The morning call., 1892-03-09
THE VOTE ON SILVER.

The Democrats have discovered the blum
der which, according TO General Grant, they
are always sure to commit just as their
chances become promising. They have
voted by an overwhelming majority to take
up the Bland bill 10 depreciate the currency,
and in the midst of general prosperity to
plunge the country into condition not far
removed from absolute bankruptcy. Their
excuse for this suicidal course is a general
belief among their leaders that the Ameri-
can people are so ignorant that they fancy
they would be benefited by an Issue OF de-
preeiateG money, and that debtors would be
adyantaged If they could pay off their debts
in money of less value than the money they
borrowed. They are banking on public
stupidity, and, in all proba bility, they will
share the fate OF those who have heretofore
gone into business on that capital; they
viii find that the public knows a great deal
more than politicians imagine. But there
is a fatality about Democratic politicians.
Whenever the cup approaches their lips they
are impelled by an irresistible faulty to
dash it aside.
So far as the California delegation is con-
cerneG, party cut no figure in the vote.
The entire delegation, with the exception of
McKenna, who did not vote, cast their ballot
IN favor of dishonest money. In the list of
the ayes are found the names of Bowers,
Caminetti. Geary. Cutting and Loud. These
gentlemen followed Bland of Missouri in his
wild effort to destroy the value of American
money for the benefit of slyer-miners.
They did ali they could to establish state
of things in which the grower of wheat,
barley, WOOL beans, grapes. fruit, wine and
honey would have to take his pay for these
ortin in xs,ifh Iac,
purchasing power than honest money, ard
in which the laborer would find that his
daily wages would buy one-third less cloth
ing and one-third less of most of the neces-
sarieS of life. In an insensate notion that
few conventions composed of crauks aud
nondescriptS have expressed the opinions of
the American people, they have actually
gone upon record as favOring a financial
revolution which foreign or civil war could
alone excuse.
The deuson which misleads them pro-
ceeds from a misunderstanding of the pub
lie mind. In this country, where speech is
free, cranks are always at liberty TO hold
conventions and to pass resolutions indoors
ing heresies. Nobody interferes with them;
nobody takes the trouble 10 eontrovert their
nonsense. Hence, to the superficial OBJ
server 1t appears that they voice public
opinion. 1t is only when election day comes
round that it is perceived the cranks repre-
sent no one but themselves. That is Just
the state Of the silver question in Califor-
MIA. A parcel Of people who have no more
knowledge OF finance than a pig has Of
algebra make speeches to show that we
should be much better off If the silver min
ers of Nevada and Colorado eonld coin
seventy cents worth of silver bullion into
dollars worth hundred cents and, no man
saying nay, the word goes round that Cali
f0rnia is in favor of free coinage that the
farmers are for it to a man. and that a poll
tician who has any concern for his future
must vote for free coinage often and early
As matter of fact the wOrkmen OF Cali
fornia want to be paid for their work in the
very best money that is going and the
farmers want the same kind OF money Tor
their wheat, their barley, their wool and
their wine. To ask either the one or the
other to accept seventy cent dollars for real
dollars is to invite them to donate one-third
of their labor and their product TO silver
producers in other States. Our FIVE Con-
gressmen who let Bland lead them by the
nose had not even the excuse that free coin
age would enable debtors in this State to
pay OFF their creditors in deprecated money:
for this is a creditor State, and we should
be the first sufferers from debasement Of
the currency.
There is not much prospect that the Bland
bill will become a law. 1t can hardly pass
the Senate. 1t certainly cannot receive the
assent of President Harrison. The only
practical result of Mondays vote will be to
show the country that the Democratic ma
jority in the House Of Representatives Is in
favor of debasing the currency to curry ia
vor with small class in the community.
Assuming that the Democrats are in posses
sion Of their faculties it must be supposed
that they believe this class is large, not
small Events will show.
Mr.. Bland has led his party into hole,
out of which it will need skillful engineer
ing to eaul them.