The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1895-03-01
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

MIR. EDIToE:-W hen the tariff question
was settled. and the policy of this govern
mcnt had been irrcvoCably fixed upon the
lines of tariff for revenue onl Y. and not
for protection the inquiry was. what Will
be the issue between the national parties.
We have the issue, and it Is one having
and exercising far closer relations, with
the business and affairs of all the people
than the tariff. 1t requires wears OF
thought and effort, before anything could
he accomplished in that wci~hty matter.
and it may require more time. before any
definite plan can be reached in the fiscal
policy of the country. have spoken of
thu. dividing line rs being the one between
gold and silver rs money. Let us under
stand the question Il little more specitical
w. We have silver in circulation dav
buying as much dollar for dollar. as gold
would purchase. The question then may
be asked. what is the reason of all this
agitation over the value between gold and
silver money. There is Il great sentiment
in this country. that is in favor of bi-met-
allism. that is gold and silver coinage, up
on a parity and equality of value Both the
political parties have made this pledge in
| their national platforms. but then this SEN
timent becomes OverShadOwrd in the de
mand for free and unlimited coinage of
silver. Now Just here begins the trouble
What would he the result of such action.
The best authorities upon political ecuno-
my urge that il must inevitably result in
recommendation. and that would be silver
Why, Eec ,uSc silver being the chca Der
| metal it must in the end drive gold into
the vaults of the banks thus approaching
its value and correSp ,ndin"lv dcpreciatiny
The value of silver. This is clear in the
light of the fact tha, the faith of the GOV
eminent lies in its capacity to redeem all
obligations in gold. The advocates then,
of free and unlimited coinage of silver
would attempt the utter impoSSibility of
keeping the baSer metal of equal value
with the purcr. To emphasize this posi-
ton, what would be thought of the project
to coin money of iron, and have it bear the
stamp of the government, and say that il
must keep upon Il par with gold: After
all there must be some measure of value.
and the commercial world has agreed up
on gold as that standard. But all the wild
talk, of the theorists and advocates for bi
metallism. "oes far beyond its mark, when
they launch upon the wide sea of free and
unlimited coinage. This is not what is
recognized by the terms of the constitution,
nor what has been promised by the plat
form of the national democratic party.
We are to-day practically upon a gold ba-
sis. The coinage of silver has stopped eX-
cept as to the fractional parts of the dollar.
This has been the case since the repeal of
the Sherman law. for which one party is
responsible as the other; for though a
democratic measure. it was passed over
the silver advocates in the Senate by the
united votes of both. Now we can under
stand why the public credit has been threat
ened. 1t arises from the fear that this
government may be placed upon silver
haS nln tah1 10 ,,ft
free and unlimited coinage of silver This
g 'vernment has always paid its obligations
IN gold and thus the position taken by the
advocates of the precious metal is strength
ened. \ movement is now on foot to as
>emble monetary commission composed
of all the great powers, i'll order to reach
an international agreement upon this
question. Germany has taken the initia-
tive. and the matter is now before the Eng
fish Parliament This is the only reason
able way out of the difficulty, and the ac-
ton of such Il body of men should definitely
settle the question. But speak of it as one
may, it will have powerful influence up
on the politics of the country. But sup
pose this monetary commission. fails to
agree upon solution the great problem,
then il will become the duty of this gov
eminent To act for itself Then the agita-
ton will be renewed, and the fight that
may be- for Il time lullel, will go on with
Ihe more fury, Now is the Democratic
party responsible for Ibis unfortunate con
dition of things: No it is not, M more SO,
than the republican party. 1t is not nearly
rs much 50, because the beginning of the
trouble commenced as far back as 1879,
when silver was demonetised by repub-
lican administration. Then the matter
was not at all helped, by the passage of
tie Sherman silver purchasing act, for
which that party is alone responsible. Thus
it happened that all these evils eliminated
| at the beginning of a Democratic admins
ton the first one for over thirty years
Let lis then give credit for what has been
done, and appreciate the immense under
taking that confronted the democratic
party. when assuming control of the GOV
| eminent. That it has failed of some of its
pledges, is because of the nSurm0untabe
conditions That he>et it. The financial
pnl!Gy of the government is yet to be set
tied, and his must he done outside of par
iisan politics: ",