Omaha daily bee., 1900-01-09
W STANDARDIZATION on SlLrtR

~@ A'af VI 'AAaF hHtAH
While there are democrats in every
section of the country who desire that
silver shall he subordiuatcd If not IL
norcd in this years campaign, their wish
makes no impression upon the leader of
the party. Recently the chairman of the
New York democratic state committee,
having made a trip through the south
with a view TO aScertlining the senti-
ment there. stated that N of the lead
crs whom he met was disposed IT, insist
upon making free silver the main issue
of this years campaign. They were
not willing to abandon the Chicago plat
form. but they thought the silver ques-
ton should be suburdinated to the newer
issues. There are democrats in other
sections who take this view and n few
who urge that it would be well for the
party to drop the silver issue altogether.
1t is noteworthy that this question re
ceived no attention from the speakers
at the banquet of the Chicago Jackson
club, with the exception of the chief
guest.
Mr.. Bryan, however, will tolerate no
subordination OF silver. His declared
platform is, silver, antitrust and anti.
imperialism-and the greatest of these Is
silver. In his Chicago address Mr..
Bryan declared that the demand for the
free coinage of silver had been vindi-
Gated by the experience since 1896, for
had not the increase in the supply of
gold ana the resulting better prices for
commodities demonstrated the sound
ness of the cumulative theory of
money? The fight for bimetallism at
the ratio of IL to 1 has not been lost"
said Mr.. Bryan. THE increased pro-
duction Of gold has shown the advantage
of more money and has answered the
argument so often made that the parity
could not be maintained because of the
overproduction of silver" The mean
ing of the last part of the sentence is
not clear, but that is not important. 1t
is sufficient that it serves notice upon
Mr.. Bryan's adherents that no heed will
be given to those who favor placing
silver in II subordinate place anon the
~ VI ~ hhllplltll NhlllltlEh VI lbDD.
Whatever others may think as to the
policy or eXpediency Of keeping that
question at the front, Mr.. Bryan be-
lieves that it should continue to occupy
that place and what he believes goes"
The "bimetallism' for which Mr.. Bryan
stands was badly beaten in 1896 and
again suffered defeat wherever it was
an issue in 1898. 1t has unquest,onably
lost ground everywhere. States thGt
he carried in 1896 he could not now
carry on this issue. Every state that
went republican in that year is practi-
cally certain to render a verdict against
free silver mex November.
These considerations, however, have
no weight with Mr.. Bryan, and why?
adherence to free silver is abso-
lutely necessary to his retention of po-
litical leadership. Whenever that ques-
ton is abandoned by his party his domi-
nation will end. It is this question
that gave him ascendency and has kept
at the head of the party. 1t Is his
political capital and the moment it is
dropped he will fall back into the ranks
or take a subordinate place among the
leaders No n understands this bet
ter than Mr.. Bryan himself. He knows
that as an antitrust and anti-imperial-
ism champion he is seriously handi-
capped. During his two terms in con
gress he never uttered a word against
trusts. When the treaty of peace with
Spain was before the senate he advised
his political friends to vote for it's rati-
fication. He is striving to make politi-
cal capital out of these questions, but
he realizes that without the silver issue
his party leadership would be lost and
he therefore insists upon keeping that
issue prominent. That he will compel
the national convention to do as he wills
is not doubted.