The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-18


The silver men say they want bimetal-
lism, and yet all the speeches they have
thus far made in congress mean silver
/ monometallism. They are siugularly adroit
IN avoiding any specific statement as 10
how bimetallism is 10 be attained. They
/ undoubtedly. see the difficulties in the
way Of bimetallism at present, but they
| do not point out any way by which the
! difficulties can be overcome.
/ The speech that Senator Vest delivered
! in the Senate the other day and the
speech that Representative Bryan deliv-
cred in the House on Wednesday, which
have attracted more attention than any
/ other speeches of the silverites, were far
from being satisfying. They were elo-
qucnt speeches, and interested those who
heard them, but they did not make it
clear how bimetallism is to be attained
by this country acting alone
Senator Vests speech was mainly an
attack upon the President for saying
nothing in behalf of bimetallism, while
that of Representative Bryan was an elo-
quent though not a logical, plea against
gold recommendation. Neither of these
gentlemen, nor any other silverite, has as
yet presented a clear-cut, convincing ar
gument that bimetallism is possible at
this time at any ratio that congress is
likely to adopt.
Senator Vest has already introduced a
bill to increase the ratio 10 "A to /, and
Representative Bryan wants the present
ratio of l6 to 1 retained 1t can readily
be seen from this, how very far apart are
these two leading silverites in their
views. Senator Vest evidently does not
believe that silver currency could be kept
on parity with gold currency at ratio
of l6 to 1. If he did he would not propose
TO increase the ratio TO "a to l. And it is
difficult to see how Representative Bryan
believes in bimetallism at all, because
there is every reason to think that free
silver coinage at the ratio of 10 to l
would force the country to silver mono
metallism. After all may it not be that
what Representative Bryan wants is sill
yer monometallism instead of bimeta1-
lisml
The national democratic platform
favors the free coinage of silver, but es-
pecially provides that the silver cur
rency shall be kept upon a parity with
gold currency, so that a silver dollar
shall have the same power in the markets
Of the world and in the payment of debts
that gold dollar has Now let those
democrats who are denouncing free silver
coinage suggest a ratio at which the sill
yer provision of the national democratic
platform can be carried out If they will
name such a ratio and make it clear that
II will do what they claim for it they will
have the support of the people in all
parts Of the country But they will not
have popular support for any
wild theories. The people don't
want guesses that, if adopted,
would make silver a debased currency.
II the democratic silverites who claim
they stand on the national democratic
platform cannot suggest such a ratio they
ought TO unite with those who approve
the recommendation contained in the
Presidents message, and assist in repeal
ing without unnecessary delay that "cow-
ardly makeshift,n the Sherman silver
law, and thus give the country relief from
the terrible financial distress from which
it is suffering. Having done that, time
can be given to devising a safe plan for
establishing bimetallism.