St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-09-19
Is THERE A CONSPIRACY?

1t is very evident, Judging from re-
cent events at Washington, that there
is conspiracy in existence there hav-
ing for its purpose the defeat of the
silver repeal bill, the bill abrogating
the so-called force bull, which provides
for the control of elections by federal
supervisors and deputy marshals. and
all measures looking toward tariff re-
vision. The existence of this conspir-
acy is demonstrated in more ways than
one, aud so widespread and powerful
has it become that it threatens to de-
feat utterly the purposes of the admin
iStratiOn, and to fasten upon the people
for an indefinite period these three out
rageous systems that have brought
financial ruin. industrial paralysis and
political slavery in their train. The
conspiracy consists IN an agreement by
which those opposed to silver among the
Republicans pledge themselves to per-
nit the defeat of the repeal bill. provd-
ed the Democrats will agree to leave
the federal election law and the
tariff alone. 1t was in pursuance
of this agreement that, in defiance of
the expressed desires of President
Cleveland to have one thing accom-
pliShed at a time, the Tucker bill re-
pealiug the supervisors of election act
was brought into the house and the
work of tariff revision undertaken by
the ways and means committee. And
it is in pursuance of the terms of this
compact that debate IN the senate on
the silver bill is permitted to drag its
weary length along, from day to day
and from week to week. and it is openly
threatened that if any further move is
attempted i'll the house Oh the Tucker
bill, several of the senators, hitherto
favoring the silver repeal measure, will
cast their votes against it.
If these reports are well founded
and events certainly lend them color
there is danger of the utter failure of
the special session to accomplish good.
The situation demonstrates anew the
wisdom Of President Cleveland in in
sisting upon the accomplishment of one
reform before attempting another. Each
of the measures should stand upon its
own merits. Each involves distinct
and separate principle; each has a to-
tally differing effect upon the govern
mental policy. The success or failure
or either one should not be dependent
upon the success or failure of the 9TH
ers, or either of them.
That it is the purpose of the Demo-
cratic party to reform all three of these
abuses no one denies. The silver pur-
chase act has brought widespread dis
aSter upon the country, and even its
author and many of its promoters are
now arrayed against it. The tariff. too,
is system whose evil effects have been
felt far and wide, but the underlying
principle of that system is totally unlike
the issue involved in the silver question
The supervisors of election law is a
purely political matter, involving the
right of citizens to a free expression of
their opinions at the polls, and. incl
dentally. the right of the several states
to regulate their own internal affairs.
Neither has any bearing upon the
others, and it is not only foolish but
criminal to link them together.
There is but one matter of paramount
importance before congress, and that is
the silver purchase bill. President
Cleveland has expressed the wish that
this be disposed of before other subjects
are considered. His wishes are entitled
to respect, for they are dictated by mo-
uyes of public policy. No measure OF
acknowledged Importance should de-