New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-27
HOKE SMITH AGAINST FREE SILVER.

,rb. army of discomfort has been effectively
assailed bv Secretary Hoke Smith in one or It's
s,rongholds He appeals TO the Democrats OF
Georgia on partisan grounds. ana VIII uluoup'eu
" have great influence His argument on the
silver question is in itself not particularly III
portant. What he has said others have said per
hams nc we'll Rut II Is significant fact that
the member Of Democratic Cabinet from
Georgia. State which has been for long time
nronc 70 financial heresies. should confront cur
rent popular sentiment at home by speech ~
unoualited 1t is one Of the most convincing
signs that the silver frenzy has indeed ios' h''''"
of its force, at least for time
There are reasons for this which do not lie on
the surface There Is parisanshp so intense
and bitter that like love Of country III 'iih' vi
war. il makes men swift to FISK AL their hopes
their fortunes and even their lives lheir VII
bounded devotion TO the Democratic party Is 'hc
strongest of all motives with large snare vi
those who upheld the Rebellion. When II WAS
seen that the Democratic party wouu oe smut
ont from all possibilities OF success ana permit
pentlv disrupted il II should yield 10 the Tree
coinage fanaticism this very intensity OF par
,,son feeling swung Southern Democrats by the
thousand ont Of the free silver lines. 1t was not
conversion so much as a deliberate surrender
or thejr own opinions for the immediate needs
IF the norty II is essential to keep this in mind.
f,r The same Democrats are likely to turn up the
widest advocates Of silver coinage. II that seems
10 them the only hope Of saving their party
Al, perccive that better times have hshened
the burdens Of the people, SO tha' they are US
inclined 10 rush into rash experiments lor r'"'i'
Refer prices for farm products, DETER prospects
for the marketing Of future produc'S' pe"er
wages for many workers and larger measure
II employment. make II great difference WIFI
fnot army Of discomfort which forms the greatest
and most effective part Of the free-siVer most
In the DAYS Of Greenback or fiat money asltatioh
the experience was just the same. Whiic umes
were hard. the ignorant and minimizing camored
for more money cheaper money. ana uniiihi'eu
ISSUES Of paper but their force melted away De-
fore the sun If returning prosperity Inc arm!
If discomfort, is not a permanent force for opera
lions which las, over a single year OF bad crops
or bad business.
Al tho same time in another sense IL Is perma-
nan, and Increasing force. The essential char
acters,ic Of the army Of discomfort Is mat us
r,eu,hors do not stay cOntcnled. because they do
moi STAY prosperous Neither do they stay con
many facts and ideas to his Georgia friends, but
II Is safe TO assume that most OF them VIII he
mite forgotten the next time a wave Of popular
excitement about the money question rolls over
,ha State. That Is likely 10 come when crops
! fail. or business proves unsatisfactory. ana theh
II will probably be found that most OF the Demo
Gratis Of Georgia are more inclined towarh ire'
coinage and more money than they were ID 1871
Of course there are men OF intelligence anu
men Of practical business knowledge VINO nave
he.n enlightened and permanently convinced py
the experience and discussions OF the last year
and so far the cause Of honest money has maze
a real gain. But most Democrats OF tha' char
acter were opposed to free coinage before "h'
the great mass of less informed Democrats mus
be expected 10 obey the impulse OF par'isansl'l
or Of better times, without lasting change o'
/ tendency.