Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-01-22
FRIDAY..........JANUARY %, 1886,
Let us Reason Together.

We quoted yesterday from a Wall
street circular which touched the silver
question with q delicate hand, and
treated with distinguished consideration
the advocates of the continued coinage
of silver dollars. Below we present
two paragraphs from the New York
Tribune which manifest towards the
silverites spirit that has not heretofore
been Characteristic Of the monometal-
lists. Perhaps Mr.. BLAINE has given
to his devoted organs and followers a
hint that in 1883 he may be held re-
sponsible for their utterances, and re-
quested them to bear in mind the fact
that President Of the United States is
TO be elected less than three years
hence. The Tribune says:
WHAT SILvER-MEN THINK
Friends of silver complain that they
are not fairly treated by most journals
of the East. 1t is fact that they are
not. The fault is partly that of their
violent champions, who darken counsel
with many words and much abuse, but
fail to state with entire clearness what
they want and why they want it. Yet
it is true they are too often treated as
parcel of brainless and conscienceless
people, who must have no motive or a
knavish one. 1t seems natural for
certain political Pharisees to
assume that a great majority Of the peo-
pie in both parties west Of the Allegha-
MES and south of the Potomac lack
sense and honesty. But that is not the
way to promote better ideas. The tn
bune believes that it is great error to
urge continued coinage Of silver at this
time, but the majority rules in this
country, and it is folly to suppose that
most Of the people outside of New Eng
land, New York, New Jersey, and Penn
sylvania are entirely unit for their
large share in the Government.
These people believe-first, that it is
essential to the welfare Of all nations
that silver should be restored to as full
a share in the monetary service of the
world as possible. There the Tribune
believes they are right. 1t is mistake
to attribute all the decline in prices du-
ring the past thirteen years to the dis
use Of silver. But it cannot be rea-
sonably denied that the widespread
and increasing depression of indus
tries since Germany began to
throw silver out of use goes far
to prove that disaster has been
caused by that step. When it is seen,
day after day, that cheaper silver
prompts shipments of wheat from India,
for example. at lower prices, and thus
depresses prices in Dakota and Cali
fornia, and that in like manner other
products Of silver-using countries are
affected, while shipments Of products
Of western manufactures to such coun-
tries are correspondingly retarded. 1t
cannot be doubted that the partial dis
use of silver has had a powerful dis
turbiDg influence.
Surely, this is something new-Mr.
.WHITELAw REID calling certain of
the eastern monometallists political
Pharisees,'' and rebuking them be-
cause they assume that great ma
jority Of the southern and western
people Of both parties slack sense
and honesty" "Of both parties, !"
note. The use OF that phrase would
seem to indicate that our New York
contemporary is ready to claim that a
fair proportion of the Republicans of
this country are bimetallists. If that
is its meaning, then it may be set down
as certain that Mr.. BLAINE is the
power behind the throne steering the
New York Tribune into a safe channel.
Read again The Tribune holds that
those people are right who believe that
il is essential to the welfare Of all nations
that silver should be restored to as full
q share in the monetary service Of the
world as possible. Why, that is our
position exactly.
Once more The depression Of In
dustries" has been caused by Ger
many's policy Of throwing silver out of
use and ait cannot be doubted that
the partial disuse of silver has had
powerful disturbing influence" &C.,
&c.
These are good signs. The silver
question, it is plain, is not party ques-
ton. There are in Congress Demo-
cratic monometallists aud Republican
himetallists. That is exactly the con-
dition of things that ought to precede
the adoption Of wise financial policy.
When the leading men of both parties
.spus their heads together" if We may
use SYDNEY SMITHS phrase, to per-
feet . Law to regulate the coinage of the
precious metals. good results may rea-
sonsbly be expected. Therefore, We
hail the Trt6uae's rebuke of the dog
nssism Of some Of the monomstallists,
and is candid declaration of the libe-
raliiy OF its own views, Is an indica.
ton that wise legislation may be hoped
for at the hands Of Congress during its
present session.
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