The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-09-29

A newspaper OF this city Whites Senator
CAMERON because Of his speech in the SEN
ate against the Silver Purchase Repeal bill 1;
and 1t asks the Republicans Of Pennsylva-
mia "how they feel to see their State, in the
person Of a Republican Senator represent
ing 1t, allied with the sage-brush and min
inR-camp States OF the Rocky Mountains in
m effort to paralyze the industries Of Penn
eyivania-and the country-by way Of COM
pelling the Government to buy the product
Of their door heaps3"
In our opinion. Senator CAMERON is
utterly wrong In his opposition to the
Repeal bill. We are sorry. for the sake Of
q sound currency and for his own sake.
that he has put himself on that side.
Whether he represents or does not repre-
sent the opinion Of the Republicans Of
know. and nobody else knows. The ques-
ton has not been referred to them. and
they have rendered no judgment on it one
way or the other. 1t was not question
which came before the people at tho last
4leotion. for both parties lodged 1t. The
blanks on the subject Of silver in both the
Democratic and the Republican platforms
were evasive. Neither party committed
itself to any definite silver policy. and there
was no practical difference between what
both parties said to cover their indecision.
The Democratic platform was decisive as
to silver. so far as to "denounce the Re-
publican legislation known as the SHERMAN
act Of 1890. as a cowardly makeshift, fraught
with possibilities Of danger in the future,
which should make all Of its supporters. as
well as its author, anxious for its repeal"
but 1t accompanied that particular denun-
citation with this general declaration:
ave hold to tho OF both gold and silver AZ the
standard money Of the country and to the
both gold and silver without discriminating against
either metal charge for mintaRs but the dollar unit
Of coinage of both metals must be Of equal intrinsic
and exchangeablo value be adjusted through inter
national agreement by such safeguards of egisla
ton shall insure the maintenance of the parity OF
che two metals and tho equal of dollar at
al times In the markets and In payment OF debts and
vLAemand that all paper currency shall be kept at
par with and redeemAble in such coin"
The Democratic Senators who are oppos-
ing the Repeal bill. do 30 by interpreting
this rather enigmatical utterance to mean
that the stoppage Of silver purchase should
be accompanied by safeguards OF legis-
lation" for the benefit Of silver They con-
tend that IL bare repeal is enacted. the con-
sequence will be the practical demonetiza-
ton OF silver; and in 80 contending they
may be right. Hence in opposing such re-
peal. they argue. and unquestionably they
believe. that they are obeying the spirit Of
the Chicago platform. They are unsound.
but they are honest.
The Republican platform was to the same
effect. and almost in the same words. ex-
cept SO far as concerns the repeal of the
SHERMAN law:
"The Republican party demands the use OF both
gold and silver standard money, with such rostric
tons and under such provisions to be determined by
legislation, will secure the maintenance of the
parity of values of the two metals that the pur-
chasing and debt power OF tho dollar. whether
OF silver, gold paper. shall be at all times equal"
Both parties. therefore. were pronounced
In their general advocacy of bimetallism.
but they were equally evasive regarding
the particular methods OF establishing it,
Both left open to their partisans the wide
difference of opinion which Is manifested
by each in this present Congress. The
SHERMAN law was passed by Republican
Congress against the united Democratic
opposition; but now. although the repeal Of
the law was not called for by the Republi-
can platform, the great majority OF the
Republicans in the House have voted for its
unconditional repeal. Though the Demo-
cratic platform denounced the law and
though it was passed against the will OF the
Democrats. the Democratic majority for
such repeal was small. 1t is supposed that
In the Senate the majority of the Republic
cans will vote for such repeal. II they are
compelled to vote on the question, but the
majority of Democrats may be against it,
demanding that the Safeguards Of legis-
lation" shall accompany repeal.
1t is therefore false that by agreeing with
the silver State Senators. Mr.. CAMERON
allies himself specially with the sage-brush
and mining-camp States" The opposition
to unconditional repeal comes also from
Senators OF the West and OF the South, who
do not represent silver-mining States. and
who base their opposition on other grounds
than the selfish advantage Of their constit-
uencies. They are honest and able men
governed by their convictions OF what is for
the financial welfare OF the whole coun-
try. We reject their arguments as I'M
sound. We are convinced that they