Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-07-21
THEN N NOW.

Says the Helena Independent of yes
terdey morning, in one of its sweetest
moods:
We would like to have the opinion of
the Salt Lake Tribune as to whether 1t
was lying in 1896 or is lying now. 1t
was for Bryan in 1896 and is against
him now: for bimetallism in 1895 and
against it now.
The queries of the esteemed Helena
paper are not courteous, but is just as
we'll to answer them. because the Trib-
une's explanations are not widely read
in Montana. Besides. the attitude of the
Inter Mountain in 1896 vas the same as
that of the Tribune. The situation this
year is wholly different from that of four
years ago. Then money was scarce, in
terest high, the gold product small. bust
ness paralyzed, manufacturing deadly
dull, and three million men were out of
employment. Many bright and good
men believed that the free coinage of
silver would restore prosperity by max
ing money more plentiful. reducing in
terest charges. encouraging investments.
increasing values and giving labor en-
ployment. A contracted money market
and the Wilson free trade bill, together.
had brought general ruin, and many
republicans honestly believed that pre-
vaiEng conditions could be at least
partly improved by expanding the cur
rency and reducing interest. Soon after
Bryan's defeat. however, the gold yield
of South Africa. Alaska and Colorado
increased so tremendously that money
became plentiful. boarded millions were
unlocked. interest was reduced, invest
ments We're resumed and the results
which it was expected to bring about by
an increase In silver money were OBJ
tanned equally as we'll by an increase in
gold. 1t creased the inancia machinery
of the world. Besides, the Wilson bill
was repealed and a law enacted which SO
increased our manufacturing business
that all idle men We're employed at In
creased wages, a balance of trade in
our favor unprecedented in the nations
history followed and a loo of gold at
the rate of an excess of $500, 900, 900 a year
flowed in from Europe, thus still further
loosening up the money market. In ad-
dition and Independently of government
policies, a great war broke out, which
further stimulated business in our own
country, followed by another, which had
the same effect, the result of both be-
ing. when added to the other causes of
prosperity, q tremendous revival from
Maine to California. @ =.
Silver disappeared as an issue, first as
the result of the new conditions, n
secondly because the republicans ignored
it and the democrats relegated it to a
place in the rear after a course of the
basest treachery imaginable towards the
, men who had made sacrifices for silver
in the days that tried mems souls.
There is nothing inconsistent, therefore,
in the changed policy of such papers as
the Salt Lake Tribune and the Butte In
ter Mountain. They neither lied in 1896
e nor are they lying now. as the esteemed
Independent politely puts 1t. They are
! simply unfolding the course of the peo-
: pie now, as they did then, n are gov
: erned by the changing conditions of a
progressive civilization.
y o years ago the Independent de-
ouneed free wool and free lead and de-
Tended the Wilson bill. 1t doesn't do SO
: now, because conditions have changed
: n as men get older they know more
! and accept the lessons of observation
! and experience. The Independent has
i kept up with the procession on that sub.
ject and 1t would not be fair or, decent
1 because that able newspaper has chang.
ed its mind about the wool tariff to in
: quire whether it lied in 1896 or in 1900
C The Independent is simply wiser than II
was fou years ago. So are the silver re.
publicans and their newspapers.