four years, he says, should brand
them before the people and make Ger
tain democratic victory this fall. Al
that ia necessary. he believes, Il tC
make it plain to the voters how they
have betrayed the trust reposed III
them.
The national republican party
stands to-day at the bar Of reason,
duly and amply convicted OF hypoc-
risy and false pretense, said Mr..
Dougherty. Viewed from the stand
point of lofty patriotism and unprel-
udiced intelligence, it il at this time
the most thoroughly Inundated po-
litical party that has had an existence
III the.country since the organization
of this republic. The course pursued
and the policies proclaimed by its
mercenary bosses during the present
congress have astonished the honest
masses and are denounced and con
demned by a vast majority of all
patriotic. ,truth and liberty-loying
men.
1t syiolates its solemn platform
pledges with the same shameless
audacity with which it defies and
tramples under foot the federal con-
stitution. That declaration of it's
platformiof 1896 which declared for
international bimetallism is now a
by-word and jest. The solemn
promises made by its orators during
the campaign OF that year that the
republican party stood for interna-
tional bimetallism and would use all
honest endeavor TO bring about such
an agreement between the leading
commercial nations of the world are
now treated as Joke, made for the
sole purpose of fooling the honest si-
metallists of the country, and, by
thus trifiing with great principles, re-
tain their votes. On the 18th inst.
when the currency bill, as reported
back to the house by the senate and
house cOnferees, was under cOnsidera-
tion-and which finally passed and
is now the law af the land-the gen
tleman in charge of that bill was ask
ed if the bonds (which are to be
refunded and made payable i'll gold,
III the event of international bimetal-
ism could be secured, could not lie
paid in silver coin. He answered.:
PROFESSIONALLY not In answer to
the further question if the refunding
OF those bonds according to the pro-
visions of the bill would encourage
bimetallism in the United States, he
made the following response: There
is absolutely nothing III this bill that
gives the slightest hope for interna-
tional bimetallism under present con
ditions. We hold out no encourage
ment for that, and | will say frankly
that the provisions of this bill make
1t practically and absolutely impossi-
BILE for this government ever to have
international bimetallism or the free
coinage of silver at the ratio of Is to
l. applause on the republican side)
1t puts the last nail in the coffin of
the party which seeks an independent
action on the part OF an American
government.
How must such record speak to
those honest, intelligent and patriotic
citizens who read platforms and sup
port principles rather than men.
But passing all other instances of
bad faith and Inconsistencies. the
Porto Rican tariff bill. which recently
passed the house, is IN and of itself
sufficient TO damn political party
To the shades of eternal oblivion.
That Infamous measure. designed
solely to benefit trusts, is a fragrant
violation of the most sacred proyi-
sions of our cherished constitution,
which is the bulwark of ournational
and individual peace, safety and
happiness. To our once vaunted
boast that liberty follows the flag
it gives the lie. The policy of the re-
publican party in regard to our newly
acquired insular possessions is no
longer in doubt. Drunk with the lust
OF conquest, impelled by remorseless
greed for gain and power, it would
launch our good ship of state out on
the tickle water of Imperialism. and
unless stayed from this course bv the
rAannl.'s SnNnr,nio-,, hnnA Il IN l..