The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1893-08-17
4 FIGHT OVER RATIOS.
TRUCE EsTasEs 1T ErN NSrTk-
Ton AND T-E FREE S-EER 1GgC
Gratis
IT LOOKS LINZ An AFFECT tR4IN-
DIR oF TfiE ADMINISTRATION.
But IT MAY END IN \ Cow AKuE1
SURRENDER OF tbs CAUSE OF
SILVER.
/ RATIO DF 20 TO I THE ALLEGED
BASIS Oh AGREEMENT
PENCE THE PoPCLIsT LEADER
FROM COLORADO CAPTURES The
HOUSE,
: p""rh that Ca.rrI4. ar,led the Closest At
tentinu.
BY JouOthan Edwards I

BY Jonothan EIward>
WAsHINGToN. August I4th.
1t Is sharp game of politics
that is now being played here. The
silver question is practically settled
now. The unconditional repeal Of
the Sherman law has hardly been
possibility from the outset Of the az
itation. The administration has al
feCted that attitude to conceal its
real purposes. This extra session
of Congress was not assembled with
any reasonable expectation of repeal
1t meant to Cleveland the liQuida
ton of his campaign obligations to
Wall Street, 1t will mean to the
people masterpiece Of political
juggelry. With the beginning of
the second week of the farce we see
IA complete and abiect surrender
apparently-of the administration
to the free silver Democrats. What
does it mean: everybody is asking.
Party harmony is the reply. What
will be the result: A free coinage
bill with a ratio that will demone-
tie silver-that will establish its
metal commodity-that will dis
charge all the governments Oh iga-
tions i'll gold that are now payable
in coin. What more could Wall
Street demand? What more could
Great Brltain,s pawn-brokerS de-
mand.
But what about the people who
demand the free and unlimited coin
age of silver at the ra 10 IL to l.?
Are they fools enough to swallow
this bait: That is the expectation,
and the terms of the compromise
plainly signify as much. See how
! it will work. The vote will first be
taken on the present ration of 16 to
l. Every member of the North
Carolina delegation will vote to sus-
tain that ratio-knowing absolutely
that it will be defeated. SO they
will vote OH the series of ratios up
to 20 to |. The bill will pass in
in that shape. The House has been
closely polled and it is now an as
certained fact that a majority is
committed to the 20 to /. So what
ever else transpires or whatever dis
cussion may be had the understands
ing is that the commodity ratio is to
prevail. The attempt to befog the
situation by campaign speeches will
hardly avail. 1t is sharp game,
tut it will be easy enough to I'M
mask it as the farce proceeds.
| THE SPECTACULAR SIDE OFT.
Rayner-a millionair jew and
Baltimore pawn-broker opened the
debate on the administration side.
He is among the ablest men in the
House, and his speech was an i'm
/ passioned, brilliant oratorical de-
nunciatlon of silver in any and every
form. Not content with that he
denounced the National Democratic
platform as 1.-The elittering catch
words of Il political convention" He
blistered and roasted the Democratic
I nn,.EX, 70 L.
the old carcass imbless, held it up
on the point of his finger and shook
it in scornful defiance in the face of
the country. 1t was a bitter, scath-
ing impeachment of the integrity
and manhood of the Democratic
party, but it evoked no resentment
Democratic harmony, you see, But
for some understanding such a
speech from such a source would
have precipitated riot in the House.
Every eve was Oh Bland-the
champion free silver advocatp, when
he rose to reply. 1t was apparent
at once that his voice had lost the
ring of the true metal. 1t proved to
be an effort without heart or soul
full of meaningless threats. Why
bluster about leaving the Democratic
party when he agrees to Wall streets
terms of 20 to l ratio: This may
be putting the case too strongly, but
the situation as now developed, full,
warrants 1t.
Bland, of Missouri, is known te
fame as the champion free coinage.
His name is historical in connection
with the agitation of this question
and the legislation on the subject.
His two hours speech was ID disap.
pointment. His voice had lost The
ring of the true metal The fire
aud vim were lacking. When ht
threatened the Democratic part,
with annihilation it was treated a
joke. And so through the entirt
i speech. 1t had no weight, carried
no conviction, frightened nobody
persuaded nobody. When the 20 t.
l compromise was made the cause o
free silver as currency was surren
dered. Mr.. Bland must have beer
keenly conscious of this in the des
peration of his effort to champion
and vindIcate the peoples cause.
THE POPULIST LEADER.