New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-08-21
THE TOORHEES ELL.

RarulUcan Senators have secured the report
of bill repeating silver purchases, though In
order TO secure necessary Democratic assistance
they were again compelled to assent to feature
which NAV do harm. The declarat0Iy post
script to the Voorhees, bill is Just as honest as
the Chicago platform. Men will vote for 1t on
the ground that il has no legal effect, while
others will vote for it on the ground
that it must regulate the action of
government when international agreement
fails. SO men voted for Mr. Cleveland because
he accert d a free coinage platform and others
because he accepted platform TO which 'hey
gave an opposite constructions 1t Is not cred
liable to have the shabby tricks OF Democratic
convention imbedded in the statutes OF the
Nation but that is part of the great change Tor
which men voted
1t is not an honest thing to say that it Is the
policy of the United States :" to coin both gold
and silver into money of equal intrinsic ana
cxchangeable value" That implies to many
minds and is meant to imply continued coinage
of silver regardless of the action OF other ma
tons. The fact is that the United States does
seek by international agreement to bring about
such a state of facts that silver and gold OF
equal intrinsic and eXchangeable value can De
| coined but in any state OF facts now eXistlng
coinage of silver on the present or any proposed
ratio would involve a difference between the
silver and the gold dollar in intrinsic value.
The phrase is taken from dishonest platform
in order to prolong the deception by which
Presidential Success was dishonesty secured,
and like other devices intended to deceive, it Is
liable to plague those who employ 1t.
OH fo1
it is highly probable that many more foreigners
will be- Every one of them who believes that
the United States means to stick 10 the coinage
Of silver dollars, no matter what other nations
| do will distrliSt the financial future oil TINS
country. The best reason for repeal OF the
silver purchase act is that il may restore CON
| fdence abroad, and bring back to this country
capital which has been withdrawn, and at the
| same time hasten international agreement.
Senator sherman is quite right in declaring that
he does not think the repeal Of the purchasing
act of much importance except a 1t may Affect
foreign action on the coinage question and
| foreign confidence in American investments.
But the proposed decaratory postscript would
at least have a tendency to hinder the rcstora-
ton of confidence, and 10 postpone any agree
| ment of nations regarding coinage.
Bnt when thing must be done by the aid OF
| Democratic votes or not at all. the price must
be paid If it is impossible to get from
| Democratic Senate a measure entirely good. II
is at least creditable and praiscworthl 10 get
from such a body one which will do more good
than harm. The Voorhees, bill will at least
stop silver purchases, and many people at
home and abroad will regard that as a step
toward safety and prosperity. The d"clarator>
postscript will not be accepted as binding by
President Cleveland, and if he should ever
| have successor inclined toward free coinage
of silver a Democratic Congress would do his
bidding with alacrltf whether this decaator!
provision should stand or not. If the bill can
he passed the Republicans will be entitled to
the credit for it. But the country will under
stand that they are not responsible for the
section Of the Democratic platform which Ger
tain Democratic Senators make Indispensable to
| the success of the measure.