National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1878-02-27
..The Cloud in the West"


New York Tribune, entitled The Cloud in
the West" shows n partial recognition Of
the dangers which threaten the peace and
prosperity of the country. At last, this or
gan of the gold monopolists finds time to
look for moment at the facts and seems
to awake to some sense of the existence of
the dangerous elements throughout the
country. that wait only accident to combine
in disastrous explosion.
The course of the Tribune and other jour-
nails advocating the decentralization Of sill
yer and the speedy resumption of specie
payment, in pcrsstcntly ignoring the in
crcasing suffering Of the industrial public,
and in prOclniming their theory Ofspcedy and
mOnOmctullic resumption, rs the only honest
course and only cilicacious remedy, presents,
if these advocates are honest in their advo-
cacy, notable phenomenon. In view of this
expression by the Tribune of tardy and
partial comprehension of the prevailing dis
satisfaction Of the people, it seems suitable
to consider briefly what reasons are TO be
found in connection with the monetary leg
slatiOn since l-GO for the existence Of such
widespread discomfort on the part of the
people. \ dissatisfaction so profound, a
discomfort so nearly universal, as to chal-
lenge the most serious attention on the part
Ofthose who make and shape legislation. The
vote in both Houses on the passage of the
recent act clearly shows, that the unanimity
and persistence Of the Eastern press in de.
all hn al h.1 IN, gn1,
tutng the word gold for the word "cOin'
in the contract of the bon DIS, has failed tC
induce the great mass Of the voting popu
lntiOn of the United States to accept tn,
dicta Of thca" sell-appointcd upholders 0
the national credit. After such iguomin
abuse, 1t is not easy to understand OF
what ground n party, or journal, which rs
scrts that the word coin" means only g0lt
coin. can expect to be believed by intelligent
people in any other assertion they may
make. Nor is it easy to see why, if thci
science, they should have rcsortcd to thi
gratuitOus f,lsehood The advocates o
this bIrc-faced assumption are hoist b.,
their own petard.'
Following the example Of the Govern
mcnt when it refused TO receive its owl
legal tenders in payment Of duties on i'm
ports, these authorities have discriminate
against their own issues, and have throw
doubt over the honesty of all their state
mentS. How can the people be expected I
put confidence in any of the arguments c
/, those whose first assertion is a palpablc III
truth
l. Every person who can read the printc
contract knows that the word "coin
the word used and "coin," in the Unite
States, meant. according to the COnstitu
ton, both gold and silver.
, .. How can those who are honest in thci
intentions base arguments against the coin
, age of the silver dollar on the fact tina
, following the example Of other nation
with subsidiary coins, the United State
, Government deliberately debnscd its slvo
subsidiary coin? Yet this has been cor
1 tinually done.
= B. Is it not fact that when the bono
. were issued they were purpOSrly cNrmptc
t from the burden of local taxation, eithC
c by the States or counties, cities or towns
= Did not this constitute the bonds a priv
! legged kind Of property? Does it not Great
G the bOnd-hOlders into a specially iayOre
E class? Was it not done as a special induce
! mcnt to purchasers of the bonds, and as wa
I measure? Is it not time that this discrim
| nation after NEARLY thirteen years of neac