New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-27
vtyr VFU ISSUE.
industries

Already the disastrous effects Of The INTRO
duct;on Of bitter partisan controversy into
the proceedings Of q Congress specially sum-
moned to find a remedy for grave ana press
ing financial trouble are being seem The
Democrats had long and earnest warning OF
these results Il was perfectly PLAIN before
Congress met that. although the Democratic
partv was in majority in both houses, al
though it had The Presidency. and although it
stood solcmnly pledged 10 the lepeai OF The
sherman Notwithstanding this. 1t was APP
narcnt that il was an incompetent majority ont
Of which the action recommended by the Pes
ident and anyiously demanded by the country
could never he obtained. \ majority Of the
Democratic majority in both houses was OPP
posed to the unconditional repeal OF The Sh"r-
man act In this situation the President saw
rs all sensible men saw. that the Republican
oppositon must be called On for aid. The call
was made and it was responded to with plac-
tical unanimiiy and with n hearty patriotism.
Eut before the coalition between Democrats
who sought to redeem the financial pledge thelr
Marty gave TO the country and RepubNcanS
who sought to save it from the injuries OF SILVER
Il
indeed il was occupied with the most difficult
and delicate part Of the struggle. The Dem
oclatic leaders were seized with frantic
paltiSan impulse to distract the attention oi
Congress and the country to another issue
They would allow Of no restraint Ialk apouI
shrrnkcn values closed factories Idle ana
starving wolkmcn rad no effect on them. 20
reckless was their resolution that in its cHecu-
ton they ran hclter-Skcltcr over the rules oil
Congress. over the guaranteed rights 81 inc
minority. over self-rcSpcct and sclf-consiStency
and with all the uproar of a cavalry aarge 1he!
brought in their election law repeater.
From that moment. as Ill sensible men knew
II vonld the movement for silver repeal hung
fire Not that any Republican Senator was
one whit less earnest in his advocacy OF 1t. or
less willing to work for IT. But the attention
e +lo co,,r+,y was drawn elsewhere. The
Democrats had got mp new issue. They mad
created excitement among themselves and o.
element among their publican advcrSareS
If was an excitement the country necessarily
shared. and the silver forces in the Senate, per
ccying their opportunity. became mt once az
cressive. Silver Senators VINO were wavcHng
at once stiffcncd in rigid resistance 10 repeal
and in numerous intangible ways the silver
party drew strength and encouragement from
this wanton and wicked Democratic diversion.
All these iniuriouS influences must now
multiply with a final result that no one can
foretell. The twenty five Republican votes IN
the Senate which on the first day OF the SESSION
stood solidly for repeal will continue so to
stand. and. as ever. ready to be cast rs soon rs
tbe Democratic majority will let them. But
dobafe is on in the House that Republicans
throughout the United States cannot and VIII
not disregard. IL has been forced upon them
angrily and defantly, and their voters thcl'
newspapers, their public leaders, their repre-
scntatives at Washington and everywhere else
will fght with all the resources at their com
mand against it. 1t was not their fault that
publc attention was taken from the financial
question and fastened on the question OF
whether or not free citizen IN tins country
shall have the right to cast his vote freely ana
f. have it counted As cast, bu' II VIII not be
their fault if public attention. now drawn there.
i not kept there til the question Is deter
mined The election laws which the Demo
Gratis are now proposing - repeal were not
talked Of in tho last campaign. II 1t can be
prctondod that the subject to which they relate
was before the people, il was only so corrcla-
tivcly and in the form of Democratic allcSa-
ton that Republican success would mean the
renewal OF an effort 10 pass the Lodge bill.
No fault has ever been found with the pres
cnt laws except that they are not rs strong as
they ought TO he. The Supreme Court has
affirmed their constitutonalty. Two Demo
cratic Congressional investigating committees
have commended their cxpcdency and utility
No one opposes them except those who intend
to commit electoral crimes, and the Will oi
such must not prevail.