Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-07-12
The Town Republlca 4.

In their State convention Of Wednes.
day last the Republicans Of Iowa show
ed that they were by no means the COM
pact body which a few years ago ena-
bled that State to stand in the front ranks
OF the Republican party. No attempt was
made to secure a declaration for free sill
yer. OF course not. The Republican
party Is on the other side Of the question.
1t has committed itself so thoroughly to
monometallism that as We have repeat
eddy explained, II no longer has any choice
in the matter. IL we read the signs OF
the times Alright. The telegraph tells us
that there was no contest In the State
convention over the platform. But all
the same that body practically reaffirms
the Minneapolis platform Of 1892. 30 far
as the leading Issues are concerned.
These leading issues we take TO be the
currency question and the tariff question.
We give the currency plank as II ap-
peared in the national platform Of 1892
as follows:
The American people. from tradition
and interest. favor bimetalism. and the
Republican party demands the use Of both
gold and silver as standard money. with
such restriction and under such provis-
ions. 70 be determined by legislation.
as will secure the maintenance OF the
parity OF values Of the two metals. so
that the purchasing and debt-paying
power Of the dollar. whether OF silver
gold, or paper shall be at al, times equal
The interests OF the producers of the
country. its farmers and Its workingmen.
demand that every dollar. paper or coin,
issued by the government shall be as good
as any other. We commend the wise and
patriotic steps already taken by our gov
eminent to secure an international con-
ference to adopt such measures as will in
sure a parity Of value between gold and
silver for use ae money throughout the
world"
Here IL will be seen that three years
an international conference to adopt such
measures as would insure the parity OF
values between gold and silver for use
as money throughout the world. But
that language did not have much mean
ing in 1892. and has still less now.
Here IL the tariff plank Of the Iowa
convention Of Wednesday as copied from
the national platform OF 1892:
1--WE reafiirm the American doctrine Of
protection. We call attention to its
growth abroad. We maintain that the
prosperous condition of our country Is
largely due to the wise revenue legislation
Of the Republican Congress- We believe
that all articles which cannot be produced
In the United States. except luxuries,
should be admitted free Of duty, and
that on all imports coming into competi-
ton with the products Of American labor
there should be levied duties equal TO the
difference between wages abroad and at
home. We assert that the prices Of manu-
featured ARTICLES OF general consumption
have been reduced under .he operation
Of the tariff act Of 1890. We denounce
the efforts Of the Democratic majority
Of the House OF Representatives to des-
troy our tariff laws piecemeal, as Is mani
tested by their attacks upon wool, lead.
and lead ores. the chief products OF a
number Of States. and We ask the peo-
pie for their judgment thereon"
This tariff declaration will amount to
nothing IL the Republican, National Con-
vention pledges the Republican party to
the single gold-standard on the currency
question The tariff question and the
currency question cannot both be leading
questions. One or the other must
give way; and the prospect now is that
the tariff will be the one that will have
to get out Of the way.