The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1895-05-18
a PLAIN DUTY.

The convention of Republican clubs
in Portland, on the 22d inst, is an i'm
portant one, and the delegates have
duty to perform which they cannot
shirk AT the meeting of the last leg
islature in Salem an effort was made to
wheel it into the free-silver phalanx,
but without success. The effort to
elect man in favor of the unlimited
coinage Of silver completely failed. and,
although Mr.. Dolph was defeated by
the perfdy of few Republicans, the
man who was selected to succeed him
has sound and sensible views on the
question of finance. There are certain
newspapers in this state that are at
tempting to BOOM silver, and by
every possible means to warp public
sentiment in that direction. Their
blatant editorials, filed with the worst
kind of senseless trash on the money
question, savors of the methods fol-
lowed by mouptebanks, charlatans and
the modern real estate ''boomer," and
appeal almost exclusively to the emo
tions and not to the reasoning facul-
ties. The distress suffered during the
past two years is used as an argument
that a change is required in our none
tary system, when the evils followed
directly the election of President
Cleveland on the free-trade platform,
and when the fact is we'll known that
there has been no deviation from the
single standard since 1873. These or
gans are attempting to influence the
Portland convention of Republicans to
support q free-silver resolution, and
thus place the party in Oregon in har-
mony with Populism. But these silver
sided papers are not the mouth-pieces
of the organization, and some of them
are of mushroom growth and will
wither and die in short season.
On this question, the same as on
others of national Importance, the
Republican party has followed we'll
established principles, which have
been tested by long years of expert
ence, and during the operation: of
which the nation has enjoyed unexam-
pied prosperity. A better system of
finance was never in operation In any
country. Silver money passes for its
face value, and the same is true of the
paper in circulation. If there ever
was time when cheap money was ap-
parently necessity was after the
great drain upon our resources at
the close of the civil war, and
yet at such a time the finances
OF the nation, managed by such able
and patriotic statesmen as Abraham
Lincoln, William 81. Seward and John
Sherman determined that the United
States should stand or fall on an hon
est money basis. Time has proved
the wisdom of their decision, and no
confusion has ever resulted under the
present system in commercial trans
actions. The country does not need
more money or cheaper money; but
greater confidence in the stability and
soundness of the currency. If this
blatant demagogiem about free silver
were to cease money would creep out:
of its hiding places, and If the policy
of the nation were restored to the old
protective basis, capital would again
be invested in Industrial enterprises.
But this cannot be expected while
these bowling dervishes for the white
metal are alarming the people and
attempting to wreck the solid foun-
dation of our financial fabric. Conf
dence is the pivot upon which all
branches of business rest, and this
must be re-established before prosper
ity will dawn upon the country.
During the Reputation mania, after
the war, the Republican party stood
solid in favor of redeeming the ma
tional promises in the honest money
of the world, and saved the country
from the vortex of wreck and ruin.
Again during the greenback "craze"
it planted itself firmly on a sound
financial policy. and the clouds rolled
by without deluging the land with a
depr eciated currency. And now it's
duty is plain regarding this latest
phase Of political emotional insanity.
1t must be true to the traditions of the
party, which have placed the finances
of the United States on the most solid
basis, and its ears must be deaf to the
song of the syrens, sing they ever SO
sweetly. In this connection the Port
land convention must be faithful to the
party it represents, and the Republi-
cans of Oregon must remain steadfast
to the principles of the monetary sys-
tenn advocated by Lincoln, Seward and
Sherman.