The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1900-07-27
SILVER AS AN ISSUE.
The sCourse of tho Republican Party h
Plainly Shown by Its Party
PlatfOrms.

>
+ Plainly Shown by Its Party
Platforms.
1t will be remembered that the
money question became an issue in
1876; yet no definite declaration was
made by the republican party until
the campaign of 1880, when James A.
Garfield and Chester A. Arthur be-
came the candidates and the national
republican platform contained the
following language in speaking of
the financial policy of the party: 1T
has restored upon solid basis pay
ment in coin for all our national obi
cations" In 1854 Blaine and Logan
were nominees and the platform in re-
gard to money said: I'VE urge that
effort should be made to unite all COM
mercial nations in the establishment
of an international standard which
shall fix for all the relative value of
gold and silver coinage" 1t will be
remembered that at and previous to
the time the old greenback party was
clamoring for the payment of the
bonds which had been issued in
greenbacks, in gold or silver at the
option of the government. In 1883
Benjamin Harrison and Levi p. Nor
ton became the nominees of the re-
publican, party, and as the democrats
had developed somewhat into Cleve-
landism the republican platform con-
tanned what we imagine would give a
terrible shock did republican of to-
day but know that the party ever had
v>1nr Ioxf
give it verbatim as follows: 1.-THE
republican party is in favor of both
gold and silver as money and con-
demns the policy of the democratic
administration in it's efforts to de-
monetize silver Upon this plank
was made the most telling work in
the campaign and the democrats were
defeated mainly upon it.
In 1892 Harrison again became the
nominee of the republican party with
Whitelaw Reed for a running mate,
and we copy the following from the
republican platform of that cam
paign: 1.-THE American people from
tradition and interest favor bimetal-
ism and the republican party de-
mands the use of both gold and silver
as standard money.
: 1t will be noticed that at and pre-
vious to this time the ratio of 16 to
which existed then the same as now,
though agitated by few bankers, had
never became a party issue, nor does
it appear even by remote implication
in any platform which we have here
quoted. But soon after the republic
an leaders began to advocate in a sly
manner the gold standard, but the
great majority of the party would not
believe that this would ever become
the party doctrine.
In 90 President Mckinley was NOM
mated and this plank appeared in the
platform: eve are unalterably OPP
posed to every measure calculated to
debase our currency or impair the
credit of our country. We are there
fore opposed to the free coinage of
silver except by international agree
ment with the leading commercial ma
tons of the world, which we pledge
ourselves to promote"
What a change! Yet every repub-
ican speaker during that memorable
campaign gave the Interpretation that
this was not gold standard, but that
international bimetallism would be
realized. To-day the mask has been
torn from republican hypocrisy and
these declarations appear: 'We re-
new our allegiance to the principle
of the gold standard" e 1--WE
declare our steadfast opposition to
the free and unlimited coinage of sill
ver." Regardless of ratio, we sup
pose. We have quoted the exact
language of the republican party for
the last "a years, which shows that it
has been on all sides of the question
in that time. God only knows what it
may advocate in the future!-Fort
Morgan Gazette.