The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-08-01
Maryland Democrats and silver

The Maryland Democrats appear to have
succeeded in "gettiDg round the silver cues
tioD," to borrow the language of the Hon.
George Fred Williams, OF Massachusetts.
There is only one question in regard to sill.
yer which is dividing puDlIc sentiment tc-
day. 1t is whether 1t shall be placed on the
same basis with gold In regard to coinage or
not, In other words, whether its coinage
shall be unrestricted by law or restricted as
1t is today. Ii an individual or party has
any opinion on this question and wants to
state 1t he can do SO without danger of being
misunderstood. II a man or party fails to do
so, 1t Is either because he has 70 opinion. or
having an opinion. does not want ii 10 be
known. The Iowa Democrats found no
difficulty In making their position intelllgi-
BILE to everybody who understands the English
language. Neither did the Ohio Democrats.
They said. We believe In the unlimited
coinage Of the silver dollar. and we are will
ing everybody should know 1t. But what
did the Maryland Democrats do? They sim
ply begged the whole question. They did
not say they believed in the free coinage of
silver or that they did not. Instead of that
they proceeded to state series of PROPOSE.
tions about which there is no dispute and no
room for dispute. They declared first that
''no State can coin money or make anything
but gold and silver coin tender In payment
of debts" Nobody, whether he believes In
free silver or not, has undertaken to contend
that State had any such power. There
would have been Just as much point In de-
claring that no State could levy tariff on
imports. Next they declared that Congress
alone could coin money and regulate the value
thereof" This is another proposition about
which there is no dispute and no room for
any. They next declared that
the power Of Congress to coin gold and silver
or silver coin will become c0mmoditv
and so disturb the. operations Of trade,
coin and the dollar in silver coin shall be
OF equal exchaDgeable value in all the markets Of
the United States. ANY attempt to depreciate by
legislation either of these metals ought TO be den
recated and condemned.
This has some bearing on the question of
free coinage of silver, but what its bearing
depends upon the preconceived opinions of
the interpreter. To a man who believes that
the free coinage of silver will push gold out
Of circulation as currency and make 1t
mere commodity, 1t is a declaration against
free coinage. But to the man who does not
SO believe 1t is not a declaration against
free coinage, and taken In connection with
the last sentence 1t may fairly be interpreted
by him to be declaration In favor Of free
coinage. The great objection to free coin
age which its opponents allege against 1t is
tnat 1t will drive gold out of circulation and
piace our currency on silver basis. The
itiehus Oh free coinage deny that it will have
,ns' enect Now when party declares that
Is opposed to free coinage IL it will drive
OUT golo, but In favor Of II IL will not n
simply lodges the question. This IL nra.
cisely what the Maryland Democrats hano
done. They have said practically that n fec
coinage will do no harm they are in favor =,
it; If it will do harm they are opposed Int |