The Elbert County tribune. [volume] (Elbert, Elbert County, Colo.) 18??-1920, 1904-09-22
They Nominated Candidates
Who Voted for Free Silver.
PEOPLE CAN FORGIVE ERROR
Which Is Now Prac iicaIly Admitted.
but viii Not Trust the Party with
Power Because Of the
BIunder.

When an individual makes and reit-
crates startling statements which later
on are proved to be absolutely false.
his further utterances on any subject
whatsoever are liable not TO be taken
seriously. and this is putting the case
mildly. Even though the statements
were uttered in honest belief as to their
accuracy, the fact that they were later
on proven to be wrong. furnished evil
dence of mental capacity to make fur
Their gross blunders from time to time.
In this respect the record of the Dem
ocratic party on the silver issue has for
that party the same sinister Significance
that Qualifications from an individual.
who is found out. would have for that
Individual.
We may all be willing to charitably
admit that In its advocacy of the great
free silver error In 1896 and 1900 the
Democratic party was honestly wrong.
There Is no patriotic American who
would like TO think, hint. or suggest.
that Bryan was not actuatcd by hon
est and sincere belief In his cause when
he uttered his famous Gross OF Gold"
and Grown OF Thorns" speech In 1890,
nor is there any American with optl-
mistic faith In the honesty and patriot
ism OF the leading public men OF the
United States who would want to think
for n moment that Alton Il. Parker. the
candidate OF great political party for
! President OF the United States. voted
| against his honest convictions as to what
was for the good OF his country when
he voted for free silver In 1895, and
then again voted for free silver In 1900.
Cannot he Trusted.
But while the American people will
never impute dishonorabls motives to
the leaders of the silver cause In 1905
and 1900, yet nevertheless 1t will hesi-
tate In the future to place implicit trust
in those who sought to lead them Into
disastrous error In those years. Had
the majority OF the voters of the coun-
try In 1896 and 1900 not been Of bet
ter judgment than Judge Parker was
during those two years the United States
would have had the silver standard: all
the currency OF the country would have
yer; Just debts would have been scaled
off over fifty per cent: the laborer,
whom the Bible says Is worthy OF his
hire" would have been paid his wages
In cheap dollars of not half the value OF
the honest dollars based on the gold
standard; the country would have suf-
fered unparalleled hard tines; its credit
would have sunk as low as that of Tur-
key. Venezuela. and of other nations
which repudiate their Just obligations
1t was for such calamity as this that
the Democratic free silver error stood
in 1896 and again in 100. and Parker
and Davis both times stood with this
error, contributed money to further II
along, and voted for 1t.
| Now the error Is practically admitted.
| Both Parker and Davis, while refusing
to say that they now believe in the gold
standard. nevertheless say that 1t IL
"irrevocably established by law"-thnt
Is when on December IS. $780, the gold
standard was established by a vote Of
ITO Republican yeas and only IL Dem
ocrntic yeas. against 142 Democratic
nays and no Republican nays. in the
| House OF Representatives. and by n vote
OF a Republican and Gold Democratic
yeas against % Democratic and only one
Republican nay In the Senate. 1T WAS
so WELL ESTABLISHED THAT
PARKER AND DAVIS NOW con-
SLIDER 1T "IiREy OCABLY ESTAB-
LISHED."
"siience IL Confession"
| The American people will be willing
to forgive the Democratic record on the
silver question. They will not demand
humiliating verbal confessions from
Democratic leaders OF the fact that they
were terribly wrong in 1896 and 1900.
| As Daniel webster once snid- silence
Is confession"-and the fact that tbs
! Democrats now want silence on the
| paramount" issue OF 1896 and the tan
tnmount" Issue of 1900. is sufficient con-
| fession of past error.
| But while the American people In re-
eeiving Democracy's silent confession Of
past error, can forgive, yet II cannot for
| get. II will not be in haste to put int
the White House the representative Of .
party whose free silver principles
put In jeopardy the business stability OF
the country. IT WILL NOT VOTE TO
| HONOR WITH THE HIGHEST
| OFFICE IN THE LAND A CANDI-
DATE WHO IN 1896 AND AGAIN
| IN 1900 VOTED FOR A POLICY
THAT WOULD HAVE FINANCIAL
LI DISHONORED THIS COUNTRY
AND MADE IT LOWER THAN TUR-
| KEY AND VENEZUELA IN INTER-
| NATIONAL OPINION AS. TO ITS
| CREDIT.