New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-24
TIE CURRENCY-DEBASIyG ELL.

The final vote on the Silver ill will probably
be reached in the House to-day. For reasons
repeatedly given. Republicans should be united
in resisting poStponement in any FORM or on any
prctoXt Whatever The passage Of the bill by
the House will do no harm, bat in one respect
at least il will do great good. For it will dis
close the exact position on this question, not only
Of members Of the House whose districts will
he asked to ret eject them next fall but also OF
Senator'S who seek reelection or still higher
honor The people have a right to know thi,
wear how these men stand.
The debate does not as yet bring into prom
incnco the worst objections 10 the pending meas
ure Many times within the last year THE
TRIBUNE has shown that so-clllcd free coinage
men did not in fact desire free or unlimited coin
age of silver, but imitation and dcba>cment oi
tho paper circulation. Not a solitary one Of them
would vote to-day for simple bill providing
that gold and silver should be coined without
limit on exactly the same terms, and taken from
the mint in the form Of coin by those who pro
sent bullion, but that no paper certificates OF
notes should hereafter be issued for either kind
of coin. That would be free coinage, pure and
simple. If people want more gold coin they
could get it, II people want more silver coin
they could get il. No more Of either would be
put into circulation than the people actually want
in use Such measure would drba>e the ciru-
latiOn or lower the standard of values, only whom
people took ont the standard silver dollars FOR
actual use in large amC'lnt.
Therefore it is that the infatonists and cur
rcncy dobaSers demand not FREQ coinage but
paper notes issued against silver bullion as fast
as it may be deposited, paper without limit,
paper not rcdccmablc in gold. Mr.. BANDS bill
docs not even pretend to require the coinage u
all the silver bullion turned into the mint. Il
takes care only that paper notes without limit
shall be issued and that the act pledging the
United States to keep It's paper currency equiv
aent 10 gold in value shall DO repealed. IL is
not more coinage that these people want but
more paper and bad paper.
The discussion in the House does not bring
ont this fact with sufficient dStinctncss and
prominence. There is a great deal TO be said
against unlimited coinage Of silver, without any
papcr-inflating and paper-dcba>ing attachment.
and most of the time has been spent in debating
the question Of silver coinage as if that were in
fact the main question pending. But the Bland
lii is very much worse than pure coinage
bill. and in the Senate that fact is sure to bc
brought out with great cearness. Tho rules
there do not stic amendments by which tho
exact nature of bill. and the real ntont of those
who support it, may be diScloscd. For this rca-
son. if for no other, the bill favored by the ma
jority in the House should bo sent 10 the Senate
without delay, so that the whole country may
learn what its supporters really want
Unlimited silver coinage alone would involve
dishonor and peril. II would expose the indus
tries and the commerce Of the country to disas-
ter, destroy its credit abroad, alarm its capital
and sihe its enterprise But the bill which the
Democratic party fayors is even worse and more