San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-03-16
THE SILVER VICTORY.
From the Chicago Tribune. I

Of the nation, and In spite Of the declared
opposition Of the most Influential members
OF the Administration, the main principle OF
reconciliation Of the old silver dollar, Civ.
ing 1t full legal-tendor function for all
debts, public and private, has been decided
afdrmatively by more than two-thtrds ma
jority In both houses Of Congress. The
struggle has been long and bitter, and the
result Is u notable triumph Of the popular
will over the desperate resistance OF the
money henderson, the country at large over
two or three money -csnters. 1t has at no
time been party question, since members
OF both political organizations have been
ranged ON either side. II regarded section.
ally, then the result Is fair triumph OF at
least thirty.three States over five, for only
New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts,Co Con-
necticut, and Vermont can be counted rs
against silver. II regarded from popular
point OF view, reconciliation was demand.
ed by at least ten to one of the voting popu-
lation Of the United States. So far, then,
the Congressional Endorsement Of the prin-
ciple Is In accord with every theory Of pop
ular government iu
The story Of this Legislation may be briefly
told, though the discussion has extended
over period of many months. The double
standard was abandoned by y revision of the
Coinage act Of 1873 which was made In 1874.
1t was so clandestinely accomplished that 1t
was not till two years later that 1t became
generally known that the monetary system
OF the country had been radically changed.
Meanwhile many persons who had been
members of Congress-, and many Others
were profoundly ignorant Of what had been
done. As soon rs 1t became evident to the
country that this legislation, In connection
with the Resumption act, was forcing q fu-
tile but disastrous effort to resume specie
payments In gold alone, there was an instan.
taneous and universal cry Of Halt" The
first th step to take was the to- tSe
abandonment of which the people
had never consented. Mr.. Bland, Of
Missouri, introduced brief and simple bill
as long ago as last spring to restore the silver
dollar and provide for free coinage thereof
on the same terms and conditions rs the gold
dollar; this bill failed for lack Of time before
the expiration Of the session. At the begin
ming OF the new Congress, bill similar in
terms was reported by the House Committee
OH Banking and Currency, and has been
known by courtesy rs the Bland bill. 1t
passed the House by more than three
majority. In the Senate the bill was SO
amended as to eliminate the provision Tor
free coinage, limit the coinage OF silver dol
lars to "a, 000, 000a month, secure to the Coy
eminent any profit that may accrue from the
purchase and coinage of silver, and provide
an appropriation for an International Com
mission to urge the general adoption OF the
double standard. 1t ID this bill, adopted In
the Senate after an able and elaborate dis
cussion Of several months, In which the
House has now concurred.
The bill now passed received an actual
vote of AZ yeas to 81 nays In tine Senate, or
more than two thirds, and, allowing for the
known sentiments of the absent Senators,
full vote would have been 81 yeas to "a
nays-iilso more than we.thirds.. The vote
by which the House refused to table the Dill
as it came from the Senate (Which was the
test vote) was 204 nays to 72yeas, which was
nearly three fourths vote in favor OF the
bill. If all the absentees (41) would have
voted against the bill, which Is absurd to
maintain, there would still have been more
than twO-t thirds majority for 1t. The bill
was accepted by the House, not because II
is satisfactory in its details to the silver
men, but because it provides legal &C,
acknowledgement of the double standard, and
furnishes a basis for making this double
standard fully operative by future legisla'
ton.
An analysis of the vote in the House shows
that, of the u votes cast against 1t, 90 were
Republicans and % were Democrats. Among
these there were only three Western mem
bers-Garfeld of Ohio, and Stewart Of Min
nesota, Republicans, and Williams, Demo.
crat, from Michigan. There were eight
votes from the South against the bill, viz:
Bisbee, Republican, of Florida, Gibson and
Leonard of Louisiana, Jorgensen OF Virgin
ia, Metcaf Of Missouri, Schleicher of Texas,
Swami of Maryland, and Williams OF Della
ware. OF all the votes against the PHI, New
York furnished IA Republicans and 10 DEM
ocrats, Massachusetts, 8 Republicans and
Democrat, Pennsylvania I Republicans
and / Democrat, New Jersey 8
Republicans and Democrats, Yer:
mont 3 Republicans, and Maine 4
Republicans. The extreme inflationists,
under the lead of Springer, Of Illinois, and
strength in their effort to oppose the bill on
account of its shortcomings, and this en-
courages the belief that, II the bill be per-
mitted to promptly become law under the
sanction OF the President, the Greenbackers
will be pOwerless to carry through their pet
schemes of an unconditional repeal OF the
Resumption act, and the substitution OF
But If the President interpOse his veto, and
the veto shall have the effect OF preventing
the bill from becoming a law, or even the
effect of occasioning an Indefinite ana
hazardous postponement OF final settle,
ment Of the question, no man can loreteil
the extreme lengths to which natural resent
ment and justifiable indignation will drive
the representatives OF the people.
The personal sentiments OF the President
on the silver question have long been
known, but 1t should now be seriously con-
sidered by him whether he has moral right
to place himself in opposition TO the people
after it has been absolutely demonstrated
that they are represented in this question
by more than two thirds in both houses OF
Congress. II the original vote were less
than w0-thirds, and 1t were matter OF
doubt whether the requisite constitutional
majority could be obtained TO prevail
over the Veto, the President
might justify himself in using
his prerogative, IL prepared to give constitu-
tional reasons for doing so. But the two
thirds vote has already been cast; II Is not
possible that the President can urge any
reasons, constitutional or otherwise, that
have not already been ably presented and
overridden; and to interpose his veto un-