New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-17
THE REPUELTCAN PLATFORh-SiLIER.

Tho Republican National platform OF 1897
il document which merits study. voters VINO
arc invited to accept it as Their chart OF po-
litcal action and thousands OF speakers anu
journalists who may be called upon to explain
and advocate it, will find that 1t richly rcPays
n thorough examination At the outset one
broad rule of Interpretation should he noticed
II is not the function of a platform TO 1ormu-
late a law or to commit party to the deta'is
of n bill. but TO declare the aims which govern
marty effort and the objects which it means to
secure bv such legislation as may be found
most cynedicnt and fitting. As circumstances
change from year to year, the measures neceS-
sarv or hest ADAPTED to secure those objects
NAV vary. while the principles governing them
remain unalterable and sacred mus inc parry
doos not take as the fixed and Interchangeable
embodiment of its wishes, nor does IL even
mention. either the Mckinley Tariff or inc
Silver Act of 1890, or the Election Dill which
failed last year, or any Trust bill yet framed
or any cast-iron method of dealing WIN 'he
liquor question in all States alike. Instead IL
declares clearly the objects toward when i'S
efforts have been and will be directed
These declarations are properly interpreted
and illustrated by the acts of the party. inns
the declaration regarding silver is illustrated
Inv tho act pasSed in 1890 by Republican votes
against solid Democratic opposition. The pur-
noso declared is to use both gold and silver as
standard money. with such restrictions and
under such provisions. to be determined Dy
lopslation. rs will secure the maintenance OF
the partv of values of the two metals, so mat
the purchasing and debt-paying power OF the
dollar. whether of silver gold or paper snail
he al all times equal" There is not the slight
est trace of ambiguity about this statement.
II would not have been clearer if the conven-
ton had said "Thc party proposes to use
rs money all the silver that can he used with
out separation in purchasing power between
silver money and gold money, silver paper ana
gold paper" If measure keeps the two xmas
of money equal in purchasing power, good
if not it must give place to some other that
will. The Illustrative act of 1890 provided for
purchases of all silver then produced rom
American mines. Ii has thus far caused no
scparation or serious threat OF separation be-
tween the silver and the gold In use. ii II
should at any time, that act would cease 10 nc
in accord with the Republican PLATFORM ana
| the first duty would be so to change IT that
parity of the two kinds of money should be
surely maintained
What answer does this platform make to the
proposal of free silver coinage? plain and
| emphatic one, for all who believe, as TIE
| Tp1RIrNE does. that free silver coinage by the
United States alone would certainly cause a
premium OH gold. Those who so believe have
no right to take that risk. 1t is forbidden by
the principles Of the Republican party. But
there are some who believe that free coinage
nv this country alone would not cause or risk
| a separation between gold and silver in pur-
chasing power. Their error seems strange
but they have right TO convince fellow-hc-
publicans if they can that the measure would
not violate the Republican principle, that
every dollar. paper or coin, issued by the Coy
crnment. shall be as good Us any other" They
have no right not to care; no right by word
or act to demand the silver dollars without
limit whether gold is driven out OF the co'n-
try or out of use or not The Republican prin-
chile is that dollars of all kinds shall be kept
equal. Against that or beyond that no Rcpub-
lican can 90 without disregarding the platform
of his party. -,
Whether free coinage would involve risk, il
unitedly undertaken by the great commercial
nations. is not now the practical question. Bu'
the Republican Administration has provided
for an international conference to ascertain
what other Powers are prepared to do, in the
hone that measures may there be devised which
:" will insure a parity of values between golc
and silver for use money throughout th'
world.n and the Republican platform heartily
commends that endcavor II any such meas
ure shall be devised, the Republican platform
gives assurance that the United States is ready
70 mite with other Powers in adopting 1t
Until that time the maintenance OF the TIVE
kinds of money in use within this country a
an equality of purchasing power is the ruin;
mrpose which will control Republican action
an EXPERT OPINION
| Tho rosult of every Presidential election