Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-12-05
FREE COINAGE
or silver-Such Il Law Will be Passed.
Demand for Money.

WASHINGTON. ID. c., December A.
Between now and the ith of March
next law will be in effect for the alb
solute free coinage Of silver.
The demand of the West for more
money can no longer be resisted. To
deny this clamor means the disruption
of the Republican party.
Confronted with such an alternative,
its leaders have yielded to the inevita-
Bile.
The Senate is already on record for
free coinage The 43 votes east at the
last session Of Congress in the upper
branch are now augmented by the ac-
cretion of two additional votes from
Wyoming, to which will soon be added
the two Senatorial votes from Idaho.
The silver advocates were given cour-
age when Secretary Window confessed
a lack of circulation when he gave seri-
Gus contemplation to two per cent.
thirty-year bond.
The recommendation for such bond he
eliminated from his annual report to
Congress at the eleventh hour because
the fear was that the issue of such a
OOlu WOulu Ut lit WtbHt iOi a.
free system of banking based upon such
bond rather than as now upon Govern
mcntS ruling at high premium.
The demand for more money had TO
be met. The two paths open were
either for an increased volume of United
States circulation known as greenbackS,
or a return to silver and the double unit
of value-gold and silver.
The bill introduced in the Senate by
Senator Plum will, doubtless, be the
basis OF the new law. 1t Is absolutely
for free coinage, with silver dollar,
nine-tenthS fine, OF fl2lz grains, and u
gold dollar of 55.S grains, both full
legal tender. Any holder of bullion is
authorized to have it coined or to re-
ceive certificates of deposit for it. This
places silver on a parity with gold, and
restores it to the place it occupied previ-
Gus to it's characterization.
The House of Representatives can be
relied upon to pass the bill. 1t is now,
and was al the last session, in favor OF
free silver, had its voice been recorded
squarely on the issue. Under the iron
rule of Speaker Reed, it never had fair
chance.
The gold bugs of the East will rely
upon President Harrison to intercept
with the veto the proposed new law
| He is liable, however, to disappoint
this section. The salvation OF the Re-
publican party depends upon holding
/ the States west OF the Mississippi IN
line. The lesson of the recent cyclone
is the demand for more money. The
President knows the next Congress can
pass such bill, even over his veto, and
its postponement can only delay that
which is the inevitable. To veto such
a bill is To ignore his party followers
fresh from the conflict OF the elections,
These know better than he what hit
them.
So the Republican leaders, call them
JacobinS if you will, having discovered
the fact that the people want more
money, propose to give it TO them. They
don't propose on this issue TO have the
the Democratic party absorb in behalf
of their candidates all OF the powerful
| following which attaches TO the Ma
tiona Farmers Alliance.
The power of the New York banks
and the bondholding class will be zeal
ously active to defeat free silver. If
these had the wisdom Of the serpent sill
ence would overcome them as the poul-
tice. Free silver slaves off free bank
ing, the abolition of the National Bank
ing system and greenback currency.
The East has long controlled the
financial problem. 1t has ground the
West under its iron heel. The West,
now seated in power, proposes to legis-
late for itself.
What will be the effect of free silver
can only be decided after it shall have
had fair play.