The sun., 1900-10-03

The free silver issue is now at the
front again, and there 1t will remain
until 1t is decided by the voters in No
vember.
Mr.. Bryan put 1t there himself in his
recent letter of acceptance. Free sill
yer and free trade were the leading
topics In that letter and the Demo-
cratic candidate there reiterated his
settled purpose to secure free silver
coinage and an abolition of the present
tariff at the earliest opportunity.
The gold Democrats and the solid
business men of the country, Demo
cratic and Republican, northern and
southern, do not relish this programme
the least little bit. A chorus of Demo-
cratic protests is swelling up from all
parts of the country. Hundreds of
letters and other communications from
southern Democrats are on file at Re-
publican headquarters, almost all of
them favoring a continuance of the
present tariff and gold standard, which
are recognized as the basis of the
south's recent great advance in pros
perity. Advices from the west are to
the same effect. The Missouri Demo-
Gratis are up in arms against the
threatened degradation Of the dollar
and interruption of business stability.
The news from New Jersey Is very ia
vorable to the Republican cause. Many
campaign meetings have been held
and the audiences have been invari-
ably larger and enthusiastic. Similar
reports come from many other quar-
rers.
Business Men Disposed to Hedge.
Several cases have been made public
lately in which the execution of a
business contract has been conditioned
upon the defeat of Mr.. Bryan In the
coming election and also in which pay
ment in gold or its equivalent is made
compulsory. The same measures were
taken by business men very generally
four years ago, and for the same rea-
son-namely, that in case of the tri-
umph of the Democratic party Mr..
Bryan and his friends would stand
pledged to the immediate restoration
of the free coinage of silver at 16 to /,
which would result in reducing the
value of every dollar, except the gold
dollar, to less than so cents. Conse-
Quently any person entering now into
a contract involving the future pay
ment of money would be liable, in case
of the election of Mr.. Bryan, to have
the value of the contract scaled down
more than so per cent unless a stipu-
lation for payment in gold or its equiv
alent should be included in the CON
tract. Likewise it is perfectly natural
f.,t. nl.r -,
executed only in case of President Nc
Kinley's reelection, because in case of
his defeat all the conditions of business
will be thrown into such confusion and
chaos that people would much prefer
not to make any new contracts or
launch forth into any new enterprises.
Brief Review of Cold Facts.
The Inauguration of Democratic
president in March, 1893, marked the
beginning of the most distressful times
ever known in this country.
In the preceding November the ma
jority Of the nations working people
had seen fit to try the experiment of
betterng their condition through in
trusting political power to the Demo-
cratic party in both the administrative
and Legislative branches of the govern
ment. In exchange for the confidence
and power thus given it the Democrat
ie party gave within six months to the
working people of the country the
most friShtful dose of general calamity
they had ever experienced. Within
less than one year after the Industrial
workers had decided, in November of
1872. not to let well enough alone pros
perity had set like the sun. there was
vast army of unemployed men. and
starvation and misery reigned among
tens of thousands previously well to
do.
The suddenness and completeness
with which this terrible change in 1So3
was wrought In the fortunes of the
American people furnished a fearfully
bitter lesson. But it is a lesson that it
is better for us to hold in vivid remem-
Drance at this time rather than learn
II all over again by taking another
dose OF Democracy mixed with Bryan
ism.
southern Prosperity.
In every branch of productive indus
Try that can be named there have been
increased activity and increased profit
during McKinley's administration as
compared with the previous low tariff
administration of Cleveland. In these
benefits the south has fully participate
I'd and shared equally with the north
In fact. in many lines the south has
outstripped the north in the record Of
commercial development during the
past four years. Last year 100000 new
spindles were put in operation in the
south, and 1.41S,000 additional spindJes
are in course of erection. This means
that within year the south will have
in operation 20 per cent more spindles
than it now has and 55 per cent morn
than it had year ago.
General Prosperity.
Taking the whole country through
the record of the last four years js
equally astonishing. as illuminating
lie cullisL DeLwren The cou,,.,,,,,.