The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-08-01
TRYING TO CREATE AN ISSUE.

TRYING TO CREATE AN ISSUE. It is perfectly natural that the Re- pubicans should make strenuous efforts to make the currency the paramount issue of the campaign. It is not only natural but wise. from partisan Re- pubiican standpoint. That Party is vui- nerabie in 90 many places that its lead CTS can be excused for trying to de- tract attention from its record. If kept on the defensive, 1t will have more points to defend' than the Confederate GoveEnment had. It has a recent re- cord that smells to Heaven" and we can we'll understand why they should be so keen to throw the voters off on a false scent.
 Then. too, they know that nothing would strengthen them more than to show that the Democrats are advocat- ing free coinage. or that they would change the standard, if they could. It Is true that the record of the Repub- lican Party Is not invulnerable in this respect. Some of the most blatant gold standard men among them have hardly gotten the free silver odor from their | garments. Even Uncle Joe Cannon is a late convert to the gold money doc- | Urine. It has been only a few years since he was almost as badly bitten by the silver mania as MT. Bryan him. self ever was Uncle Joe will have an interesting time when he gets out to making speeches, if the Democrats will arm themselves with his record and Ire a few questions at him. His only way to get out will be to admit that he was all wrong when he was bowling for the white metal.
 The issue would be a good one for the Republicans because the inevitable logic of events and conditions would be against the Democrats. They have conducted two campaigns on that issue and lost. There was some ground for such a contention in 1896. There was less in 1900. but it still had some show of reason. There is no defence for 1t now. The man who is admittedly the leader in favor of free coinage could not make a plausible argument for 1t this year If there were ever any sound reasons for 1t. they have dis appeared with the march of events. The people have set the seal of their con- demnation on it. Free coinage is dead. and not even MT. Bryan could breathe life into it. Democrats might as well hope for success in a campaign for slavery or secession.
 Our candidate has placed his Party squarely and immovably on the gold standard and the Convention endorsed him. The best and strongest Demo- crats in the Union are squarely with Judge Parker. And yet, in the face of these known facts there are promi- nent Republicans who charge that the Democracy is not sound and safe on the money question. They try to cre- ate the impression that If the Govern ment should fall into the hands of the Democrats. they will endeavor to change the standard and ruin the coun- try.
 1 It is a shrewd argument for the Re- publicans, because they know that the business world and all the best ele- ments of the country are against any financial disturbance. If the belief should become general that the Dem ocratic Party favors free coinage, or that it would change the standard, 1t would be buried deeper than 1t has been fin three dozen years That is why our enemies want to force the issue on us and force us into the position of free silver party. The falsehood will doubt less catch a few voters who believe whatever the Republican spellbinders tell them. Whether even one electoral vote will be thus influenced remains to be seen.
 It is consoling to know that the Republicans are not meeting with such success as they desire. The strongest and best men in the Party, the men who believe in honest political meth ods, are not endorsing this effort to create and maintain a fraudulent issue. They know that the financial question is settled and that the Democrats will not disturb 1t. They do not hesitate to condemn the effort to galvanize a corpse. They know that there are matters of vital importance to be dis cussed and settled, and that they can not afford to waste ammunition on spooks. They are not blind to the fact that the Party and the administration are to be defended at various points, and that such defense will call for all the ammunition they can command Nevertheless, there are some among them who will try to make a finan- cial issue, and the attempt shows their desperation and doubt. Let them rage Democracy Is as sound on the money question as Republicanism Is. and the best informed of them know 1t. If they want to make a fight on that is- sue. let them come on. Democrats are ready to meet them.
 | RUSSIA.