Mineral Point Tribune

SILVER AND THE PARTIES

The Difference Between the Two Parties on the Question of Free Coinage.

A few days since the New York World in advocating an international conference on the silver question with the leading commercial nations of the world, made the statement that the silver question "cleaves both parties." A statement farther from the fact could not be made. The free coinage question does not, and never did, cleave the republican party.

The New York Press, in answering the statement of the World, gives some facts which should be carefully studied by all persons who wish to be intelligently and correctly informed on the silver question. The Press says:

It was the republican party that passed the present silver bullion purchase law, which the leading silver advocates in congress, including men like Senators Jones and Stewart of Nevada, declared would bring silver in the market with a value of $1.29 per ounce, or par with gold. Speculation ran it up to above $1.20, but the world's movements of silver drove it down to midway between 90 cents and $1 and made it touch the lowest price in years.

Outside of two or three small states whose electoral votes would be immaterial to the decision of the presidential question, if republicans carry New York, the republican party is not likely to be affected by the silver question in the slightest disastrous degree. It has stood always for sound finance, honest money and a currency every dollar of which has been worth a dollar. It can carry New York and the presidential election on that platform.

The condition of the democratic party is altogether different. The democratic party cannot win the presidential election of this year without carrying the state of New York. The voters of this state are utterly and absolutely opposed to free silver coinage. They are opposed to any tampering with the silver question.

That is why the democrats who stand with Mr. Springer would like to dodge the issue.

The democratic party is committed in three fourths of the states of the Union so flatly and broadly to the free silver coinage that their representatives in congress must make a record on that question or go home to angry and dissatisfied and disgruntled constituents. They cannot evade the question, even if they would, and Mr. Bland, as chairman of the house coinage committee, has already notified the country that regardless of Mr. Springer's declaration in New York, his committee will bring in as soon as possible and get it passed, if they can, a bill under which provision will be made for free silver coinage. Mr. Bland has served notice on his confreres that they must pass their bill or lose all hope of carrying any of the doubtful western or southern states.

It is perfectly apparent that on Mr. Bland's plan of action the democrats cannot carry New York in the presidential election. It is equally apparent that if they follow the Springer plan, they will lose all hope of carrying any of the Western States, one or two of which they must have to elect a president. The republican party is in no such disagreeable position before the people and, as it has already provided international commissioners to seek a general arrangement between civilized nations for tri-metalism, it need not care very much which course is pursued by the democrats in Congress. The democrats will ruin themselves on either horn of the dilemma.