Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-02
s1rNDAy DECEMBER Q. 1879
conoress and It's Work.

Congress and Its Work'
~. ,oke Il that the delegates 70 the
rrans-niisslssippi Congress wn'c" a"
.snb,ed in st. Louis on the 2Sth OF w
,.,0bcr and the members or the p'-
o,e,sll,c League. which assembled IN 'na'
,,,v ON the same day, were, as q RUE
,,s same persons. Whether they were
,ot the utterances OF the one body
80 ale,n TO those OF the other bouy'
"a che ut,erances OF both may serve
a. Inform Congress what sort OF iegisia-
t,on will be expected at Its HANDS Dy 'ne
currsncy-tinkers.
however. the members OF the existing
national Congress are not likely 10 De IN d
humor for Iesislating on any hhsheia'
question. They cannot by any possioili'y'
.1,.. "a 10 what cauSed the recent esas-
,rous defeat Of tho Democratic party
Not enough OF silver" says one LOO
much siiyer." says anotner. iheie was '0o
much foollng with State-bank proJects'
.avs attn another. There was failure
en- abolish the tax on the issues OF STATE
hsrks" SAYS the last one we shall quote
We have spoken as IL there were
formidable demand to bs made upon Con-
eress to legislate on financial SUBJECTS
but. in treating the monetary prospect
A. must always be remembered 'hat
Grover Cleveland will be President OF the
,iritsd States I'd to the eth day Of March.
1907 and the members Of Congress to De
elected In 1856 will not take their seats
until the first Monday in December. lsg'-
thre. years hence. This is rather dis
couraging 10 the various currency-unkers
If the country. But we notice that the
leading Democratic journal in the Presi-
dents own State-the Albany Argus-calis
upon Congress TO reform the currency
and set currency questions at rest without
any avo!dabe delay. However. let the
papers say what they may. there Is no
probability whatever that any measure
IF currency reform or any new system
Of banking will be put upon the Federal
statute book during the session OF Con-
press about to begin.
What does the platform of the Ma
tional Bimetallic League say? For one
thing. it denounces the proposed policy
of delegating 10 banking institutions the
right TO issue and regulate the paper
currency declaring the power thus pro-
posed to be exercised "a sovereign power
which the General Government alone
should exercise. President Cleveland
Will not favor this plank.
Another plank declares that America
must act for Americans" We take this
60 BE a declaration against appointing
delegates TO q new international bimetal-
lie conference.
Another plank declares against the new
loan.
But here is the most important plank:
Whereas, 1t is an indisputable fact that
the monetary revision inaugurated in 1873.
by changing tho money standard from
sold and silver 10 gold alone, has resulted
In twenty years In doubling the value of
money and reducing the general level of
prices 90 per cent; therefore. this con-
ference calls upon the advocates OF none
tary reform everywhere TO make none
tary reform the paramount issue. and to
vote for no candidate who Is not In
favor Of the free coinage Of both gold
and silver at the ratio OF l6 TO /, as IL
existed In this country from the founda-
ton OF the government, and for indefinite
nges throughout the civilized world until
iS13."
a resolution was adopted providing for
u committee to call meeting OF the
Blmetallc League when the time shall
rome for further action.
Now. suppose this proposition to make
monetary reform 1.-The paramount issue
be carried out. what will result9 Instead
OF answering that interrogatory. We pre-
fer to say that tho proposition cannot be
carried out. The people who have the
d oney are not favorable to that sort Of
monetary reform"