People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 March 1896 — A Perplexing Question. [ARTICLE]

A Perplexing Question.

A gold bug Washington correspondent characterizes as a “plot” the determination <sf the silver forces to so strenthen the People’s party in the coming campaign as to make the election of a president impossible outside the house of representatives. That succeeding he gives the following figures t© show that an election there might be impossible: Sound money Republicans-Con-necticut, Delaware, Illinois, Ind- £, lowa, Kansas. Maine, Massatetts, Michigan, Minnesota, souri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York. Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin—22. Silver—California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, North Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming—11. Democratic—Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia. Kentucky, Louisiana. Mississippi, South Carolina. Tennessee, Texas, Virginia—11. Maryland is omitted from the foregoing enumeration, its delegation being a tie. The result would not be changed no matter if it should be left out or each side given half a vote. The constitution provides that in the event of a failure of the electoral college to electa presi dent and a vice president by a majority vote, the house of representatives shall immediately ballot for a president, each state being entitled to one vote, a majority of the whole number of states being necessary to elect, as the prospect is flattering of a silver bolt at St. Louis, the silver leaders hav.e convinced themselves that the salvation of their faction depends upon making,, the play. They are thoroughly convinced that the sentiment of their respective states will support them in any movement they may inaugurate

to compel recognition at the hands of one or both of the great parties. One of the four senators who voted against taking up the house tariff bill, and who is recognized as the brainiest man in the silver group, explained the position he and his colleagues were preparing themselves to take in this matter in the following vigorous manner. “We who represent the great region west of the Missouri have threatened to adopt radical measures in defense of otlr constituencies so often and have yielded so often to party dictation that our talk has ceased to have any effect on our so-called sound-money associates. “We have surrendered everything and have received nothing, and we have made up our minds that the only way that we can force consideration is to stand out against all the tariff legislation or currency legislation and not give way an inch, no matter how strong a pressure may be brought to bear upon party policy. We have fully determined to prevent tariff or currency legislation, not only in this cqngress, but in every congress so-long as we hold the balance .of power, until silver secures the recognition that it is entitled to and the people are given what they ask for. The far western and mountain states have little to gain by the proposed tariff bill. We are asked to support the measure in order to give the republican party a platform in the campaign, but there is absolutely nothing in it for us. It simply confers upon the eastern and middle states additional protection, which we of the west do not think they need, and give us 15 per cent additional on nothing, for we have nothing that can be benefitted by this proposed increase. “The arrangement is entirely too jug-handled for us,, and we could not look our constituents in the face if we submitted to the imposition. You can state, therefore, as a positive fact that until silver is given recognition there is absolutely no prospect of tariff legislation. If all of the four republican senators who voted against taking up the tariff measure last week should change front their places would be taken by others. “The issue is one that admits of no compromise. The fight

will be carried from congress into the convention, and if we are ignored there a bolt will follow as sure as fate. We may not be able to change the result by throwing the election into the house, but we will produce an impression that will give us a fixed standing in future congresses and party calculations. We have tried the old way until we are worn out. Defeat and humiliation have been our reward for party fidelity, and we have had enough of it. “I am aware that the great leaders east of the Mississippi are inclined \o look upon this talk as the wild ravings of ‘silver cranks,’ but they will discover their mistakes later on if thej persist in giving us the treatment that has been accorded us during the last five years. The situation is serious, and we are only moved to adopt what we consider heroic measures for our self-preservation as a last desperate effort.”