The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1896-09-05

One Year. by mail. l....................'.... Si-1u
Six months. ............'.''.-.''. -
All Subscriptions Payable in Advance.
SATURDAY. SEPTEMBER 5, 1896
QUESTIONS TOBE CONSIDERED
Never before in the history of the
nation were voters more intensely in
terested in the issues before them than
at present. Never before has there
been SO careful an analysis of the ques-
tions that enter into the contentious
between the two great partiesas is
now being made by the common
classes. Truly this is q campaign of
education, for the people are going to
the bottom of every proposition. They
are reasoning from cause to effect, and
endeavoring to ascertain for them
selves what is the cause of the present
and past depressions, and trying to
reconcile their reasoning to solution
of what methods are advisable to adopt
in order that conditions may be i'm
proved.
On the one hand they are presented
with remedy, which is the adoption
of high protective tariff and the main
tainance of a single gold standard.
This policy is urged by the republican
party as the method which, if adopted,
will restore confidence, encourage
business and create general prosperity.
On the other hand a remedy is offered
in the adoption of moderate tariff, Ia
tariff for revenue) and the unrestricted
coinage of silver by our mints. The
adoption of these principles, the dem
ocratic party contends, will result in
general benefit to tho producers. and
by making them prosperous will create
general business activity. The average
voter is carefully considering these
questions and devoting his energies
as he should to arrive at a conclusion
as to which is the surest to create
general prosperity, and it is meet that
we all discuss such topics for the adop-
tion of such methods as will re-
suit in the greatest good to the great
est number is what is to be desired;
andw all want to arrive at the conclu-
sion, which of the methods presented
will bring about this result.
1t is contended by the republicans
that all that is required is more rev.
enue with which to pay the expenses
) of government, tariff that will pro-
tect all industries, and retaining
financial system founded on gold
basis. To accomplish these!three ends
they advocate the election of Mr.. Nc
Kinley to the presidency. But let us
see if all these are liable to result from
his election. First, can the revenues
be increased or a new tariff law passed
under his administration? 1t is con-
ceced that the silver men will again
have control of the senate, and If so,
will they not prevent any legislation
looking to the raising of additional
revenue that does not carry with it
provision fer the free and unrestricted
coinage of silver: If their actions last
winter are to be taken as an index OF
what they will do in the next congress,
it is safe to predict there will be no
tariff legislation during McKinley's
administration in case he is elected.
Second, can he maintain staple cur
rency on gold basis while there is
more outstanding paper currency re-
deemable in gold than there is gold in
the treasury, or than there is possi-
bility of getting except by the issue of
bonds? Will not Mr.. Mckinley be
placed in a worse condition in his en-
deavors to maintain the parity of our
currency than Mr.. Cleveland has been?
and is there possibility of restoring
confidence and business prosperity |
while he is 80 hampered as he will be |
by senate determined upon legisla-
tion that will result in free coinage?
Then what will be the conditions if |
Mr.. Bryan is elected?. The senate is
already with him on the financial
question, and in case of his succeeding
at the coming election majority of
the house will in all probability be
favorable to silver; hence he will have
a congress in harmony with his views,
therefore tariff and financial. legis-
iation will be insured. More than
this, he will appoint as his secretary
of the treasury man who will redeam
paper money in coin. exercising his
own option as to whether it be gold or
silver, thus removing the incentive
for holders of paper money to make
runs on the treasury in order to force
the issuance of bonds.
Let the voter carefully consider
under which of these systems the coun-
try is most likely to return to prosper
ity; under an administration whose
hands will be tied by senate and
possibly house who oppose his
views and are ready to block all needed
or under an administra-
ion in hearty accord with congress,
1nder whose guidance needed legisla-
lion can be enacted.