New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-22
FJNfI TOTE NEFDPTL.

Again the Democrats who want 10 dodge
direct vote on the silver question are hoping ior
The aid of Republican members OF the House
Their plan is to offer an amendment postponlng
the Silver bill until December, with provision
that an international conference shall meanwhile
he invited. But il requires only n little knowl-
edge of the situation to convince any lar man
that the one thing necessary If an international
conference is TO be held at all and is to have a
chance to do any good, is that the bill providing
for free coinage shall first be defeated, ana not
merely deferred with probable majority IN Its
favor. l. is measurably certain that Oeat
Britain and Germany will consent to nothing in
conference looking toward larger use of silver
80 long IS they expect that the United States
will quickly take the whole loss and assume the
whole burden and risk by free coinage of silver
The object of the Democrats in this instance
is precisely what it was when they voted Tor
rostponement of the debate until December They
desire TO deceive the people again in certain
districts, and by so doing to secure majority
in the next House and to gain Presidential
Electors in States where they would have no
chance if committed to free silver. The people
they reason, can be persuaded that all votes by
Democrats prior to this year do not count be-
cause cast under different financial circlln-
stances, or with mistaken ideas OF the popular
feeling, and did not in any permanent sense
commit the party. Then vote OF poStponemens
can be represented in antl-silver districts as
virtual defeat Of the measure, but in silver dis
tricts it can be said that the measure was only
deferred in order to gain something more by
international conference. The country IS per-
fectly familiar, and also absolutely disguised,
with Democratic double-dealing and tllckely on
this question Yet Democrats in the House are
fighting desperately for another chance to de-
fraud and deceive the voters, hoping to steal
seats in Congress by falsely representing the at
timde and purpose of their party.
THE TRIBUNE cannot see any reason why Re |
publican Representatives should help this dis
honest trick. The question of free coinage is |
now properly before the House. The country |
has been disturbed in lis industries and lis
finance for more than yenr by the certainty that
the present House was in favor OF free coinage. |
II il not lust to business interests that the ques-
ton be left open until next winter. No other
thing could do 80 much to restore financial con- |
fdence as a demonstration that free coinage
cannot possibly come until after another Con-
gress and President have been elected II seems
TO be the plain duty Of Republicans to insist
upon final vote without delay, IN order that
the bill may be killed, and not merely postponed.
It would be deliberate deception Of the people |
70 assist this latest Democratic Fri *. The voters
of every district have right to know precisely |
where their representatives stand on this ques-
ton. not by inference or profession, but by a |
recorded and final vote. 1t is their right not TO
be cheated any longer by candidates who pre-
tend 70 be against free coinage, but who 90 to |
Washington when elected and act with pO- |
litical party entirely controlled BIZ freeccinaSc
majority. If Republican Representatives help |
the latest Democratic scheme by voting for post
noncment. il seems to THE TRIBUNE that they |
will be making themselves parties to deception
and defrauding of the people, and that their
act must iniure the Republican party, and can
ONLY help those Democrats who wish to get
places by pretending that their party means one
thing when in fact it means another.
If duty to the industries and the business Of
the country requires decisive vote, and If duty |
TO voters requires that they should not be de-
ceived any longer Republican members certain |
~ have the strongest partisan reasons also FOR
insisting upon a vote which must expose and |
divide the Democratic party. Each member
must be personally aware that it could only help
the Democratic party and hurt the Republicans
in many districts to allow further evasion Of |
final vote on the pending BILL The place for
Republicans to vote no, firmly and loudly, is on |
the passage of the bill. But another excellent
place to vote no is on any motion to postpone IT, |