The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-05-19
A Change in the West.

a CnnnBe IN Luo WS9b'
Much good is expected to come out Of
the far west this fall that win add TO
the decisive character Of Republican
triumph at the polls. The first encour-
agement comes from Colorado, which
state departed from Its ancient faith
through the free silver craze of 1895.
The recent state convention OF Colorado
Republicans were decidedly the larGes;
and most enthusiastic ever held in the
history OF the state. In describing this
convention the Denver Republican, a
newspaper which led the silver bolt
from the Republican party four years
ago, said: Scattered thlckly among the
men and women who held to national
Republicanism through the chances and
changes Of the past four years, were the
faces OF many who led in the fight for
silver. Their principles on this issue
MS many of them said in words. were
still the same. But in the meantime
other issues had entered into the AFFAIRS
of the country at large, while the para
mountcy of the bimetallIc Issue was no
longer existent, owing to increased
prosperity and the greatly enlarged vol
ume Of currency in the country. Twas
not that they loved silver less, but they
loved the nation more, to paraphrase
the poet" And in Its editorial columns
the Republican expresses satisfaction
with the platform and the opening
speech Of Chairman Wolcott.
The changes that have been working
in the western states that were duped
into following the Bryan band wagon
are marvellous, but the recouping OF the
Republican party in Colorado is not the
only evidence of the reversal Of the sit
uation in 1896. In outlining the present
condition of affairs the Philadelphia
Press says:
The massage OF the gold standard bill
was an illustration of the change going
on. In February, 1895, upon the eve OF the
great presidential struggle OF tnat year, ~ =
Bin providing for the free coinage OF Sill
yer came to vote In the United states
senate. There were then eighteen sela-
tors from the Pacific coast and ROCKY
Mountain states, and of these seventeen
against Il. Four years later, February 10;
1900, a bill establishing the gold standaTd
came to a vote In the senate. Forty-sl1
votes were cast for II and tWenty-nlne
against It. The majority was seventeen
or the forty-sIx affirmative votes eight
were cast by senator's from the Rocky
Mountain and Pacific coast states, ana
one senator from that region was paired
for the bill The change can De BEST
shown in the following way:
FOR GOLD IN 1896
One vote. .........................,o Oregon
FOR GOLD IN 1900.
Two votes. ........................ Oregon
One observation-disclosures. ..CaluOInih
One vote. Colorado
One vote... .............,, Washingten
One vote. .luahO
One vote. Montana
Two oteS...........,.........-. wyoming
No more significant proof than this Of
the altered conditions in the west could
be given Another evidence Sin the same
way was the failure Of the ao-called Sill
The Silver Republican party IN the west
ern states Is made UP OF former Repuol-
cans who believed In free silver and help-
ed to swell the Bryan vote In that sec-
tIon. But when the time came for Its
state convention in Oregon, April Il, 80
few, delegates were present that the con"
Vention had to adjourn without even or
ganizing and the delegates went home
GfGSiAhAttft. TWO years hBV hhS gkSbVh
Republicans adopted clean-cut gold plat
for mand won big victory on Il, In Coll
orado the Republican vote of 1921 in 1896
wns increased TO 5l,05l in 1893, while the
silver vote fell from 161,l53 in 1896 TO 1882
in 1895. Mckinley received only 6,32i votes
In Idaho in 1895. but the Republican candi-
date for governor in 1885 had 10 ISl votes In
that state. The Republicans lost Wyom-
ing in 1896 by $50 plurality. but two years
later they carried II by 1894 plurality. The
same drift Is seen In Kansas. Bryan had
Il, 269 plurality in that state In 1896, but the
Republican candidate for governor In 1898
had 1874 plurality.
tons in the west show how little basis
Mr.. Bryan has for his hope Of holding his
own IN that section. It is much moro pro-
bable that Mr. Mckinley will carry this
year 1--WE or six OF the western states
which went against him in 1895 and add
from twenty-five to twenty,eight electoral
votes to his column than that Mr.. Bryan
will make gain Of one electoral vote In
that section.