People's Pilot, Volume 4, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 February 1895 — SILVER IS THE ISSUE. [ARTICLE]

SILVER IS THE ISSUE.

Tha Sllveritss Will Su—ly Maks a Treol4eatlal Nona mat lon. Washington. Feb. 21.—“ There will be a new alignment of the parties in th« next presidential campaign,” said Rep resentative Bland of Missouri thir morning. “The free siA-er men inteno to get together and nominate a man who reflects their sentiments." “Suppose,” it was suggested, “after a contest at the next democratic convention a candidate should be selected who is opposed to free stiver, what would you and other gentlemen who entertain views on this subject similar to yours do in that easel*’ "We would not support him." “But suppose he was the party nominee?" “There is nothing," replied Mr. Bland, “to prevent as many tickets being put in the field as is desired; and the freesilver men would have theirs.” “Suppose one party nominated a gold monometallist and the other a candidate who was inclined to be friendly to Lie silver, but who did not stand squarely on such a platform—what then?” “We want no half way candidate. We want a free coinage man or nobody.” “You think, then, that the money question will be the overshadowing issue in the next campaign?" “It will be the only issue. It ought to have been the principal issue two years ago, but we were then just emerging from the shadow of sectionalism and the force feill and it was no time to divide on financial questions. But that time has now arrived and the next contest will be waged between the free coinage men and those who oppose that proposition. Party lines will be obliterated and this will be the one thing which will divide the voters of the country." Representative Livingstone of Georgia, who is also a strong advocate of the free coinage of silver, agrees with Mr. Bland that the silver question will be the question of prime importance before the country next year. He Insists ti e silver men will nominate a candidate of their own but he does not believe this will be done after a democratic convention shall have nominated a candidate opposed to free Bilver. “If we went into the democratic convention,” he continued, “we would have to be bound by the convention's action. Our presence there would commit us to such a result and we could not afford to bolt. For that reason I think the free silver men will nominate a candidate independently of the two old parties.” “Do you think you can elect a candidate standing such a platform if his opponent be diametrically opposed to such views?” “I do, and I believe he would sweep the country. Such a candidate wonkl carry New York state. I'lt bet you SI,OOO on it.”