The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-09-29

The last issue of tho North American Re
view contains very interesting and thought
full article from the pen OF Hon. Henry Wat
terson as TO the real position of the Demo
cratic party on the silver question. On this
subject he says that during the last session of
Congress the Force bill gave great impetus
| TO the silver movement. by the aid Of the
silver Republicans in the Senate the Demo-
Gratis were enabled to defeat this obnoxious
measure. Turn about proved, in this instance.
| fair play. and the result was that many Demo-
Gratis voted for the Free Coinage act who
| could not have brought tho con-
sent of their judgment thereto as O
| detached or original proposition. As con-
sequence we have tolerably life-sized division
Of opinion on the subject within the Demo
cratic party. But, truly" he says IF the
skies should rain silver and If silver dollars
should be heaped up in the valleys so that
those who are making such an ado about more
money could ill their sacks and baskets, and
could cart it away with them, 1t would,
under our unequal tariff system, soon find
it's way back to the present custodians of the
wealth Of the country, leaving the tax-ridden
farmer as poor as ever"
This is plain truth plainly expressed, but
no more plain or striking than the following
utterances from the same source; IF the
Democratic party allows an experimental
question like this, question in which we are
not agreed, TO make a breach for the Republl-
cans TO march through and relegates TO Sc
cond place a great question like revenue
reform, in which we have had our travail and
are at last united, it will meet defeat and will
richly deserve it. But do not believe any
thing of the sort We shall in next years
National Convention find as 10 silver the same
common ground that we found in 1884 as TO
the tariff. Then. as now, we were divided.
Then, as now, we had to deal with question
for which we were not prepared, and TO
which the country was not educated. We
shall repeat the wisdom Of concession IN
1892, leaving something and trusting some
thing TO the kindly Offices Of time. In that
event we shall win. and as a result of our
victory, we can proceed with an unbroken
line of enlightened and conservative reforms.
In any other we shall lose-lose all hope OF a
liberal money policy and of revenue reform;
gaining. as the first fruit Of our folly, the
Force bill and all the evils Of another indef-
mite lease of power TO anna ority which, always
domineering will. if again triumphant, be
more ruthless than ever"
These extracts from the conclusion Of Mr..
Watterson's article are given in full. both be-
cause they express the truth so admirably.
and because they are exactly in line with the
position which has always been taken and
maintained by The Times. The Democracy
have in the issue of tariff reform trump |
card sure to win if properly played. If, how
ever, the silver question, the Sub-Treasury
or any other of the many |
schemes now being concocted 10 divide the |
party and compass its defeat are needed. |
then nothing but disaster can come. And !
this is truth specially applicable to |
the Southern States. The Republican party, !
like bird of evil omen. is constantly |
lowering over the South waiting an opportu-
nity to fasten negro supremacy through the
medium of Force bills upon her. If our peo-
pie and especially our farmers, allow them
selves to be induced from any cause whatever
to lose sight of this fact, they will pay dearly
or their foolishness AS we have remarked !
before. but cannot repeat too often. amy
Southern State which permits itself to become
anything but Democratic is on the verge of
Anarchy"