Evening journal., 1894-04-10


In convention, in Memphis or sSt. Louis,
aud organize fight to.control the next
Congress. Let the West and the South
cast aside all questions upon which they
now have any differences and get TO-
gether IL is a fight between gold and
silver, or poverty and prosperity.
This panacea for the political, in
dustrial and financial disease, which the
governor does not diagnose, is more
unique than useful more sensational
than sensible. He does not state what
the symptoms are, but he recommends
the silver cure, and without stating how
it can be true, he says that the disease is
"a fight between gold and silver, or
poverty and prosperity" He prefers
silver, but he does not state whether he
prefers poverty or prosperity. He leaves
us In doubt as to whether silver or gold
will bring poverty or prosperity. That Is
a very important point The majority
Of MS, Of course, prefer prosperity. But
Governor Tillman and his party evidently
prefer silver over, beyond and above any
thing good or beautiful that comes to us
In this life. In fact, they worship silver
as a feiich, as If it possessed all Of the
qualities usually considered beautiful
and good and would bring all the pros
pelity and happiness that this life
affords.
This is really what is the matter with
the Populists and the silverites. by
some occult hypothesis, we will not say
ignorant bigotry, these men seem to be.
lleve that silver contains some sort Of
intrinsic significance that It's use as
money confers some inexpllcable bless
ing on mankind. They do not study the
situation, financial and industrial, and
then GEEK some remedy. They do not
study the currency, and propose some
better, more suitable circulating medium
than we have already; but they get that
one idea Of the cure.it-all quality Of
silver into their heads and propose it
without knowing whether silver is
needed or whether silver can be used.
The country needs abundant and suit
able currency. They propose silver.
They do not say why hence we are com
PEELED to believe that the only reason why
is that there are silver mines In this
country and silver mine owners who
wish TO work those mines for their per
sonal profits.
We honestly believe that, take away
this one reason for the advocacy Of silver
as currency from the Populists and
silverites, there would remain no advo
cacy Of silver. whatever There would
be no life TO the issue; there would not
be enough silverites to effect single
vote on the question Of the currency in
either House.
Now the quotation above from Cover
nor Tlllman's erratic talk is proof o
this. The silverites have made no
diagnosis, it is the general opinion OF
intelligent men that they cannot make
diagnosis Of the financial situation, con
sequently the silver men cannot prepare
any sensible remedy They propose silver
not as a specific remedy, but as a psna-
cea.
Certainly Governor TillmRn's talk is
proof of this We have already 5000,
600, 600 Of silver currency. and while w
might float more, we could just as easily
float that much paper currency, and
since there Is not much greater intrinsic
value in silver than in paper, II the cur
rency needs TO be increased, the govern
ment might better issue paper currency,
because that is cheaper. There is less
liability to loss, and paper is much more
convenient for all the purposes OF 4
circulating medium.