The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-01-13
DEMOCRACY AND SILVER.

1t is one of the curiosities of politics
that any Democrat, or citizen belong
ing to neither party should vote for a
Republican candidate or the Repub-
lican party because he does not like
the action taken by Cleveland and Con-
gress on silver.
It is reasonable that objection should
be taken by people in this region to the
repeal of the Sherman purchase law
without providing a. substitute. But
| it is not reasonable to go over on that
ground to the Republican side, because
the Republicans in Congress were even
more pronounced than the Democrats
against free coinage and in favor of
unconditional repeal.
The vote in both Houses of Congress
showed g much larger percentage of
Republicans than of Democrats on
both propositions. The Republican or
gans in the east praised the Cleveland
policy. They declared it was just what
Harrison would have recommended if
he had been President. They endorsed
the repeal measure and opposed the
free coinage movement, bitterly assail-
ing its advocates. whether Republicans
or Democrats.
There has been no end of talk about
the decentralization of silver, and I'M
rejecting people blame that to the
Democratic party simply because of
the repeal of the act for purchase of
silver bullion. The truth is, as ad-
mitted by truthful Republicans. the de-
monetizing was accomplished in 1873
by the Republican party The plea
that it was done under an error, or by
a trick, or whatever excuse may be
offered, counts for nothing in face of
the fact that for twenty years during
which the Republican party had the
opportunity, they did not repair the
error, expose and rectify the trick"
or restore silver to the place it occu-
pied before they deposed it.
Therefore, when any voter turns
away from the Democratic party sim
ply because of the position it occupies
towards silver, he simply shows that
he is uniformed or is guilty Of monu-
mental folly.
President Cleveland is an eastern
man and shares the views of most of
the great fnanciers of the east. He is
considered honest and straightforward
in his opinions and their expression as
to silver. He believes in its use as
money. He does not think it is wise
to place any more silver dollars side
by side with gold at the present ratio
when the market value of silver is so
low.
We do not agree with his views. We
think they are unsupported by facts
and sound reasons. But we believe he
thinks he is right. and therefore do not
agree with the accusations of his enc
mics in regard to his silver policy.
Cleveland is not Congress, nor is he
the Democratic party. He is simply
the man chosen to be the Chief Magis-
trate- When he has passed out of
official life. the Congress and the DEM
ocratic party will live and flourish.
And the great eternal principles of
government embodied in that party will
abide and win their way.
AS to silver. there is far more like
lihoods of justice being done by the
great Democratic organization than by
the other party. And whether that be
so or not, the fact remains that what
has actually been done to dethrone the
white metal has been done by the Re
publican party, no matter how much
dust they may kick up to obscure the
facts or how eager local Republicans
may be to favor silver legislation.