Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-04-03
The Situation.

| money 10 HHu bVaiV"N'''
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The Situation.
7, cannot he claimed that the Demo-
cratic party is just now In an enViaole
condition. The diverse opihions on 'he
silver problem might soon be heaie"'
however. II the Democrats were u unit
| on the tariff question, which might
| that were the fact. serve as a stahuaru
under which TO rally the various DIVISIONS
of that party. But the Wilson Dill docs
not command the unanimous support OF
the Democrats in either branch Of Con-
gress The same Is true as 10 the sen
ate substitute for that bill on ooth Vi
these. the two most important SUBJECTS
| before Congress-that Is, the tarih anu
| silyer-there are many men OF many
| minds" We are constantly reminded or
General Hancock dictum. that the hrlh
| IL a local question, for whatever con-
grcssman may agree 20 do In the way OF
uniting an end to protection so far as all
other congressmen's constituents are con-
cerned, he is by 10 means wlilhg 10
| leave unprotected the pet Industries OF his
own section nor the pet products OF the
soil OF his own district or state. we 30
no, mean 10 censure any congressman,
| hut merely state the fact as one rem
dering it somewhat difficult for the Demo-
cratic party to weather the storms when
now threaten II.
We argued last week against what we
STYLED Improbable egislaton-namely
bills which nobody expects 10 become
laws. but which would be passed through
the two houses Of Congress, If at ALL
as a means of censuring the President
for vetoing the seignordge bill We
maintain that such course on the part
Of the silver Democrats would not be
statosmanlike, but would be biting of
their noses to spite their faces. We are
not inclined TO think that Congress VIII
indulge In any such Improbable pro-
ceedings. The hot Indignation excited by
the veto will not long control the action
of the Democrats Of that body. Inc
Senate is truly a delberatAe body. 1t
always takes abundant time to cobslaer
any proposition which comes before II.
1t will do so in case the question OF pro-
viding for the free coinage Of silver again
comes up And the result will be another
international bimetallic conference-a re-
suit likely to follow proper legislation on
our part And this proper legislation i
what Congress Will engage in, rather than
in the unwise effort TO put the President
i'm a hole" if We may use little slang,
which exactly expresses our meaning.
We do not overlook the fact that the
members Of the next House of Repre-
sentatives are to be elected next fall.
The Democrats Of the present House have
made strong efforts to frame a revenue
tariff ard to provide for the free coinage
of silver We know how strong was the
measure from home in favor of the seign-
forage bill We know that they tried
10 please their constituents, though they
tried in vain. But the people may be
trusted. They will not censure their
representatives, for not doing what they
found it impossible to 90. They will
not elect gold-bug Republicans over gold
bug Democrats The masses are more
considerable and more liberal than the
clamorcrs for single standard. But
they are not more conciliatory in their
dispositions than the President showed
himself TO be in his able. argumentative,
and sound veto message. If Congress
will be as considerate of his feelings as
he showed himself in the message 10
be of theirs, there will be no divisions
created in the Democratic party now
which cannot be healed before the cleo
| tions of next fall
Why divide the Democratic party on the
silver question? The President is con-
stantly appointing to Office men whom he
| does not know to be monometalists-
nay, men whom he knows TO be silverites
Several members of his Cabinet are said
to have been opposed to vetolng the seign-
| forage bill. Cannot our congressman be
as liberal as our President?
| Mr.. Bland, in the House of Representa-
tives, and Mr. Stewart. in the Senate.
will find that not many OF their asso-
ciates in those bodies will set out
upon o journey to the end OF rainbow
in search OF a bag of silver. All the
ebullitions of temper in those two bodies
VIII but serve 10 lead 10 a better frame
Of mind. There is no necessity to break
with the President. His own language
shows with what deep regret he found
himself compelled to XIII the selgniorage
bill. Kossuth once compared himself 10
Luther, and used Luthers words, God
help me, / could not do otherwise" These
words indicate the tone Of Mr.. Cleveland's
veto message.
Mr.. Webster asked "Where am I to
go?' when the Wing party was about
TO throw overheard their President. Mr..
Tyler because he had vetoed bank bill.
Mr.. Webster was IL member of Mr.. Tyler's
Cabinet. "Where am / to go?' Secretary
Carlisle and each of his associates In the
present Cabinet may ask. Where Is Mr..
Cleveland to go? Nay. where is the Demo-
cratic party TO go?