The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-10-17
NOT TO BE TRUSTED.
The Republican Party Unworthy OF tho
Peoples Confidence.


Chairman Babcock, of the republican
congressional committee, who has been
studying American politics in Europe
during the last four months, is rO-
ported as saying: I'm the last house
of representatives out OF a member
ship of one hundred and twenty eight
on the republican side there were only
fifteen free coinage men, and they
held these views simply because their
districts demanded 1t of them"
Only fifteen free coinage men per-
haps, and perhaps they were sacriflc-
ing their political convictions merely
to hold down their political jobs, but
how many more were prepared to
sacrifice their convictions in like man
ner for like purpose? How many
were prepared to make any kind Of
dangerous financial experiment. In
order to keep few doubtful mining
camp states in the republican, column
How was it in the preceding con-
gressP Everybody knows that con-
gress was republican in both houses
and everybody knows that that con-
gress passed the sherman act, which
destroyed the stability Of tho standard
anu brought oH tAe panic OF 1893,
Perhaps not more than fifteen re-
publicans then were free coinage men,
and they may have been free coinage
men only because their districts de-
manded it Of them. II so the case Is
all the worse for the party, A party
is not to be trusted when its repre-
sentatives sacrifice their convictions
for the sake of party advantage.
This is precisely what the repub-
lican representatives in the Mckinley
congress did II they wero not in fact
silver men. Jones of Nevada laid down
the ultimatum of the avOwed free
coinage republicans to their party as
sociates. lie said in substance; "You
must pass this silver purchase bill
which the house has Just passed.
Furthermore you must come to our
terms or we will turn our silver
states over to some other party at the
next presidential election"
These threats prevail over the al.
legged convictions of REPUBLICAN sena'
tors and representatives. The trade
was made. The sherman law was
! passed in July and the Mckinley rob-
ber tariff law was passed two and a
half months later in pursuance Of the
bargain. Can the people trust party
which thus trades off its professed
! convictions for votes for a robber tariff
law and for electoral votes needed to
fasten that law indefinitely upon the
victimized people? 1t is not likely
that they will.
True, when the president convened
the next congress in extra session
many republican senator's voted to re-
peal their silver legislation. Appalled,
by the panic which was spreading dev-
astatiou over all the land and which
they knew was produced 10y their own
legislation, they for the moment ad-
mitted their fault and voted for repeal.
But not on that account are they to
be trusted. They have been insisting
ever since that their silver legislatio
did not cause the panic. They have
been insisting, in effect, that the
American people struck themselves
with panic by voting the democratic
party into power, A party which will
thus retract its own confession the mo-
ment immediate danger is past, party
which will thus slander and insult the
people, cannot be trusted TO act In ac.
ccrdance with Its professions. This
party will not only put the country
back into the mire of McKinleyism,
but II will make any kind OF trade