The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1902-02-01

| put of gold, less interest Is felt in the question
now than formerly.
Nevertheless, it Is also q fact that con-
ditions may change again, and in such man.
ner as once more to bring up the issue with
greater intensity than ever. Nothing is much
more uncertain than the worlds future gold
supply, and the money question is not one Of
Q day, or q year, but of all time.
DEMOCRATIC SILVER SENTIMENT.
II is perfectly apparent that whatever Of
silver sentiment there is in the country at this
| time Is TO be found in the ranks Of the Demo-
cratic party and its allies. The platform decla-
| rations Of these parties are still their accepted
creed, and even though interest in the ques-
ton has waned and new issues have arisen,
the fact remains that the great bulk of the
Democrats in public life would vote for the
free coinage of silver without q moments
hesitation, while upon this question the po-
sition of the Republican party is infinitely
worse than it was in 1896.
Therefore it is to me ~incomprehensible
political philosophy which now carries any
sincere silver man, and particularly one from
Nevada, into the ranks of the Republican
party. That party is the more to be con.
demned in its present attitude because it was
not assumed as q matter of earnest conviction.
As l have already stated, the party slid to
the support of the gold standard while We
hemently protesting its undying fidelity to
bimetallism. 1t is doubtful If a majority Of
the rank and file of the organization ever had
an idea that they were in favor of the gold
standard until they suddenly learned from
their platforms that its maintenance was a
fundamental article of their party creed.
The simple and obvious truth is that the
great moneyed interests have controlled the
leaders of the party, and the masses have
obediently followed the leaders. being held to
their allegiance mainly by fervid appeals
based upon the past glories of Republicanism.
DOMINATED BY MONEY POWER.
The course of the Republican party upon
the money question shows that it is complete
ly dominated by the great financial in
auences, and this circumstance affects its &C.
ton upon every other economic question. 1t
is at this time difficult to imagine anything
in the way of legislation which the Republi.
can leaders, or the most of them, are not will
ing to grant at the behest of the banks and
the trusts. They may not grant it ell at
once. A few Of them will make q show of
holding something back, but in the end they
will yield entirely to the demands.
THERE Is NO TARIFF ISSUE.
Occasionally we find a silver man defending
his return to the Republican fold by pleading
the tariff ISSUE" He is haunted by the fear
of free trade" 1t takes a lively imagina.
ton to c%onjure up such a bogy at this time.
There is in fact, no tariff issue except as it is
involved in the policy of reciprocity, so strong.
ly urged by President Mckinley just before
his death, and in the proposition to remove
the duties from rust controlled products
which are sold more cheaply abroad than to
our own people. There is no suggestion or
any party attempting to overthrow the tariff,
as a whole. The proposal is merely to strike
down the abuses which during recent years
have grown up under it. In the face of the
admitted fact that the export prices of our
manufacturers are about twenty-five per cent
less than the prices charged in the American
market, it is self-evident that some at least,
of our industries have outgr w the need of
protection, and can now stand securely alone.
There is no proposition for tariff reform
which in the remotest way threatens the
country's industrial system, and those who
enter this plea are living far away in the past.
Ny judgment was that the Nevada silver
movement in 1892 was premature; but how
ever that may have been, I never had a mo-
ment's doubt as to where the State should stand
in 1896. nor have l a doubt as to its political
duty now. The Republican party has not
only abandoned bimetallism, but it has vir-
tually discarded the declaration of independ.
ence, torn the constitution into shreds, and
made itself the subservient ally Of the trusts.
With every passing day it has drifted farther
and farther from the lofty ideals upon which
it was founded, until the Republicanism of
Mark Hanna bears about as much resem-
blance to that of Abraham Lincoln as Brah-
manism does to Christianity. Such is the
political situation to-day with all of its signs
so plainly written that he who runs may read.
H. F. BARTINE.
Washington, d. c., Jan. II, 1902.