The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-11-10
WAS Ir SAVER? WELL. RATHER.

IL anybody doubts that free silver was
what did 1t, let him read the following
admirable review OF the case, by the
Washington Post:
Now that the smoke of battle has clear
ed away another very interesting ana
not unImportant fact ~ disclosed which
does not seem as yet TO have awakened
any comment. so Tar as the next House
Is concerned, the Democratic party IN
states north OF Mason and Dixons line
has been practically annihilated.
In the present House the northern.
micdle ana Western states were repre-
seated by no less than l0l Democratic
congressman. In the next House only
five of tins large number will be men,
bers. The contrast of these figures is so
strong as TO remove all necessity for
comment. The names OF the quintet are
as follows:
BARTLETT, of New York
ERDMANN, Of Pennsylvania.
Mcguire, OF California.
LAYTON, of Ohio.
SORG, OF Ohio.
The entire Democratic representation
from States north of Mason and Dixon's
line Is reduced in the next Congress TO
eleven. The names OF five OF the for
tunate ones have already been given.
The other six-all new men-are Downing,
OF Illinois, who may be defeated; Fit
gerald, of Massachusetts, and Walsh,
Miner Sulzer, and Mcclellan. of New
York. In addition to the five mentioned
above. there Will be In the Fifty-fourth
Congress sixty-one Democrats who are
now serving. They are all from the
South
But there is another most interesting
point of view. The advocacy of the free
coinage of silver was not a straw-much
less plank-to save the Democratic can
didates from being drowned In the sea
of Republican triumph. Nearly all OF the
silver leaders in the House have gone
down in the general wreck.
Take the silver men on the coinage
committee, for instance. They were Sc
lected for their positions on that commit
tee by reason Of their advocacy, in season
and out OF season, OF the free and UNI
limited coinage of the white metal. AT
the head of the committee stood Richard
T. Bland OF Missouri, the author of the
DADDY dollar" and whose name Is syn
onymous with all that relates 20 silver
Even the veriest tyro in national affairs
knows how dear to Mr. BANDS heart
is the silver question, and how steadfast-
~ he fought in the present Congress
against the repeal Of the Sherman silver
law then for the coinage of the seignior-
age, and finally for tho passage OF the
seigniorage bin over the veto OF Presi-
dent Cleveland. His defeat in all three
OF these contests looks now as II IT might
have been a straw 10 tell when way
the wind was going TO blow. Certain II
seems to be that free silver did not
save him. Nor did ii save kllgore, or
Texas; Epes, Of Virginia; or Stone, OF
Kentucky. who were not even rehoml-
mated. while another free coinage man
on the ommttee-Cofeen, of Wyoming
has been defeated at the polls.
Missouri has always been supposed 10
he a free silver State. AS late as 1870
its Democratic convention adopted an
unreseryed free coinage plank, while IN
1902 the financial plank in the national
platform of two years previous was IN
dorsed This held. as will be remember
ed TO the coinage of both gold and silver
without discriminating against either
metal or charge for mintage. on the SIN
Of August. 1898. the entire Democratic
delegation from the State. with the SIN,
gle exception of Seth W. Cobb Vo Yea
for the free coinage of silver AZ the
rotio NJ rs 10 / Messrs Cobb and Tars-
new are the only Democrats who have
been returned Even Hatch ana mann
clark who are free silver men, Almost
"a the same extreme as Bland, nave
been retired by constituencies that eT ~
IDENTIFY do not regard their adVocacy o.
tba free coinage of silver Suiuclehl
excuss for keeping them in Congress