New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-17
THE CONVENTION.


held for quarter of a century assembled yes
+ordav No other Convention for many years
has assembled with brighter assurance Of vic
tory No other since the nomination OF the
General who led the Union armies to the over
throw of rebellion has assembled with clear
majority OF delegates seeking the nomination
of one candidate. But that striking iact IS
largely the result of another that the Repub-
lican party has never before been as uhi'ed
in sunnort of the American system Of pr"tcc-
ton for industry, or as powerfully reihiorc'u
hr = general revolt of Democratic voters against
the attack on that system Nor on the hhah-
cial question has the party ever been more near
" united. with nine-tcnths OF its Delegates ue-
handing cold standard and differing Only re-
gardng the Use of phrases which have the same
meaning Strengthened by victory for the ilrst
time in several Southern States, aud by maJori-
ties wholly unprecedented in the history OF great
Northern States, the Convention met yesterday
profoundly conscious that 1t had assembled TO
give voice to the will of the people.
The speech of the temporary chairman, e. W
Fairbanks, of Indiana, was admirably suited
TO these conditions There is no reason to dis
pute accounts which state that ii was prepared
in consultation with the coming PRESIDENTIAL
candidate and those who have been his most
capable advisers; but the hearty response given
to It's most important declarations made it clear
that the speech represented very correctly the
purpose and feeling of the great majority OF
delegates 1t was an address marked ny uh-
usual clearness and power of statement. WITH
bodness and unrescryc rarely found in the ut
terances OF a preliminary chairman respecting
great issues but abandantly justified by the
known wishes of the Convention this year. us
force of logic swept away most effectively the
tricks and evasons with which Democrats have
laborcd to obscure or change the issue. 1t por
traycd at the outset the amazing contrast be-
tween the industrial and financial conditions
established during thirty years under Repub-
lican laws, which brought their richest fruit
age of prosperity in the very year before the
people voted for change. and the disasters
and prostration which have resulted from the
Democratic assault upon those laws.
Rightly Mr. Fairbanks traces shaken conf
dcnce and unsettled business" to this bold and
aggressive attack upon the long settled pol
"icy of the Republican party" and shows that
disastrous effects appeared before the work
of demolition had actually begun" 1t IS this
one historical fact which makes an end OF all
reasonable prctcnce that succeeding disasters
were caused by the same Republican laws I'M
der which the highest prosperity had been at
tained This fact was the solid foundation
for his argument that Free-Trade agitation and
the destructive change of tariff formed 1.-THE
great and original factor in breaking down
confidence, checking progress, emptying the
Treasury. causing continued deficits and en-
forcing idlcncss among millions Of willing
workers" There can be no logical answer TO
Mr. Fairbanks's reasoning that:
Our greatest prosperity was attained when Re
publican currency laws were In fun operation
When the Republican party was In power our
currency was good IT made as good as the
best on the globe. We made sound money; and
we also made an honest protective tdrir to go
with II. Sound money and an honest protective
tariff go hand in hand together not one before
the other.
Mr. Fairbanks struck the nail on the head In
saying at the opening Of his remarks on money,
that 1.-The very foundation of n sound money
currency system Is a solvent Treasury" His
review Of the vicious and dangerous policies
which Democrats have favored for forty years
deserves close attention and high praise. On
the coinage Of silver he urged that the Rcpub-
lican party alone can retain both metals in use
while free coinage Of silver leads 10 certain
silver monOmetalism," and that Republican cf-
| forts for international agreement were stopped
| by Democrats as soon as they gained the power
Then followed as powerful an argument against
| free coinage as could be condensed into the
limits of an address so brief Of which n few
! sentences indicate only the more salient points
| AS well undertake by resolution Of Congress
! TO suspend the law Of gravitaton as attempt T.
| compel an unlimited number Of .JO-cent dollars
| TO circulate with 1O0-cent dollars at a parity
! with each other. . A chang from the pres,
ert standard to the low standard would cut
! down the earnings Of labor. reduce the value 81
! the savings IN savings banks and building and
| loan associations. salaries and ircomcs would
! sink, bcneficaries OF life insurance would suffer
in short the injury would be so universal and
far reaching that a radical change can be con.
templated only with the gravest apprehension.
There has not been the slightest doubt at any
time that the Republican Convention would de
clare, in the most explicit terms, against free
coinage and for maintenance OF the prescn
standard and 1t Is fortunate that the openini
speech of the Convention gave such admirable
expression to this purpose Its effect was in
| stantly felt in financial circles on both sides
! of the ocean. In further remarks on Reel
procty, the Monroe Doctrine and the CubaI
struggle for liberty the wisely chosen and abl'
chairman undoubtedly gave expression to TIT
feeling Of the Convention But ha deserves O