Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-02-04
WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY 4, 1891.
What of Silver ?

The force bill being out Of the way, the
silver bin will now demand hearing. Inc
former bill threatened 10 disturb the peace
and harmony Of the country and TO BRING
about a most deplorable condition OF
things in the body polite of the nation
70 dcplorable that all other matters were
dwarfed in importance when considered IN
connection with the apparent determine
ton of the Republicans to make 1t a law
during the current session OF Congress
This measure of vengeance upon the
South--this scheme for perpetuating ~
Law tho ascendency Of the Republican
party in the councils of the nation-hayng
now. as there is good reason for believing,
been abandoned forever, the advocates OF
the full monetization OF silver VIII feel
free TO press upon the two houses OF Con.
press the consideration Of silver bill OF
some sort-that is TO say, either bull pro-
yiding for the free coinage OF silver and
placinc IL, so far as law can place it, upon
a perfect equality with gold, or else a bill
providing for a largely-increased monthly
coinage of silver under circumstances and
upon conditions and hampered by limita-
tiops which will leave the people in blissfui
ignorance as 10 whether law providing
for the free coinage of the white metal
would have operated favorably or untavor-
ably upon the business interests Of the
country.
We have no better means than those OF
our readers of knowing what will proba-
bly, be the action of Congress in regard to
silver. That body does not know its own
mind upon the subject. Both houses are
Republican. With Democratic minority
not much smaller in number than the Re
publican majority to assist the latter IN
any honest effort which they may make
20 restore silver 20 parity with gold, the
Republicans in neither house car offer any
satisfactory reason for leaving the white
metal to the tender mercies of the capital
istic class. whilst bullion gold is received
with open arms at every mint and con-
yerted into dollars at the cost of the adyo-
Gates of the FREQ coinage of silver. In other
words, though a very large majority of
the people Of the whole country and OF the
members Of the present Congress are
earnestly DESTROYS of restoring silver to It's
former equality with gold, yet we have
every day to face the fact that under the
manipulations of the monometallists the
country has become 80 circumstanced
that the silverites must not only pay for
the coming of their metal, but must also
paw for the coming OF gold. In word, 1t
costs money TO convert silver bullion into
coin, and this coming is Of course paid for
by the owners OF the silver, yet though 1t
also costs money to convert gold bullion
into coin, this coming is paid for by the
silverites because these constitute large
majority of the people. The people pay
for coming both metals. The gold-bugs
pay for coming none.
The prospect is, therefore, that the free
coinage of silver will not be provided for
by the present Congress. The Republic
cans, or Shermanites, or monometallists
are 30 strong in both houses, and are so
persistently backed by the President of the
United States that it will be hard for the
Democrats TO dislodge them from their
underground. And yet We doubt whether
If afforded a chance to do so, he would veto
q free-cOlnage OIL lnere dre salu W pe
some thirty or forty or more Republicans
in the House of Representatives who are
earnestly in favor of placing gold and silver
upon an equality at the minis. This fact
would indicate that there could be obtain
ed al least in this House two-thirds ma
jority TO override veto. Under these cir
cumstances the President would think
twice before he sent into Congress a
veto-message which would necessarily cut
him of from the support of the silverltes
in the West as their candidate for Presi.
dent in 1892. All he can do, therefore, is
TO get his followers in the two houses tc
pass an emasculated silver bill. This will
probably be the upshot of all the silver
discussions Of the passing session of Con
gress. The Democrats, or silverites, oil
bimetallists, will have to content them
selves with such legislation as the Republi
cans may choose to accord to them. Thu
legislation win be such as to discredit sill
yer al the mints and all over the world
but it will Notwithstanding that fact come
in the disguise of friendship and be boasteC
of by silverite Republicans as Republical
legislation in the interest of the people.