The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1877-03-29
That southern Policy.


The egg which was laid by His
upon the occasion of his
and over which the Rad
ical leaders set up such lively cackle,
seems 10 be little added and not ut
all likely to hatch. There are begin
ming TO be serious doubts whether the
agreement entered into by Stanly
and others on behalf of
Hayes with Southern Democrats, that
in case the latter would prevent fill
clustering and GLOW Hayes to be count
ed in he would recognize Nichols and
Hampton and graceously permit the
people of Louisiana and South Caro-
lima to enjoy the privilege common to
all the other States of the Union, of
controlling their own local affairs will
be faithfully carried out. The poll
cy foreshadowed by Hayes in his
inaugural of Withdrawing the Federal
troops and leaving those States to
take care of themselves met with the
general approval of the people of all
parties. 1t is a policy which might
have been easily and successfully ac-
,mplished at the very, outset by a
bold and determined stroke, and those
two States would to-day have been
quietly and peacefully pursuing the
road TO prosperity under the govern
mcnts of their choice But our usur-
per under the lash of Blaine, Morton.
Cameron & Co., chose 10 pursue a
diiIy y-dallyiDg course, and every ex.
pedient and artiflce is resorted 10 by
our de fdcto to avoid crrrying out his
end of the bargain. The matter has
been submitted to the consideration
of the Cabinet, but these wise counsel.
lers differed SO widely that no definite
action has been decided upon. At tie
present time it looks as though tht
boasted Southern policy of His
Fraudulency is bald humbug, or, i
he ever was sincere in proclaimins
il, that it would prove nat failure.
The silver Decision,
The findings of the Silver Commits
sion can be briefly summed up. Th,
majority, composed of Messrs Bland
Groesbeck, Jones, Bogy and Willard
hold that the disintegration of silver
has been injurious to trade and thai
its reconciliation is necessary to spe
Gle payments, and they recommend
the unlimited coinage OF silver AMI
gold. The three members of th,
Commission " ho comprise the minor
ity, report against 3 double standard
saving that one was never successful
iy maintained, that gold is in the ma
ture of things the only standard, ant
that SILVER should only be used fol
small coin. Messrs. Bogy and Viii
lard recommend fixing the silver
standard at 15l.. Messrs Groesbecl
and Bland recommend the standard a
.9S. the present standard, until afteI
an international conference. The ma
jority report after saying that, in tn.
opinion of The majority, the remoetiza
tiOn of silver is essential to the re
sumption of specie payment, conclude.
with this trenchant paragraph:
The Commission believe that tb,
facts that Germany and the Scandina
Wan States have adopted the singl,
gold standard, and that some othel
European nations may possibly adop
il, instead of being reasons for perse
yerance in the attempt TO establish i
i.-th o-Jt"iAe1l- Si.ts., -are precisely tn,
facts which make such an attempt en-
tirely impracticable, and which woulf
more Overwhelmingly ruinous. fifth.
nations on the Continent of Europe
had the double standard, a gold stand
ard would be possible here, because in
that condition they would freely ex
change gold for silver. Ii was that
condition which enabled England tt
resume specie payments in gold, in
1921. The attainment of such stand
ard becomes difficult precisely in pro
portion TO the number of countries
simultaneously engaged in striving al
tel, it and it is precisly in the same
proportion that The ruinous effects o.
striving after il was aggravated. TIC
propose TO this country a contest for q
gold standard with the European ma.
tions, is TO propose TO IT q disastrous
race, reducing the prices OF commod.
tiles and aggregating the burden Of
debts. in which ali the contestants
will suffer immeasurably, and the vic.
tors even more than the vanguished.
If the Southern policy" proclaim
ed by Mr.. Hayes has any significance
whatever it means the withdrawal OF
the troops in Louisiana and South
Corolina and leaving those govern