The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1892-03-09
Free Coinage of Silver.

mugwumps Massachusetts elected to
congress, recently gave his views on
the duty of republicans when the ques-
ton of free silver coinage shall come
up for consideration in the house of
representatives Under the rules of
the present house, the committee on
rules determines the order of business.
The committee had reported a resolu-
ton fixing certain days in March for
considering the Bland free silver bill.
Consideration of the resolution had
been assigned to Monday, March I, and
Mr. Hoar was anxious to have the mat
ter either indefinitely postponed or put
over till December. His reason was
the alleged injurious effect considera-
ton of the question of free coinage of
silver at this time might have upon the
financial condition of the country.
The real effect of the consideration
proposed, it was clear, would be not
upon the country, but npon the pros
poets of the democratic party in the
coming election. Mr.. Hoar's appeal
was in fact to the republicans to come
to the help of the small minority of the
democrats opposed to free coinage to
save it from the fell purpose of the
great majority of their party. 1t was
the design to tide over the considera-
ton of the question of free coinage till
after the November election, since con-
sideration would mean the passage of
the Bland bill and consequent disaster
to the democracy. Hoar's desire was
to constitute the republican minority in
the house sort of sheriff's posse to re-
strain the democracy from doing dan
gerous and politically criminal deed till
such time as the deed could be accom-
plished without periling success in the
next election. The country hood
winked by an act of concealment and
hypocrisy, the election passed and the
democracy triumphant, free coinage
majority in both houses of congress
and free coinage president installed
in the White House, then the party
could throw off the mask and proceed
to accomplish purpose that had only
been deferred to a convenient season,
not abandoned. The republicans did
not propose to become a party to this
cons piracy or to aid in carrying it to
successful issue. They proposed to do
plain act of public duty, to interpose
no obstacle to the speedy uncovering of
the purpose of the dominant faction of
the democracy. 1t is best for the coun-
try now and here to force the party into
the open and compel it to write its pur-
pose on its banners. The real danger
to the financial interests of the country
was in postponement. 1t is as clear
now as the sun in the heavens that no
free coinage bill can become a law
during President Harrison's admins
tration. Consideration and right set
Element of this question is possible now,
and danger in the future may be warded
off. So the republicans have only per-
formed a patriotic duty in refusing at
the behest of the mugwump states
men to burn their fingers by snatching
democratic chestnuts from the embers.
Those gentry live in highly rarefied
political atmosphere. Their ideas of
political morality and public policy are
gagged by no law human or divine,
such as ordinarily controls men with
consciences, and the republicans will
serenely endure their lofty reproaches.
On Monday the resolution fixing a
time for considering the Bland bill
came up, and there was lively fight
between the democratic factions favor
ing and opposing free coinage, ending
in the passage of the resolution by
a vote of 100 to "a Tom Reed now
aud then prodded the contestants with
his lance and drew blood at every
thrust. His golden opportunity came
when Fred Williams of Massachusetts,
the second of the old Bay states brace
of mugwump statesmen, declared to the