Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-09-11
Georgia.

| last indicates. as we understand ii. that
| there Is an anu-Administration facuoh
as well as an Administration faction In
| Georgia Not that these things were
| called by their right names. but because
the speeches. whilst purporting TO De
| Democratic, evidently went to show that
| there was a division In the Democratic
ranks in Georgia. Mr.. Speaker crisp
| spoke In non-committal way, ana
| Secretary Hoke Smith spoke for the Al
ministration. He went out of mis- way
| to take sides with the opponents OF free
coinage, instead of keeping the imputed
| promise made by the last Demo-
| cratic State Convention Of his state not
| TO draw the line too clearly between Ad-
minstration men and anti-Administration
men. If good Democrats may oppose an
income-tax and the free admission OF raw
materials into this country, good Demo-
Gratis can be blmetallists.
Mr.. Crisp said he had voted for a coin
age ratio Of 20 to l, and modestly added:
while not protesting to understand the
question fully, in all its bearings. l nave
always been in favor Of the free coinage
of silver l am in favor Of II now.
believe the fears of our friends who OPP
pose it are largely imaginary. ana pc
lieve the enactment of such law Wouid
afford great relief to the people or the
country. So feeling. | need not say mat
to me. personally, the result OF the vote
on the free coinage OF silver was great
disappointment. This question Is not SCI
tied"
We say this was modest utteIahce'
rather upon the Administration side IMAM
the side OF the friends of the free coinage
of silver. But Mr.. Secretary Smith came
out boldly on the side Of the Administra-
ton. as indeed might have been expecteu
from a member of the Presidents Cabi-
net. We quote:
"He referred to the free and unlimited
coinage of silver at the ratio or 10 10 l,
by the United States alone, ana declateu
il TO be a plan utterly at variance with
sound business principles and fraught
with incalculable evil.
"He did not wish his position misunder-
stood. He was thorough bimetallist'
strong in his faith. and no one could De
more unalteraby opposed TO the adoption
of a single gold standard. Such course
would bring about contraction or the
currency calculated TO cripple industries
and to lessen the demand for supplies.
The injury inflicted by single-standard
currency had been recently demonstrated
abroad, and the evil effect had been feIt
here upon the products or this country
raised for foreign consumption. He be-
lieved those evil effects could be lessened
by preserving the present per capita Of
currency here; but when three fourths of
our great cotton product goes abroad.
three fourths of the injury could not be
reached. except by the success OF bimetai-
lism In the places of consumption"
Mr.. Smith suggested the old remedy
namely, the putting of gold dollars
worth of silver bullion into a silver dol
lar. This remedy would at once convert
all the silver dollars in the United States
into silver bullion. 1t would bring confu-
sion worse COMPOUNDED
Mr.. Smith did not speak for the people
OF Georgia, we are confident. At the re-
ceat State convention in that State the
following resolution or platform was
adopted:
1--WE demand the immediate passage OF
such legislation as will restore silver to
its constitutional position as a money
metal, and will secure at once the free
and unlimited coinage Of both gold and
silver on a parity, and give to every
dollar in circulation, whether coin or
paper, the same debtpaying and pur>
chasing power
But this is not all. Mr.. Turner, one of
the candidates for United States senator.
is stumping Georgia and taking the same
ground that Secretary Smith takes. Thus
1t appears that Mr. Turner is in a certain
sense the Administration candidate for
senator. or will be made to assume that
position whether he is willing thus to
pose or not.
Again: Mr.. Atkinson. the Democratic
candidate for Governor Of Georgia, is an
out-and-out advocate OF the free coinage
of silver He is by no means mealy-mouth.
ed in speaking on this subject, but boldly
avows his purpose to do all he can 10
help the fortunes of that measure.
Is 1t wise for the Democrats of Georgia
thus to divide on the silver question?
When we see Republican State conven-
lions declaring, as number of them have
done, in favor of the free coinage OF sill
yer, and Democratic leaders. If not Demo-
cratic State conventions, declaring against
the free coinage of silver, we In Virginia
may well ask ourselves whether II would
be wise on our part 10 divide the Demo-
Gratis OF this State? There Is not, we say
in the words of the Buena Vista Advo-
cate, the slightest reason why any Demo-
crat should hesitate to align himself with
the party in the coming conflict. There
are a thousand reasons why he should
rush to the fray with all the devotion
and energy Of pure patriotism.
Yes. let us keep step to the music OF
the old Democratic party.