Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-07-03
Silver VIII Not Down.

What are the national platforms OF tDe
two great parties of this country worth
Both of those parties have within o month
constructed platforms supposed TO ernbody
their oreeds. and yet the United States
Senate, by vote made up of few Repub-
licars ard q good many Democrats. has set
at naught the teachings OF the platforms
OF the two parties md proceeded TO legis-
late on the subject of silver a. If the plat-
forms In question were not worth the paper
they we're written upon.
The fact is the two parties arc afraid to
legislate on the subject of silver. IT is not
question which is free from doubtful con-
structions and apprchens,ons of future
trouble. We take credit for having made
the point that to discriminate against
foreign silver was 10 concede that silver
was not ct 20 be used as q standard OF
values. The Senate's action on Friday was
consistent with that teaching. That body
rejected an amendment discriminating
against foreign silver or silver produced IN
countries other than the United States.
II tho new bill should become law this
country will indeed become the dumping
ground of the world. and silver NAV fall IN
price. Nevertheless. either it IL true that
tie United States minis ought to coin free
OF charge all the silver that comes to them
OF else they ought TO cory none. Silver Is
either as valuable as gold &c to II or else
it cannot possibly be coined free ut the
United States mints without causing its
price TO fall.
The votes in favor of the silver bill by
Messrs. BuTiER, of South Carolina, ana
HuL. Of New York. rather surprised us.
The Republicans and assistant Repueil-
cans will at once open the vials OF their
wrath upon Mr.. HILL But on TINS ques-
ton he has the people to back him. How
ever. he is now no more than any other
senator, and his votes need not be scruti-
nized except by his constituents. lie
knows what his constituents desire HIM
to do. He is a true Democrat at any rate.
And we trust that all good Democratic
papers will recognize this fact. and IL
they disapprove his vote on the silver
question turn him over to the Democrats
Of New York for reproof or endorsement.
Here Lot us reproduce the silver plank OF
the Chicago convention. IL is ne follows;
Section Z. We denounce the Republican legisia-
tion known IA the Sherman act Of 1890 as a
cowarily makeshift, iraught with possibilities Oh
danger In tho future, which should make all
OF its supporters, as we'll as It's author, ANXIOUS
for its speedy repeal. We hold 20 the use Oh 10 II
gold and silver as the standard money oil the
country, and TO the coinage Of both colo ana
silver without discriminating against either
metal or charge for mntage, hut the doilhr uu''
OF coinage of both metals must be OF equal in'
trinsic and exchangeable value, 10 be ADJUSTED
through international agreement or by such
safeguards OF legislation as shall insure the
maintenance Of the parity OF the tH0 metals
and the equal power OF every dollar at ali times
In the marSets and in payment Of debts; ana
We demand that all paper currency shall be
kept at par with and redeemable ic such CON-
We insist upon this policy as especially neces-
sary for the protection Of the farmers and labor
ing classes the first and most defonceless VIC
tins Of unstable money and a fiuctuating cur
rency
The Republican legislation thus de-
pounced was the SHERMAN bill, which, IN
discriminating against foreign silver, re-
duced all silver to the condition OF CON-
modify. Ii cannot he too often repeated
that if silver cannot be coined free. and all
| of 1t thus coined that comes to the mints,
then il is not real money. The above plank
Of the Democratic national platform ought
to satisfy even Wall street.
Aud this last remark suggests the
thought that national platforms would
| seem TO have but little binding force
Who we're bound by the action of the
Minneapolis and Chicago conventions il
the Democrats and Republicans of the
United States Senate were not? Who are
pledged TO the support of the respective
creeds of the two parties ii the leading
statesmen of the country are not!