The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-09-19
THE SALT LAKE HERALD TUESDAY. sEPTE0IBER IS,

a measure recognize silver money as a
measure of values.
What is the President of the United
States2 and who are the members OF
| Congress?
They are all the servants, as well as the
representatives of the people, the latter
through the platforms of three political
parties declared themselves in favor OF
blmetallism, and who, almost en- naSse,
at the polls in November endorsed those
platforms
The question now is, will members OF
Congress obey the will of those they rep
resent and remonetize silver, or will they,
IN defiance Of the will of the people, en-
act such laws as are dicrated by mono
metallists OF foreign governments? We
shall see. II. D. JOHNSON.
Close comparison Of this letter with the
article in THE HERALD which has drawn
forth the foregoing comments, will show
that our esteemed friend has inferred a
little too much from our remarks. THE
I HERALD has not said syllable against
freedom of speech, in or out of Congress,
neither has it advised the close of the de-
bate on silver in the Senate while there is
"a chance to accomplish something bene-
hclal.' 1t is only prolonged discussion
we deprecated. Indeed we did not favor
the close of the debate until it becomes a
"foregone conclusion;' that no 'sother
conditions than those proposed
which look to favorable action for
sllver' can be obtained, and
not even then until ''the ardent
champions of the white metal have had
reasonable time to bring forth their
strong reasons in its support. !"
Is that not all that any reasonable adj
vocate of free speech could ask? If repeal
is considered certainty, and if it is con-
ceded that nothing will be done for silver
until the purchasing clause is cleared out
OF the way, will not debate for the sole
purpose of obstruction be detrimental in
stead of beneficial to the silver cause?
Our correspondent says repeal is one
thing and to provide for coining silver is
another thing. Exactly, and there is
where the absolute repealers stick. They
do not want the two things combined and
they are in the majority; in very large
majority in the House, in a small majority
In the Senate. He says man could con-
sistently vote for a bill containing both
provisions. So we think. But, I'M
fortunately. the disposition to do so is
evidently lacking among a majority OF
our national legislators.
In that lies the gist of the whole matter.
When it has become reasonably certain
that the two provisions cannot be had to-
gether. and every silver coinage advocate
has had reasonable opportunity to ven
tilate his views, we fail to see what can
be gained by tilibustering and waste OF
valuable time, particularly when it is
done with no other intent than to
spite' the repealers.
The special session was called to carry
out the declaration OF the Democratic
party at Chicago in reference to the
Sherman makeshift. While it is quite
within the province of Congress to trans
act any other business that may be
deemed necessary for the public welfare,
that was the immediate and particular
purpose of calling it, and the majority
seem to be determined to make that the
paramount issue, which they have the
right to do.
The President and the Congress are the
servants of the people. Certainly. And
in striking at the purchasing clause they
believe they are serving the people. The
press by an overwhelming majority favor
unconditional repeal. Petitions, letters,
urgent appeals and all kinds of popular
influences have been brought to bear upon
Congress to effect this. In bowling to that
public demand they do not intend to de-
stroy bimetallism nor establish mono
metaIlism. They do not act ''in defiance
OF the will OF the people," but only in
opposition to portion of the people, for
the people are divided upon the question
as much as are the legislators whom they
have chosen.
And it must be understood that the
question now pending in Congress is not,
as put by our correspondent, s'Will
members of Congress enact laws dictated
by monometallists?" 1t is, shall a pro-
vision of law which the strongest BIZ
metalllsts admit is wrong, undemocratic
and miserable makeshift, be repealed
Will they repeal;t? Well, we shall see.