The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-11-30
Secretary Carlisle's Speech

In his spec CHI at the chamber Of com.
merce dinner last evening, Secretary Car
Isle exhibited com plete theoretical
mastery Of the subject he was called up
on TO discuss and a facility of treatment
which could not possibly be surpassed
1t Is seldom that those who have sat at
dinner at Deimonico's for. two hours and
have then listened to "a speaker for half
an hour ask HIM to 90 on when he shows
an inclination to stop. especially II the
subject is the currency question. No
tribute to the speakers powers could be
higher. Yet this is what happened last
evening when Mr.. Carlisle was near the
end of his discourse. Not only was the
applause OF the listeners hearty. bat the
demand that he should go on was neal ly
unanimous. 1T was possible to see also
what chords struck by the speaker were
most in unison with the thoughts of
those whom be addressed.
First OF all was the demand that the
gold standard be preserved at al | hazards
and that there be no more lodging and
ducking, no more double dealing in plat
forms and public speeches. Upon this
point there was no dissent, but on the
contrary an outburst of applause that was
really vociferJus. Not less hearty was
the assent given to Mr.. Carlisle's PROPOSE
ton that the government was never in
tended to do a banking business, has no
machinery for doing it, and conseq uently
ought 10 dUauuOu II DIV tut tdllleSl
BILE moment. Or course this means that
the governments legal tender notes
ought TO be withdrawn, and that when
once redeemed they ought to be Cancelled
and burned. That this was MI. Carlisle's
meaning be affirmed repeatedly and en-
phatlcally, and this opinion was emphat-
ically approved by the audience. No par
tioular method of accomplishing this
result was skeiched. but the general plan
of leaving to the banks the business of
furnishing paper currency to the COM
munity was indicated, and this, too,
met the views of the great majority OF
those present.
mind of every thoughtful person, in view
OF what transpired at this notable dinner,
is this: How will political parties divide
on the question of taking the govern m ent
out OF the banking business? Will the
Republicans 60 one way and the Demo-
Gratis another way, or will the line of
cleavage run through Goth Of them near
ly in the center? As there will certainly
be differences of opinion, as there have
been on the silver question during nearly
twenty years, it is desirable that the
division should run through both parties,
so that neither of them shodld consider
its success depends upon the support of
one or the other policy. Ths question
ought to be treated as a business PROPOSE
tion in which Republicans and Demo-
Gratis and men OF no party are equally in
terested. There is nothing in the ques-
ton which Is necessarily more the con-
Germ of one party than of the other. 1t
Is question OF how the exchanges of tho
country, domestic and foreign, Can be
carried on with the least friction. 1t is
hard to see how one party can have an in
terest in it different from that OF the
other. or how one can get the advantage
OF the otherein dealing with it.
Vet 1t is to lie arprchended that tho
Republicans will look upon the green
backs as war measure, and will be
inclined TO resent any attempt TO retro it
as an attack upon ono OF the princi pies
OF ihs party. Senator Sherman must
have thought that he was striking the
keynote" when he made his speech at
Massillon few weeks ago. Yet it is a
fact in our history that tho first vote
taken by the Republicans after the close
of the war on a financial question tDe-
cember Is, 1861 was vote TO retire the
eenbacks, and that 1T was nearly unan-
lmous In congress. 1t is a fact also that
Secretary Chase, who has been called the
father of the eenbacks condemned them
in the sevsrest terms from the bench of
the supreme court. His SUCCESSORS IN
office, Eessenden and McCull och, were
equally opposed TO them. the former hav-
ing voted against the legal-tender act in
the first instance, and the latter having
repeatedly urged their retirement after
the close of the war. In short, more Re.
publican authority can be found in oppo-
sition to government legal tender notes
as an instrumentality OF peace than in
favor of them. The ground is open to
any member of the party to take either
side, and it is much to be hoped that
reason, and not war cries, may decide
the question. 1t should be borne in
mind. too, that whatever sacredness at
taches to the greenpack as battle
Scared and blood stained relic, no such
bullion, and likewise endowed with the
legal-tender property. Nobody is COM
mitted in any way to that illegitImate
brood whose issuance was the undoubted
cause OF the panic Of lS93.-New York
Evening Post.