People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 September 1895 — The Main Issue. [ARTICLE]

The Main Issue.

Never since the war has there been more discussion of the money question than during the past three months. The free coinage champions are the most enthusiastic, active and aggressive, and representing the views of a large majority of the people, naturally their meetings are the largest, their books are most widely read, and success seems already within their grasp. But the gold standard fellows are active too. They are long-headed schemers, and working hand in hand with the leaders of the two old political parties, they expect to divide the silver vote so that the minority may rule. It seems absurd, but the handful of gold-bugs opposed to the people have as the matter now stands a better show of winning than have the silver men backed by the sentiment of the masses of the American people. That is because sentiment won’t elect silver men. It requires silver votes, all cast for the same set of candidates, to elect silver men. Democratic and Republican silver men will throw thenvotes away trying to reform the two gold-bug parties. The Populists are solid for silver, and will not fuse with either old party to help elect gold-bug officials. So that as it now stands the silver men are in three camps and the gold-bugs are practically a unit, having control of both old parties, and being sure of getting their own candidates elected, if they can only manage to keep the silver men from bolting their parties. A strong effort is being made to stop the discussion of the money question, and line up the old parties on the question of tariff—which the money power considers a safe question to discuss, no matter which side wins—if it will only keep the people blinded to the main issue. But the money question will not down. The people are aroused, and will not be satisfied until it is settled. . The gold-bugs assume all virtue, and their cry of ' sound money” is only a catch phrase by which they will try to dodge the question. There can be no doubt of the honest intentions of the silver men, and no doubt that they consider independent bimetallism the best means of securing •'sound money” in sufficient quantity to transact the business of the country. The talk of international bimetallism

18 a farce, and the question must be decided for America by Americans only The silver men have the best of the argument and the majority of the people on their side. Now if they will only vote together the thing is settled, and the howl of the money brokers may go on forever. No man can prophesy the outcome next year. Whatever the people decide that they want and then unite to vote for they will get. But if they vote the old party tickets straight, there is absolutely no chance for anything but a gold-bug victory.