New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-02-23
TILE CLOUD N TIE VEST

The storm which careful observers of the
currents of opinion have foreseen Tor long
time. and unfriendly foreign critics OF demo-
cratic institutions have predicted for the past
quarter of a century, is close upon us. 1t is
folly to indulge in baseless hopes; madness 10
shut our eyes to danger which only the
most extraordinary efforts can avert. Ii Is one
of the mischievOus consequences of the habit
of sef-complacency and braggadocio for which
Americans have always been ridiculed that
we can hardly be persuaded that our
free and enlightened republic Is subject to
perils and social disorders that encompass all
other communities We have established uni
versal suffrage, representative government
free schools, free religion, and the Fourth OF
July, and we expect enlightenment and virtue to
rule our conduct rs a matter OF course. we
encourage demagOgues, and fatter ourselves
that they can do no harm. We trile with
incendiarIsm. and imagine that there will be
no conhagration. Oar politicians 90 on year
after year, cultyating the prciudices OF the
ignorant, and deluding themselves with the
notion that prejudice will never flame into
passion. The widest doctrines Of socialism,
communism, reputation, mob omnlpotence,
denial of the fundamental principles OF night
and wrong, upon which alone free govern
ment can possibly be established have been
preached in the Western States, and we seem
to have taken it for granted that such prop
agandism, which has wrought destruction in
every other civilized country, can be OF no Ell
feet in ours. Ambitious placc-huntcrs have
made use Of these social heresics to help them
into the Legislature, the State House, or the
National Capitol. Parties have humored them
in their platforms. And now we are amazed
and terrified ut the monster of our OWN nuns
ing.
Why should America be exempt from the
common lot of humanity We are not so
much wiser than the rest of the world. so
much more far-sighted, So much more honest.
There is nothing in the Constitution which i'll
sures virtue in the constituencies. If we tam
per with morality, we must bear tie conse-
qucnccs. If we encourage theft, we shall
surely be robbed. For years the political fac
tons have been playing fast and loose with
honesty and common sense, in the hope of
gaining the votes of Iogues and fools and
they coming now the natural re-
suit. Commercial dIstIco, 1;eo " ""t;o','e
integrity and intelligence. Men who are III
difficulties are always ready for the dema-
gogue and the incendiary; weak virtue fall
tiers, and weak heads spin. Our day of trou-
bic finds both parties without fixed principles
10 lean upon One, as well rs the other, has
taken both sides by turn in its State plat
forms, and made practice of doublc-dcaIing
and deception The people have learned what
the politicians have taught-lcarned that
there is no absolute standard of equity III pol
itics, but the popular viii is a supreme law.
overriding the laws of heaven, the laws Of
nature, and the laws OF arithmetic
The Silver Bill which has just passed Con-
grcss in the midst of such Glsgracciul scenes,
forced through a night session Of drunken
Senate, and adopted after an hours uproar in
an excited House, is only the first step IN
what threatens to be "A desperate course OF
financial deblUchcry. Before the debate came
to an end the pretence of advocating the
Bland bill on scientific grounds was almost
wholly abandoned, and the leaders OF the
movement avowcd their Interior purposes.
Unlimited initiation of the currency Is one of
them. The proposal to use the new silver dol
lars in retiring grecnbacks was rejected with
angry emphasis. Before the Silver Bill had
reached the final vote another measure was
which try to adapt the volume of their circu-
lation to the wants of trade, and substitute IA
Government paper mill, perpetually issuing
cords of rag-mOncy, never TO be reduced III
volume, never to be redeemed, subject to aug
mentaton at the whms of Congress. TO be
worth 90 per cent of its face to-day, 80 per
cent tomorrow, 60 per cent next week. Par
tia reputation is another of their purposes
l.. 10 L., Il, Ill
worth 100 cents by putting 100 cents worth
of metal in it was almost hoOted out OF the
Senate. All suggestions for limiting its legal
tender quality were rejected without ceremony,
and one eminent Senator declared with feeling
that he would never vote to deny his cOnsitu-
ents the privilege of paying their debts i'll a
90 cent dollar. The bonds of the United States,
having been deprecated by this first
attack, will be attacked again. Already
the demagogues of the West have made the
word bondholdcr a term of rcpr0ach, and
taught the unthnking multitude that it means
an arist0crat who holds his fcllOw-crcatures
in bonds Mr.. Bland threatens to wipe ont
all the bonds with a sponge, and to strike
"down the bOndhOdcrs with paper money!
and Indiana Democrats demand that the States
shall levy taxation on the bonds, in defiance
of the terms upon which they were issued and
purchased. Even the proposal for al interna-
tonal money conference is denounced by
ranting Ewing as an Infamous device for
"scnding a commission of gold men to Eu-
"rope to pipc-ay with foreign creditors for
"the purpose of Wrestling from the people
1.-THE petty concession of 10 per cent
Let Us not delude ourselves with the fond
belief that there is nothing worse i'll store for
us than this amended Silver Bill. We have to
deal not merely with the vagarics of this Con-
cress. but with a terrible UPRISING OF popnlar