The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1893-09-30
The Statesmen Of To-Day.
From the Baltimore Sun.

The speech of Senator Faulkner, OF
West Virginia, yesterday, advocating
the repeal Of the purchase clause of
the Sherman act, as respects its prac-
tical conclusion, was an admirable ef-
fort and worthy of place among the
notable discourses to which the silver
debate has given origin. Every crisis,
it has been said, produces men suited
to deal with it. The saying undoubt-
eddy finds illustration in the number
of men Of ability the present crisis in
the fortunes of the Democratic party
and the country has brought to the
front. For years past the intellect and
moral earnestness of the country has
been taking refuge in the Democratic
party, being driven to it by the mis-
chieyous economic and administrative
measures to which the Republican
party has been committed by unscrup-
ulous leaders. Men of principle, with
definite views to which they give
manly expression, are now numerous
in the party in power at Washington,
and in the present contest they have
opportunely made their presence felt.
The fight for sound monetary doc
trine was opened in the House by Rep
resentative Rayner, OF this State, who,
with Wilson, of West Virginia. Ira
cey, Cochran and Warner of New
York, Harter, of Ohio Breckenridge,
of Arkansas, is type of class OF men
of conspicuous vigor and character to
which the party may look with conf
dence for intelligent craftsmanship
Mr.. Rayner was tariff reformer from
conviction when most politicians were
straddling the issue, and paid the pen
atty of his early declaration for sound
principles of taxation several years
ago by being defeated for reelection to
Congress. His constituency was how
ever, with the rest of the country, edu-
Gated up to sound tariff views, and has
since returned Mr.. Rayner to Congress
with handsome majority, not once,
but twice. There his name has been
associated with useful measures such
as the new quarantine act and the
Wilson bill for the repeal of the Sher-
man act. With the men already
named, and others want of space pre-
cludes us from naming, he can be look
ed to for action upon the lines laid
down in his party's platform.
The Senate contains few young men,
but the speech of Senator Faulkner
as already noted, indicates ability to
take firm hold upon pressing public
measures. In theory the Senator
is bimetalist. He would prefer,
under proper conditions, to see silver
coined as freely as gold. But the con-
ditions for the free coinage of silver
at any ratio do not, in his opinion, at
present exist at would be impossi-
ble," he says, ''for the United States
at this time to attempt to establish
the free and unlimited coinage
of silver at any ratio and at the same
time preserve the parity between the
two metals" An international agree
ment would make the free coinage OF
silver wise and practicable, but until
that comes, and in order to speed its
coming, the Sherman act should be re-
pealed. Not that he thinks this act
responsible for our present ills. He
thinks them due to other causes. But
the people, he sees, are firmly convinc-
ed of the character of the Sherman act,
and they, along with bankers, capt.
talists and other experts in money,
will not lay aside their fears until the
act is cancelled. For reasons of his
own the Senator thinks the act object
tional and will vote for repeal. This
is practical craftsmanship, which may
be commended to Senators who are
withstanding the will Of the people.