The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-08-29
LEADERS ARE UNRELIABLE.
WoefuI Lack of Competent
Presidential Timber.

Now that there is no danger in 16
to / as an issue or as theory, it is
amusing to read the reasons which
those who still believe in free coinage
of silver give for not making it an is
sue any longer without confessing
that it was a dangerous or even an
unwise proposition either in 1896 or
in 1900 Even Mr.. Bryan, while hold
ing to the wisdom of bimetallism at
the once sacred ratio of 16 to 1, de-
clares that the unlooked-for output of
gold has made the adoption of free
coinage less urgent issue than it was
in 1896, when it was the leading issue.
1t is not, however, Mr.. Bryan and those
men who sincerely believed in free
coinage of silver who are now in mind,
but that class of democratic leaders
who were as earnest in the advocacy of
the heresy in 1896 as was Mr.. Bryan,
but who did not really believe in the
heresy, but accepted it as an issue be-
cause it promised to give their party
national victory. In this city, says
the indianapolis Journal, there were
prominent democrats who fully real
coinage of silver mouths before the
nomination of Mr.. Bryan in 1896, and
did not fail to do what they could tc
influence their party against declar
ing for such a policy The views OF
some of them, expressed in public adj
dresses, could now be quoted setting
forth the evils which would follow free
coinage. But, after the convention,
and when it appeared that Mr.. Bryan
would be elected, these men smothered
their convictions, and, two or three
of them declared, met with change
of heart. The most of those leaders
who took to the 16-to-1 heresy in 1896
and were most extravagant in their
utterances in it's favor present the
same stereotyped excuse, namely
eve did not foresee the marvellous III
crease of the production of the gold
mines''
Unfortunately, that excuse is nov
well founded. In 1895, when Coins"
book caused decided sentiment in
favor of free coinage, it was demon
strated, and the demonstration wax
reiterated, that there was no need OF
silver coinage because the then in
creased output of the gold mines H.
sured an ample supply of primary
money for the worlds use. 1t was eN
planned that scientific discovery in the
treatment of ores and the investments
of large capital in machinery had
made it profitable to work ores whicA
had no value in 1890. The wonderfully
- Csi
tralia and South Africa, then putin.
out increasing quantities of gold, pre-
sented no fact to stop their cry thas
the world would not have sufficient
primary money until SO cents worth
of silver should be stamped one dollar.
The figures showing the increase OF
the worlds annual gold output fror.
$94,O72905 in 1890 to $130,65o.O0O in
1891, S146,297, 600 in 1892, $151, 1926, 100 in
1898, $751;, I'VE, 900 in 1894, and SOS, 763,-
600 in 1895, proving that in few years
the annual output of gold would be
$3.50, 100000 year before the next
presidential election, did not appeal to
them.
If these leaders were so ignorant OF
the worlds affairs that they could not
see the sufficiency of gold for the
worlds money in 1896, they confessed
themselves incapable of directing the
affairs of the United States. If they
lacked the capacity in 1896 and 1906,
there is no evidence that they have
since become sufficiently intelligent to
be accepted as leaders. The real truth
is, those leaders who led the party in
Indiana in 1896 knew that 16 to was
a dangerous heresy but they preferred
to take the chances of forcing it upon
the country if the doing of it would
give them the control of national at
fairs.