Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1896-02-06
THE SILVER CONSPIRACY.
Walter WeIIman Outlines it: A Sill.
yer Paper Basis the End
Desired.

yer Paper BASIS the End
Desired.
A Washington special from
Walter Wellman to the Chicago
Times-derald says:
The great silver conspiracy is
afoot. 1t is a conspiracy to
bring about monetary revolution,
to take the country from a gold
basis and put it on a silver-paper
basis. Many friends of the pres
ent system do not realize the
danger which this conspiracy
threatens. They pin their faith
to the great majority against
free silver which exists in the
country, to the good sense and
conservatism of the people.
They say, and rightly, that this
country will never vote to adopt
the monetary system of Mexico,
of Chile, of Peru. But they over
look the fact that in order to
succeed in their present plans
the silver men do Lot care to
carry the country. They do not
need to meet the issue squarely.
The conspirators think they
have an easier and surer way Of
reaching the desired end. And
what is the pot? A very sins
pie one. With their blockade of
the Senate they propose to pre-
| wont tho noafno0n Of onr Low"
that will enable the executive to
maintain the gold reserve and
the gold standard without res
peated issues of bonds. Then
they propose to intrigue with
political parties to bride or bull-
doze them till they Get into the
White House a man who will re-
fuse to issue bonds for that pur-
pose. Anyone can e what
would follow.
That this conspiracy is afoot,
that it is we'll organized, skill>
fully directed, we'll intrenched
and exceeding dangerous, no
longer admits of doubt. Teller,
of Colorado, and Jones, Of Ne
vada, I its brains. It began
with the wholesale manufacture
Of new States in the far West by
the Republican party. Having
thus obtained a strong minority
in the Senate, the silver forces,
by virtue of an anti>force bill
intrigue with German, defeated
cloture, and intrenched them
selves behind the rules. For the
present they have a majority in
the Senate, but, majority or no
majority, they are secure. Suc-
cess Of their plot, requires not
action, but the absence Of it.
Without cloture action against a
strong and determined minority
is impossible, Not for years it
is morally certain, will any legis-
lation pass the Senate that will
make 1t unnecessary for the
President of the United States to
buy gold, for bonds if he wishes
to maintain the reserve, and
with and through it the present
monetary standard. This part
of the plot is assuredly success
full.
How about the other part?
Will they succeed in getting into
the White House a President who
refuses to maintain the reserve
as Mr.. Cleveland has maintained
it? Everything depends upon
the courage and frmnes sof the
leaders of the two great parties,
upon the courage and under
standing of the delegates who
make up the two great national
conventions. This conspirators
are playing their cards well.
First, they work up sentiment
against increasing the national
debt in time of peace. Those
| plotters who r Democrats
easily convince members of their
| party that such increase is not
in accordance with true Demo
cratic principles. Those who
are Republicans quite is easily
pursuade their party confreres to
denounce the Democratic Presi-
dent for his sales Of bonds. Both
parties are thus caught in the
silver trap, both are drifting
along toward their national con~
ventions with tendency to de-
nounce addition to the national
debt in time of peace. Suppose
both platforms contain such de-
nunciation, that is one great
point gained. It then remains
only to secure the nomination of
candidates who will adhere to
the platform.
If anyone supposes the silver
forces in either party hope to
secure adoption of an out.and-
out free silver plank he is much
mistaken. They may ask for
this, and insist upon it most
strenuously, making their de-
mand something to trade with,
but they do not expect to get it.
Their real aim is an anti-hond
declaration in both parties if
they can get it, but in one if they
can do no better; after that the
nomination by both conventions
of candidates who will follow to
the letter the tenets of the plat
form. If they can't get both