The Grit-advocate., 1900-07-13
ATTITUDE OF THE
SILVER REPUBLICANS

htlIHDllcan party To-Day, Dy ltS eNecu-
tive committee. issued the following
address:
To the Silver Republicans Of the Unit
ed States:
The Democratic National Convention
of 1900 has nominated William ].
Bryan for president and Adlai Il. Stew
enson for vice president. The Silver
Republican National Convention of
1900 has nominated William j. Bryan
for president and referred the matter to
a candidate for vice president to its na.
tional committee with power to act.
Your committee had carefully consid
cred the whole matter. 1t met in con-
ference with representatives of the
Democratic and of the Peoples party
national committees, and went over
the ground fully.
Your committee found itself face to
face with these facts:
In 1896 thousands of voters who had
heretofore voted the Republican ticket
found themselves so widely at variance
with their party platform that they
could not, without self-stultification.
longer act with the Republican party.
In that year they found in the Demo-
cratic candidate for president, and in
the platform upon which he stood, a
complete and sufficient justification for
giving him their hearty support. With
him they went down to defeat. but in
that defeat won victory for manhood
and patriotic independence for which
they have no apology to offer and in
which they feel a Just pride. They re-
tain and preserve the right to vote as
their judgment dictates. They bow to
no party boss and have not abtlicated
their right to think.
In 1896 the Republican party made
profound departure from the traditions
and interests of the American people
and of the party by rejecting the free
coinage of silver along with gold and
placing itself in position to adopt the
gold standard. This year it has de-
clared itself unreservedly for the gold
standard. This continues the contro-
versy of 1896. But in addition to its
departure from the advocacy of bimet-
allism. it has now still more profound
ly departed from the traditions and in
terests of the American people by be-
coming the apologist for and the cham
pfon of trusts and monopolies and has
introduced such imperialistic practices
and theories into the administration of
the affairs of the government that for
the first time in the history
of that party it's national convention
could not even refer to the de-
claration of independence and this al
though it's convention of 1900 met in
such place and within such an enyi-
ronment that the great declaration
would have peculiarly appealed to the
party had it still listened to the voice
that. in earlier and better days, plead
for government "of the people, for
the people and by the people," In the
face of such profound departures from
the traditions and interest of the Amer
lean people we cannot return to the Re
publican party.
On.the other hand, we find the Dem
ocratic party has again placed itself
right on the money question, right on
the question of trusts and mOnopOlies,
right as the champion of the declara-
ton of independence and of constitu-
tional government. right in expressing
its sympathy for other nations. who on
ly ask that which you would that 9TH
ers should do unto you, do We even so
unto them"
The Democratic candidate for presi-
dent is ours. our convention named
him. Upon the fundamental proposi-
tlphs "oo'e stteu. we are one Wlll tue
Democratic and Peoples party. Our
common candidate for president is en-
listed heart and soul. in this great
cause. We know he has the high cour-
age of his convictions His triumph is
necessary if we are to hand down to
our children government founded in
the wisdom of the fathers. maintained
by the blood and treasure of its citi-
zens and perpetuated as priceless her
itage.