Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1900-06-21
Washington Correspondence.
Special Correspondence.

1t is not too early to assume
that the candidates of the two
great parties for the presidency
this year will be Mckinley and
Bryan. The primary issue will
also be the same as in 1896. ..',-
Mckinley was nominated and
elected on platform which de:
clared for a protective tariff and
for a bimetallic circulation of
money based upon the single gold
standard for the redemption of
all money, whether silver or pa
per, if the holder desired the
gold. Upon these issues all other
questions of party administra-
ton of national affairs were based.
Mr.. Bryan was nominated upon
platform declaring for the UNI
limited coinage of silver with
gold, and for a tariff for revenue
only. What would have been the
conditions had Mr.. Bryan's
theories been adopted by his
election can only be a matter of
conjecture, yet the best thinkers
of the country believe that the
results would have been very diff
ferent from what they are.
Had the democratic party been
in power during the last three
years, to Judge by it's record both
in and out of congress, the war
with Spain would have been an
accomplished fact, and as the
army and navy officers were the
same, the results of the fighting
would not have been different.
Mr.. Bryan was an officer in the
army, and thus gave his approval
to the war and the policy under
which it Was conducted. The
unforeseen results of the war, the
Philippine situation and the man
ner of dealing with Cuba, might
have been treated differently by
the democracy under Bryan, but
no one seriously thinks that the
difference inpolicy from ..aat Of
the republicans, would have been
great enough to make any per-
ceptible difference in the results.
AS yet no democrat has been
boldenough to advocate that the
United States abandon the Phil
ippines to the natives of the is
lands without conditions, nor yet
to turn Cuba over to the Cubans
i'll it's present condition. Nor
would the great majority of the
people of the United States be
willing that this should BE- the
course in dealing with either.
The treaty with Spain was rati-
fed by the senators, without re-
gard to party, and the whole con-
gress voted the $40, OOO,O 600 to pay
the purchase price agreed upon
by the treaty. BY thus voting
the democrats are now estopped
from objection.
A protective tariff was expect
cd to stimulate American pro-
duction within equitable limits,
and the expectation has been rea-
lized far more than was expected
with the most beneficial results,
both to our industries and to lai
Dor.
The increased output Of gold
was entirely unexpected beyond
ratio greatly below that which
came to pass. In addition to the
increase in the amount mined in
the United States, the protective
tariff brought to us a large por-
tion of that produced in other
parts of the world. Crop failures
and wars abroad brought twice
as much more. Before anyone
was aware of it, we had more
money in gold than was neces-
sary to do the business Of the
country. The republicans kept
their pledge to coin silver, and
now we have more silver money
per capita than ever before. BY
having gold or silver standard
of value for our monies it has