The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-05-14
chnlrmnn cIn,,. oninion.

.
/ Weventure 10 say that nobody has fouu,
anything ga the silver issue interview o.
I Hon A. $. clay that throws any ugh
on the silver question. II is about NV,
+ columns in length. II it were more lumiu
Gus and less voluminous the earnest seek
ers after truth would feel more kindly To-
ward him. And yet il was thought TO D,
Of sufficient importance 70 justify putting
portion OF it upon the wires as press
dispatch. Its chief Importance. II not its
only importance, consists in the fact that
Mr.. CLAY is chairman Of the democratic
state central committee Of this state. In
respect TO the silver question. however. the
intelligent citizen is not influenced by Of
fetal position. lie wants facts and argu-
ments. He gets neither from Mr.. Clay.
We 10 not wish 10 beittle Mr.. Clay's
interview. What he says he says we'll
and nc has at his command the silver
views Of Senator Stewart and Tom Wat
son and the rest OF the silverites. But we
expect more from democrat of promi-
hence, who aims at higher statesman
ship.
What is the sum and substance Of Mr..
Clays interview? We do not think we do
him any injustice when we say that he
believes in the free. unlimited and indie
pendent coinage Of silver at the ratio Of
10 to ]. and that the inference from what
he says is that he would not favor free
silver coinage if he did not believe that it
would result in making the silver in a
silver dollar worth dollar in gold.
But what is the foundation of Mr.
Clay's belief that free silver coinage by
this country alone would so raise the
commercial value Of silver that the COM
mercial value Of the silver in a silver dol
lar would be worth dollar in gold? Does
he give a single reason for that belief?
We have not been able to find one. If he
poses as leader and a teacher and ad-
vises a new departure he ought TO be able
10 give reasons for his belief. He can
hardly expect intelligent men will agree
that his belief is the right one unless he
gives reasons for it.
Why did not Mr.. Clay put his interview
into one column, and in that column crowd
reasons showing that If this country alone
undertook the free coinage of silver the
silver dollar would circulate on a parity
with a gold dollar? If he had done that.
he would have told the people what they
are anxious TO know. He can hardly ex-
pect the democrats of this state to be sat
isded with his faith and his picture. how
ever strong his faith may be, or however
handsome he is.
our columns are open to Mr. Clay for
such an interview as We herein suggest
and we assure him that it Will be read
with far more interest than the one that
was published last Sunday.
We think Mr.. Clay has no reasons for
his belief-certainly none that are at all
convincing. If he had he would not hest
tate to give them. Indeed, he would be
glad to give them, ana have the satlsfac-
ton Of doing something none of the other
silverites have done. He has chance to
distinguish himself, a chance he ought not
to let slip. If he could show that free
silver coinage by this country alone would
double the commercial value of all the
silver in the world-the money of thou
sand millions of people and keep it on a
par with gold at the ratio of 16 to The
would be the great man OF this country and
of this century. But If he cannot give the
reasons for his faith, what he says on the
silver question is not likely to make many
converts for free silver coinage.