Huntsville gazette., 1893-02-18
NO COMPROMISE.
Tho Democrats Wholly Irresponsible I'm
the Silver Matter.

Tho Democrats Wholly Irresponsible I'm
the Silver Matter.
Senator Sherman has taken away the
last slender hope of the democrats in
the senate and elsewhere of shifting
upon his shoulders and upon the repub-
licans as a party in congress the re-
sponsibility for non-action or delay in
the matter of repeating the silver pur-
chase. For some time previously there
had been an evident effort in progress
to make Senator Sherman, as chair
man of the senate finance committee,
responsible for the failure of the
senate to move actively for repeal.
The senator's action silences COM
plants on that score. Senator Car
Isle, who is expected to be secretary
of the treasury under Mr.. Cleveland,
has lately made some remarks intended
as a sort of reply to Senator Sher-
mans statement that the silver danger
would be promptly removed if as many
as ten democratic senators could be
founc to vote for repeal He seems
willing to give the impression that q
larger number of democrats will re-
spect Mr.. Cleveland's alleged request
for some action. Yet close examina-
tion of his statements fails to show
that he has ventured distinctly to con-
trovert the declaration of Mr.. Sher-
man. For when he speaks with conf
dence of larger vote it is not for
simple repeal, but for some ''conserva-
tive measure" which may be found sat-
| isfactory to democratic senators.
1t is only too well known what these
| senators have considered a conservative
measure. Almost unanimously they
voted for unlimited coinage of silver,
| and doubtless believed they were
quite conservative in so doing. With
| Mr.. Bland in the house, they may be
| willing to vote for a repeal of the pur-
| chase act if silver coinage at the rate
| of four million dollars per month is
| substituted. But this is not what the
American delegates at the Brussels
conference warned European powers
| to expect. Neither is it what the busi-
ness world, without distinction of
| party, earnestly desires. Rarely have
| business men been SO nearly unani-
! nous in any matter as they now are
| in urging the straightforward and un-
| conditional repeal of the silver pur-
chase provision. They feel that, in the
language of Mr.. Carlisle himself not
many days ago, this country has all the
silver it can stand at present, and that
| the time has come to make foreign
powers understand the determination
of the United States not to carry their
| burdens and difficulties for them any
| longer, nor to shelter them any longer
| from the consequences of silver de-
| monetization.
Mr.. Carlisle expresses the belief that
a considerable change has occurred in
the minds of many democratic sena-
tors, and it would be strange indeed if
some of them were not influenced by
the same considerations which operate
so powerfully with business men of all
parties. But there is a very direct way
| to test the matter. Let republican
senators insist upon direct vote, as
early as possible, upon the bill just re-
ported to repeal the silver purchase
| clause of the Sherman act, without
any compromising provision for coin
age. If Mr.. Sherman Is right, few OF
the republican senators are unwilling,
in the present emergency, to support
such bill as the one reported by him.
The test should be made without delay,
| and if Senator Carlisle is also right in
his Judgment of his associates, the bus1-
ness world will have reason to thank
| this congress for wise and really con-
servative measure which may prove OF
great Importance.
No conceivable partisan advantage
can be gained by refusing or neglect
| ing to DO what practical business men OF
all parties consider essential to the safe
| tv of industries and commerce, and to
the prosperity of the country. Senators
who believe with Mr.. Sherman that
the repeal is needful, and that grave
dangers may be involved by deferring
it another year. will surely be unable
to satisfy their constituents or their
| own consciences, if they seek to put
the democrats into hole" by exposing
the country to risk or evil. The grand
record of the republican party has
been made by honest and fearless dis
| charge of duty, in full faith that the
people will in the end do justice to
those who serve them faithfully. 1t is
much too late for republican statesmen
to be swayed by the notion that parti-
san advantage can be gained by refus-
ing or neglecting any duty. When the
silver purchase law was framed 1t was
abundantly justified as the only COM
promise then possible by which the
dangers of continued coinage could be
averted 1t offered test OF the abili-
ty of the United States alone to con-
troll the silver markets of the world.
The test has been made, and it is now
plain that safety lies only in compell-
| ing other nations to take their share OF
| the task.-N. Y. Tribune.
BLAINE AND THE SOUTH.