The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-03-29
A WESTERN COVER ON POLIIi-
CAL EtONOMY.

Governor Mathews, of Indiana, is in
Washington, and the Washington Post
quotes him as making the following state
ment:
Il am not among those who are dis
posed TO think that the battle between
the two great parties has been already
fought and lost by the Democracy. |
can only speak for Indiana, and so far
as ii is concerned the issue is bound
up in the action of Congress and the
administration. If the pledges made to
the people are kept, then there Is no
fear Of the result. If our people are dis
appointed in Congress then there is some
ground Of apprehension. The course pur-
sued here will almost certainly determine
the question of how the State will range
itself in November. Chief among the
things TO be desired from the standpoint
Of an Indiana Democrat Is the passage
OF the Wilson bill just as It came from
the House We stand squarey by the
House bill, for it is in line with the
pledges that Democratic leaders have
been making for the past twenty years.
In common honesty we are bound To
carry out those promises.
Again. ii is to be hoped that President
Cleveland will sign the Bland bill. The
cause of silver is second in Importance
only TO the tariff. A veto of that bill
would elicit a general feeling of disap-
pOintment to the mass of our people
with whom silver has never lost its pOpu
larity. They still want it for money, and
if the Bland bill should be vetoed, would
regard ii as further postponement Of
the day when a parity between the
metals shall be brought about"
If Governor Mathews means that the
Indiana Democracy would welcome the
Wilson bill. but will be dissatisfied with
not believe that he correctly represents
the Democracy of his State. Democrats
may, and many do, object to the Wilson
bill, as it passed the House, for the
reason that it is nothing but modiica-
tion Of the Mckinley bill, and is CON
sty.acted in disregard Of the Democratic
principle that the burdens OF government
shall be equally distributed upon all,
with punishments for none and favor
itism for none. 1t avowedly gives to New
England manufacturers the benefits Of
a protective duty that will enable them
to sell all their wares TO Americans to
the exclusive Of foreign wares. Call this
by any name you choose but It is fore
ing all other Americans who buy their
wares to Pay more for them than they
would have to give for the same articles
If foreigners were allowed to sell those
articles here. At the same time that it
thus favors those New England manu-
facturers it refuses absolutely to show
any favor to the miners of coal and
iron in Virginia, West Virginia, and other
States. 1t is not Democratic TO thus
apply the principle Of protection any
where. but it is equally undemocratic.
II the principle is 10 be applied at all, to
apply il to one part of the country and
deny another part Of the country ito
benefit. All the amendments that the
Senate has made are in the direction of
making such duties as are imposed
bear equally uron all imports. No good
Democrat in Indiana. or anywhere else. IS
giong to kick at this.
Another statement of Governor Mat
hews is utterly false. puerile, and dema-
gogic. He says silver, as money. has
never lost its popularity with the masses
of Indiana Democrats, and that they
still want it for money.
Now we undertake TO say that there
is not Democrat in Indiana who. If
he carried a check for $50 TO bank and
were given his choice whether he would
take II in silver or gold, would not imme-
diately and eagerly decide In favor OF
gold. 1t is absurd TO say the people
want silver for money. They want no
more of it than they are compelled TO
take, and not one OF them ever receives
as much as five dollars of it without
wishing 1t were in gold or notes. 1t is
not silver the people want. Those who
clamor for silver are really clamoring
for indefinite quantities of cheap money.
They foolishly imagine that II money
were more abundant IL would be more
abundant with them. when. II they knew
any thing at all they would know that they
must have something TO exchange for
money In order TO get ii. whether 1t is
abundant or scarce. Some OF these times
we suppose. the body of the people will
learn that after there is enough money
TO serve as a medium for exchanging
the commodities OF a country there can
be no useful increase Of the money,