New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-02-23
THE SITTER EXTREMISTS.

THE SITTER EXTREMISTS.
About seventy members Of the House are
unhoppy. They are not more than about one
fourth of that body, but they make up I'D
noise what they lack in numbers. These are
fine men 10 whose loud demands the majority
Of the House has yielded, and they now de-
clare that the Silver Bill is cheat; that they
take it, if at all, only as step toward some
thing else and that they mean to nave aoui-
tional legislation to suit their views before the
session ends. 1t has become PLAIN that the
President, and those honest members OF Con-
eress who care something for the public faith'
cannot afford to yield even har's-breadth to
these regulators. The more they get, the
more they will demand. To them, the Senate
bin is only the thin end of the wedge, and II
they get that in they mean to drive 1t as iar
a they can. Plainly, they are right
in the belief that members OF Con-
gress who do not oppose the Senate Dill
os An act of bad faith cannot with
full effect oppose, on that ground, either OF the
contemplated additions. If 1T is not dishonest
TO authorize the coinage, within two years, OF
ninety-six millions of silver dollars, and to
provide that they may be used in payment OF
though it may be more fOOlish-tO authorize
the coinage of as many such dollars WITHIN
one year. If it is not dishonest to provide
that q certificate representing deposit OF
412l2 grains of coined silver shall be legal
tender for the discharge of an obligation TO
pay one dollar, 1t is not dishonest-though IL
may be immeasurably more dang crous-to pro-
vide that certificate representing 412i2 grains
of silver bullion shall be egal-tender also.
Acceptance of the Senate bill would throw
away the strongest argument against the
worst form of silver repudIation NO other
argument is as strong, no other defence VIII
be- found as effective before the people, as that
winch rests upon a strict regard for the puDlic
honor. Men who show themselves ready 10
stab the public credit little will not have
great strength if they refuse to stab the pub
lie credit much Just now, few persons real
ize that the National faith is involved IN the
passage of the pending bill, but discussion
will soon make it clear that bill which pro-
yidcs for an excessive issue of deprecated
coins even in the remote future, and makes
those coins a egal-tender for the payment OF
debts, is dishonest, dangerous to the puDlc
credit and dcbauchng to the public sense.
No stronger position OF resistance can be
found. and the men who give up this citadel
have no right to hope that they can protect
the public honor against other assaults here
alter.
Already the President and members of Con-
cre.s arc warned that other legislation is to be
ATTEMPTED Ii is proposed 10 make SILVER com
age free, to remove all Limitation as to amount,
,I,a If If
ti,icates upon the deposit of silver bullion.
The latter proposition includes all others; II
makes no difference whether the coinage be
limited or not, if anybody can get Govern
mcnt certificates that shall be lcgal-tender
for so, upon deposit of bullion worth only
80. All the regulators will support this
scheme, and if there are tlmld members VINO
do not dare TO oppose any form OF money
swindling, because they think their consult
uents are too ignorant or too dishonest to up
hold them, these will also consent to the issue
of bullion certificates. President Hayes may
az we'll r,oLo tho Eight uhr'0 lac STANDS. lie
can gather more force to resist the first step
toward bad faith than he can ever rally after
wards, if he suffers the first to be taken with
out resistance.
Ii is important, also, to awaken pnbllc opin-
ion and elicit its full expression. Members of
Congress have represented, and many have
doubtless believed, that their constituents
were altogether in favor Of RECOMMENDATION OF
silver, when in reality very few Of the voters
Lad an opinion on the subject. But it Is also
peculiarly important for the Republican party
that it should retain It's position rs defender
of the Nations honor and credit. a majority
of its Senators and Of Its Representatives have
abandoned that position. but it is still in the
power of the President to make the Republi-
can party preferred hereafter, as it has been
hitherto, Us the only bulwarll against repudi-
ating tendencies. veto from hIni, whether
successful or not, would arrest public atten-
ton, force candidates for Congress all over
the country to meet the issue before the pco-
pie, sharply draw the line between friends
and foes of the public faith. and prepare the
way for Il wiser and more honorable decision
L. tt.r