The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-02
The silver Bill Means Nothing.


The action Of the Senate yesterday in
passing a free silver coinage bill as a
substitute for the House bond bill means
nothing. The majority in the Senate for
the free coinage OF silver since the silver
agitation began has been greater than it
is now. The passage OF a free silver coin
age bill in the Senate. therefore. does not
mean that our minis are going TO be open
TO the free coinage Of silver.
II has been understood for weeks that
the Senate would not pass the House bond
bill. or any other bond bill, but that it
would pass a free silver coinage bill The
action Of the Senate viii not. therefore.
cause any disturbance in business. The
House will not pass the Senate bill. The
fact that the Senate has placed itself on
record as being in favor of free silver
coinage may prevent some foreign bank
ers and insurance companies from bid
ding for the bonds which the government
is Offering. and the government may have
to accept lower price for the bonds than
Il would have got II the Senate had voted
against gtee silver coinage. The amount
which the government will lose will be
charged to the account of the slverites.
Even the silverltes would find it dim-
cult to give a satisfactory reason for pas
sing the free silver coinage bill. They
know it cannot become a law. and they
are aware that by passing it they have
hurt the credit OF the government APP
parently. however. they don't care how
much they injure the governments credit.
Since the silverites have got possession of
the Senate the average of it's intelligence
has declined so greatly that the talk of
its decadence has boone common. The
number Of cranks it contains is greater
than ever before, and its exhibitions OF bad
manners have become quite frequent.
Twenty or even ten. years ago. such
a speech as that delivered by Senator
.Tillman last week would not have been
tolerated. Before he had uttered a
hundred words he would have been check
ed, and compelled either to keep his re-
marks within reasonable bounds or take
his seat. But the Senate permitted itself to
be abused and blackguarded. and it even
smiled when it's most cherished tradi-
lions and rules were sneered at and treated
with contempt With such a spirit domi-
mating the Senate. it is not to be Won
dered at that a bill that deals a blow at
tho credit and integrity of the nation was
passed.
1t is not difficult to see what the fate
of the free silver coinage bill will be.
1t will go to a conference committee.
where an effort will be made to frame a
measure acceptable to both houses. The
effort will fail, the bill will be abandoned
and that will be the last attempt at finan-
cial legislation at this session of congress.
Congress at this session will do nothing
but pass appropriation bills. 1t is sim
ply drifting. and will continue to drift
until adjournment. The members are de-
voting the most of their time to President
making. That is matter of more conse-
quence in their estimation than the
finances of the country, and yet without
sound financial conditions there can be no
permanent prosperity.
The politicians will never settle the
financial question. They are too timid.
The financial question must be settled by
the people. and they must settle it at the
presidential election this year by adopt
ing sound money platforms and nominal
ing sound money candidates