The record-union., 1891-02-16
THE PARTIES IN FREE COINAGE.

Our esteemed contemporary, the Alta,
appears to be anxious to have it under
stood that the majority party in Califor-
nia-that is, the Republican party-is not
in favor of free coinage. 1t is equally
anxious to have it understood that the
minority party, to wit, the Democratic
party, is in favor of free coinage.
The most pitiable and contemplate
way to discuss a great question is to view
it in its party aspect. The distinctive
difference between a statesman and a pot
house politician is most clearly dis
closed by this tendency. Great parties
are produced by taking the right side of
great public issues. The statesman, there
fore, considers first the truth or the false
hood underlying any proposition of
craftsmanship. He proves it by that de-
gree of scientific ascertainment which the
experience and observation of men have
established. The politician cares nothing
for the truth or the falsity of the PROPOSE
ton. but with the eye and the instincts of
a demagogue he scans it with reference
to the evolution of certain catchwords
which will make it popular with. certain
classes of people. Free coinage to such
person appears to justify the characterize
ton of gold bugs" as applicable to his
opponents, and .'gold bugs" mean some
thing abhorrent to the debtor class-the
masses of laborers. The appellation car
ries with it the euphony of wealth, and
the masses must be taught to hate wealth
as the natural enemy of mankind. Free
coinage gives the opportunity of declar
ing that money will be abundant and
cheap, and the man who wants money
naturally concludes that if money is
the fact that if it is cheap it will buy less,
that cheap money means the reduction of
it's purchasing power, and that when he
exchanges his labor for something that
has reduced purchasing power he has
reduced the purchasing power of his
labor.
The Altd sees in the financial issues be-
fore the country an opportunity to align
the Democratic party on popular side.
The success of the national Democracy
would put the distribution of Govern
ment patronage into the hands of the
Democrats, and as the Alta man is a
Democrat, some of it might fall his way.
AS to whether free coinage would result
in the establishment of sound or un-
no consequence to the mere politician.
The making of a coin of debased value
can have nothing but calamitous results
to every industry in the country. The
debasement of a coin has forever been the
refuge of the improvident, the bankrupt,
the speculator. 1t is the gospel of un-
thrift. 1t is the royal road to wealth-a
way to become rich by the magic of fat
rather than by the achievements of thrift,
judgment, good sense, economy and in
dustry. It's taking catchwords may be
made to sound well in q campaign. Its
concentrations may embellish the ora
tory of the demagogue. The Alta is,
therefore, solicitous that this great oppor-
tunity shall fall to the lot of the Demo-
cratic party two years hence; and so it is
industrious in its attempt to show that
the majority party in California is in
favor of q sound financial basis.
The REcoRD-UNIoN does not care fig
for the alignment of parties on this or
any other question. We believe sound
circulating medium to be the only true
and abiding basis OF prosperity, and the
only source of permanency in that pros
perity, land it will, therefore, not forego
the pleasure of its contempt for that
meagerness of patriotism which seeks to
discuss great public issue upon the mar
row margin of the effect its solution will
have upon the existence of parties.