The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-06-20

Many persons who have recently visited
New York city concur I'm saying that bust
ness men there ridicue the idea of the
country going for free silver, and that
they are practically unconcerned about IT,
For two reasons we are very sorry TO
hear this. In the first place. the conf
dence is not justified. There is a powerful
party for free coinage OF silver at 16 to
/ by this country alone. and 1t Is simple
faulty to ignore its strength. We fear
that a majority of the voters Of the coun-
try are to-day in favor of It, We hope
and expect TO see them enlightened before
the presidential election of 1896, but they
will not become enlightened If the whole
country lulls itself into the delus!ve Sc
curity of the New Workers. The situation
must be acknowledged. and intelligent
work must be done to counterfeit the poi
son that has been instilled into the pub
lie mind The business men Of New York
see none but citizens Of New York or
Sound business men from other. parts of
the country, and they know nothing.
therefore, of the actual conditions exist
ing outside OF New York. But if they
knew the facts they would become aware
that there is a smoudering volcano I'm
the country that is now manfesting it.
self in the movement for free silver and
that II makes a case that is to be treated
and not ridiculed
In the second place, this frame of mind.
which is the frame of mind OF all the
East. is one that refuses even to consider
the trouble that lies behind the clamor
for free silver. There are many earnest
-
back of free silver who have no desire to
debase the money of the country. They
see themselves deprived OF the medium of
exchange, and they enormously imagine
II Is because there is not enough metallic
money in the country. Hence their
clamor for the free coinage OF silver.
They are perfectly right In supposing
that they have a deep grievance They
err only in the remedy to be applied. The
remedy they would apply would be worse
than the disease. They are not hurt by
any scarcity of metallic money There
is an abundance of that. They are hurt
by the provision OF the national bank
law that shuts up their State and local
banks. and thus deprives them of bank
ing agencies at which they can secure
banking Accommodations which viii put out
notes for their uses in their home affairs.
That is what hurts them. and although
they feel that they are the victims of a
deadly injury, they mistake the source
of the injury.
The present feeling of New Workers
shows that the East has no idea of making
any reasonable concessions to this deep
seated sense OF injury that the great
mass OF the people have. We tell these
gentlemen that they are making a ter
rible blunder in this course. The present
rebellion against the tyranny OF the ma.
tionsl banking law Will go on. IL no con-
cession is made 10 IL. until IL will burst
forth In an explosion that will cause
incalculable injury. The whole trouble |
can be Immediately cured by one conces- |
ion. Repeal the tax on the issues of |
State banks. and the free-silver agitation |
will collapse at once.
Continue that tax, and the result may
be very great surprise 10 those who ad- |
here TO II.