Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1893-09-13
The Statesmen of To-Day.

From the Baltimore Sun Of Saturday.
The speech of Senator Faulkner, of West
Virginia, yesterday, advocating the repeal
of the purchase clause of the Sherman act,
is, as respects its practical conclusions, an
admirable effort, and worthy of place
among the notable discourses to which the
silver debate has given origin. Every cri-
sis, it has been said, produces men suited to
deal with it. The saying undoubtedly 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 coun-
try has been taking refuge in the Democrat
ic party, being driven to it by the mischiev-
Gus economic and administrative measures
to which the Republican party has been
committed by INSCRIPTIONS leaders. Men
of principle, with definite views to which
they give manly expression, are now nu-
merous in the party in power at Washing
ton, and in the present contest they have
OPPORTUNITY made their presence felt.
The fight for sound monetary doctrine
was opened in the House by Representative
Rayner, of this State, who. with Wilson, of
West Virginia, Tracey, Cochran and War
ner of New York, Harter, of Ohio, and
Breckenridge, of Arkansas. is type of a
class of men of conspicuous vigor and char
acter to which the party may look with
confidence for intelligent statesmanship.-
Mr.. Rayner was a tariff reformer from con-
viction when most politicians were strad-
ding the issue, and paid the penalty of his
early declaration for sound principles of
taxation several years ago by being defeat
ed for re- election to Congress. His con-
stituency was, however, with the rest of the
country, educated up to sound tariff views,
and has since returned Mr.. Rayner to Con-
gress with handsome majority, not once,
but twice. There his name has been assO-
eiated with useful measures, such as the new
quarantine act and the Wilson bill for the
repeal of the Sherman act. With the men
already named, and others whom want of
space precludes us from naming, he can be
looked to for action upon the lines laid
down in his party's platform.
The Senate contains few young men, but
the speech as Senator Faulkner, as already
noted indicates ability to take firm hold
upon pressing public measures. In theory
the Senator is a bimetallist. He would pre-
fer, under proper conditions, to see silver
coined as freely as gold But the conditions
for the free coinage of silver at any ratio do
not, in his opinion, at present exist. at
would be impossible" he says, "for the
United States at this time to attempt to es-
tablsh free and unlimited coinage of silver
at any ratio and at the same time preserve
the parity between the two metals" An
international agreement 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 resPon-
sible for our present Ills. He thinks them
due to other causes But the people, he
sees, are firmly convinced of the menacing
character OF the Sherman act, and they,
along with bankers, capitalists 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 objec-
tiouable and will vote for repeal. This is
practical craftsmanship, which may be com
mended TO Senators who are withstanding
the will of the people.