The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-10-19
sHALLTHE MINORITY RULE?

II Is said that the special Washington
correspondent of the Louisville courier
Journal has exceptional opportunities 10
know the temper and feelings OF MI
Cleveland and his Cabinet. Mr.. Car
isle is a Kentucky man and is said to be
on especially friendly terms with TINS
correspondent. In special dispatch to
the Courier-Jourra he says:
Late this evening the Courier-Journal
correspondent called to see the SECRETARY
Of the Treasury and those Democratic
limited States senators who are known 10
rcpres ent the views Of the President ana
the Administration upon this interesting
topic which for the last three months mas
absorbed nearly all of the public MIND.
"These gentlemen assert positively ana
emphaticauy that so far as the Admin
istration and its friends are concerned, no
proposition whatever looking to the con-
tinued purchase Of silver bullion will be
entertained They say that the Presl-
dent stands to-night-and two OF these
gentlemen talked to him this afternoon
where he has stood from the start for the
unconditional repeal Of the Sherman act
s'These gentlemen say furthermore that
the President believes that the situation
In the Senate at the present time involves
q more serious and more momentous issue
than the simple question of the repeal of
the sherman act 1t involves the question
Of whether or not the Democratic party
will be allowed to redeem its pledges to
the people by passing a tariff for revenue
only and repeating the Federal election
laws In a word, the question is now not
whether the Sherman act can be repealed
but whether q Democratic majority in
the Senate shall he ruled by a perso lal
interest and selfish minority.
1.-THE President and the Administration
believe that they must hold their grip
upon this question, and not loosen their
hold until 1t is settled by the passage of
the unconditional repeal, even If it takes
all this and next year to accomplish It,
sThe Courier-Journal's correspondent
asked the Secretary of the Treasury to-
night IL there were any indications OF
waverlng among the friends Of repeal In
the Senate lie answered i'm the negative,
and added that he believed the sentiment
for repeal was stronger in the Senate
to-day that 1t was at the beginning of
the fight.
''Under these conditions. compromise. or
rather surrender. upon the part Of the
Administration is not in sight all reports
to the contrary Notwithstanding.
We give this dispatch for what ii is
worth II may be true or it may not be.
But we can say, most candidly and sim
cerely, that we hope 1t is true.
We have not the slightest doubt that |
the financial question in dispute can be |
settled so as to restore confidence in /
the country end remove the paralyzlng |
blight which now rests on business. by a |
compromise on some such basis as that |
proposed by Senator Faulkner. But this
case has now gone to stage that ex-
cludes consideration Of all questions but !
the single aud overpowering one. shall |
a majority Of the peoples representatives
have the right to transact the peoples |
business, or does the sole power Of gov
eminent reside in small minor !
ity OF them? That is the ques-
ton up for consideration now. ard
terfere with the consideration Of 1t un-
terfere with the consideration of il in
I'll, either the majority is accorded undis-
putable right and power TO execute its
will or the people are defantly informed
that they have no Legislature. and that
ten members OF the United States Senate
can stand between them and the enact
ment Of any measure whatever upon
which perhaps their life and safety may
depend. That is the simple and naked
issue now. and nothing must be permitted
20 divert public attention from II. That
question must be settled so that the peo-
pie may know just exactly where they
stand.
Mr.. Cleveland has done much to es-
tablish himself IA public confidence and
to secure the esteem and affection Of
the American people. But he has done
nothing that viii better entitie him to
their regard than TO hold everything. 30
far as he can, steadily subordinated 10
this one idea.
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