The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-06-20
WILL THE SHERMAN ACT BE RE
PEALED7

Times does. and. II IL could accept FOL
fact all that the New York Times is pub.
fishing as fact It would feel absolutely
assured that the act would be repealed
as soon as Congress meets. The New
York Times has secured answers from 2ij
members Of Congress. senator's and rep
resentauyes. and 15l members Of the
House favor its repeal, while only q
members oppose st. with IS undecided,
and q senator's favor the repeal while
only oppose II. with Z undecided. This
IS The Times way OF stating the answers
to SIS inquiries that it has received.
II we were so constituted that we were
able 20 believe whatever we wish
TO believe. we might possibly come
20 the same conclusion as that reached
| by the New York Times. Fortunately or
unfortunately. we are not, and our tenn
permanent forces us always to look facts
in the face as they arc.
Every one knows that when Congress
was last in session the Senate was over
I whclmingly for the free coinage of sill
YER The Senate will consist. when Con-
gress assemblies. Of exactly the same
persons that composed IL when II was
last IN session. Every one equally knows
that the House, when Il was elected last
November. had a considerable majority
for free coinage also Is Il possible that
such a change has taken place since
November last In the views Of senators
and representatives that the whole com
plexion Of both bodies Of Congress has
changed? 1t is impossible for us to be-
lieve st. We. therefore. put a very diff
ferent Interpretation upon the responses !
the New York Times has received from
congressman from what that Journal puts |
upon them free silver congressman |
writes IT that he favors the repeal Of the /
sherman act. and the Now York Times |
puts him down as one 10 count on for |
ITS views. But that congressman means
that he will repeal the Sherman act for
the reason that it does not go far
enough in the direction Of free silver.
lie will vote 10 repeal the Sherman act
provided the repeating bill is a measure
more favorable TO free silver than the
Sherman act, and such an act Mr. Cleve-
land would. no doubt. veto. How then
has the case been helped by repeating
the Sherman act by an act that will be
vetoed by the President II this is what
the repeater means The Times has not
advanced its views single step, when
II gets the announcement OF his views.
70 la Ia /
that the true solution Of the situation is
for all parties 10 agree TO repeal the
Sherman act bodily. and without quail
hcation or at least its most Injurious
features, leaving the tight for free coin
age TO go on upon its own merits If
It's friends choose to keep up that fight
The Sherman act as all free silver men
admit. is not a measure which advances
he interests OF their cause in the
smallest particular. They admit. they
wen claim, that in placing silver upon
he footing Of commodity. IT dispaces
{ from the position Of a money metal
md shelves it among useful metals along
With iron and tin. But the fatal harm
which this act Immediately does to the
prosperity Of the country is IN providing
hat the notes the Government issues
'Or the silver it buys each month shall
be redeemable in gold The man who
eceiyes this note at one door OF the
Treasury takes II around to another
loor and draws gold for it. which he
sends TO Europe. This is
raining the country Of all its gold IL
S in no wise to the interest Of the free
liver man that all the gold shall be
ent out OF the country. Let him then ,
gree to repeal the Sherman act uncon-
itonally, or at least let him repeal that
revision Of It which makes tho certif- I
ates issued under it redeemabIe in gold a
Din. and we shall get relief from the /
IMMEDIATE strain upon the country's G
nances caused by the European drain q
n our gold that has been going on Of @
tie. We shall not have rid ourselves Of Z
ne plague, because it will exist in a q
lodihed form so long as we continue to +
Din debared dollars. But we shall have y
ostponed the crisis so long that an era =
common sense may come to the peo- n
e before bad law confronts them with o
he calamity that IT will certainly bring.