Los Angeles herald., 1892-11-15
STEWART ON THE FENCE.
THE SAGEBRUSH SENATOR'S Posi-
TION ON THE TARIFF.
He Subordinates All Other Issues to the
Silver Questionable Is for Free
Coinage First, Last
and Always.

SAN FRANCISCO, NOV. Ex-senator
Stewart of Nevada, who is in this city,
was asked by reporter today how he
would stand on the subject of tariff re-
form in the United States senate.
"The tariff" said the senator, "is a
matter of small consequence compared
with the financial question. I am for
free silver, aud as to the tariff 1 stand
where Lincoln stood as to slavery, when
he wrote that if the union could be pre-
served without destroying slavery he
was for preserving the union that way !;
but if the union could not be prese rved
without the abolition of slavery. then
he was an abolitionist."
"But suppose tariff reform PROPOSE
tion comes up independently altogether
of silver, how will you vote ?"
ION the merits of the proposition, !"
replied the senator.
'But for or against protection
"Are you aware?" inquired the sena-
ter, evasively, that we have only half
as much coin in reserve today as we had
18 years ago? Then we possessed
81, 500, ,000, 900; now we have but So, ,7OO,-
100000, all gold. The banks have dis
carded silver as basis, and silver is re-
duced to the position of credit money.
Every body ought to know that the busi-
ness of the world must bear some rela-
tion to the credit and reserve, and here
we see it standing like a pyramid up.
ended, the apex resting on that little
pedestal of gold. What is the conse-
quence? Things keep going from bad
to worse; prices have fallen 40 per cent
in 18 years, and are still on the down
grade. Every man who is not lender
wakes up each day poorer than when he
went to bed"
"But what is your attitude on the
tariff"
"Tarif legislation, even if wholesome
in ITSELF" replied Senator Stewart,
promptly, sis not adequate to relieve
the state of things 1 have described.
Until this silver question is settled, and
it never will be until it is settled right,
no party can remain in power more than
four years. Each will give the people
some wrong explanation of what ails
them, and when it is afforded the oppor-
tunity to try it's cure it will be found to
be useless. Until the country shall
have plentiful supply of money things
cannot mend"
"Will you vote to remove the McKin-
ley duties?"
'Sir," said the senator, 81 shall be q
high tariff man or low tariff man ac-
cording as my position may affect silver.
All other questions sink into insignifi-
canoe beside the money question. 1
shall use my vote under all circum-
stances toward securing free coinage of
silver"
"That is to say, you are as to the tar
if strictly on the fence?"
"Well," answered Stewart, 81 would
hardly like to put it that way; but," he
added, "'on the fence is good American
language after all, and expresses my
position exactly. Pm for silver first,
last and all the time, you understand"
"And mean to logroll Tor it,"
"Logroll is an offensive phrase, but it
fits the situation. Now I'll tell you all
you or the public wants to know about
the necessity for the free coinage of sill
yer, but as to all other questions pre-
fer to remain uncommitted. I should
deprive myself of the advantage, as a
friend of silver, of being -er."
''On the fence"
Precisely"