The Greenville times., 1896-01-01
slvER MEN IN TAE sAepLE


/ EA4t4teet ~ Aaekr-
Many republicans ct the national
capital fear that 4 mistake has been
rlade by that party that will bear IN
welcome fruit in the approaching pres
FleRtial campaign. They say that re-
Organization Of the senate on silver
lines by the repsbliean party is blum
aer which should have been avoided.
No doubt now exists that the senate
will be organized during the coming
week, with the republicans in control
OF all the important committees.
The finance committee win have a
comfortable working majority of free
silver republicans. Probably the COM
mlttee will be enlarged to IS members,
and eh effort is being made to retain
the same prepuEdeIanee of free silver
ism in the new committee that OBJ
tained in the old by this means the
republicans hope to be able to defend
themselves with the assertion that IN
der their regime the free silver ma
jority in that committee was precisely
the same as under the democratic
regime. The difference is, however.
that now the republican party must
take the responsibility for whatever is
Gone, a responsibility which the dem
oer;its are glad enough to escape.
Some of the New England and east
ern republicans who are earnest adyo-
Gates of sound money think il is a great
mistake TO assume such responsibility
at all. They say II could have been
avoided BY simply letting the orsaniza-
tlon OF the senate drift along as il is.
They point to the general beliss that as
matters now stand therepnblican party
VIII win next years presidential cam
pnign without much trouble and con-
tend that everything that tends to
change the situation Is risk of loss of
strength. They believe in policy of
letting well enough alone. They argue
that the republican party will not gain
any strength II the people understand
TO what extent that organization in the |
senate Is dominated by free silver ele-
ments and this reorganization has ex-
posed that fact to oil observers.
II rs literally true that the republican
party In the senate is completely at
he mercy of the free-silver men. OIL
the az republican senators now oceupy-
ng seats 10 are classed as silver men.
'r one-half of the whole, with two or
'hree other republicans occupying n
'ort OF middle ground between free sill
'er AMI bimetalllsm. When the two re-
senators from Utah are admit
ed ana che party memberships brought
Up to "A there will be among them Fl
liver men, still near to one-half of the
otal.
IL Is true also that no reorganization
I the senate without the recognition
4 silver was practical. The silver men
ad the party at their mercy and we're
OF disposed to give up bit of their
dvantage. They have been promised
he help of the populsts, IL their helm
needed. Not only do the silver re.
ublicans and their populist allies con.
roi the finance committee, with power
suppress any measure looking to rc-
'rm Of the currency system, or to bring
a free coinage bill at any time they
'ay conclude such agitation will serve
ieir political ends, but the silver fac
on is virtually in control of the senate
self and muster of the situation as to
'e tariff or any other legislation. For
'ese reasons some of the older and more
'nservatiye republican senators think
'e reorganization scheme bad politics.
iculated to weaken public confidence I
their party.
1t is unfortunate that with President =
cveland in the white house and Two 4
one majority for sound money in
house of representatives the passage !,
free-silver bill through the senate :
'uld have no practical effect. The
nate Is free-silver body, however,
d Is likely to remain one throughout
OF the administration which shall Y.
cceed President Clevcland's present r
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