The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-10-27
WHERE THE FAULTLIES
Republican Responsibility for
Financial Confusion.
SUMMARIZED BY c. vRY HOLMAN.


The Matter Of Gressbaeks - Blame foe
silver Legisiation-Lssson OF the Party
Platform The One Sound Measy
Party Was Rscrssnissd 81 Isdisp.pois
o. sept. ..
That Campaign OF Education National
Democratic View OF IL.
General Buckner, In his speech AT the
Chicago auditorium meeting. touched
on a point which the lesser lights OF
the National Democrats have been US
ing to too much advantage. Indeed,
II was the one argument by which they
were able TO make a beginning toward
the organization OF their movement In
some communities where the sound
money Democrats were strong, but
were fiocking TO Mckinley. The point
referred to 10 that the Republicans,
not the Bryan people, are responsible
for the existing confusion of the finan-
ces-that the country ID indebted TO
John Sherman and his followers and CO.
AUDITORS not only for our senseless sill
yer coinage. but for the existence Of the
treasury notes which have made the
affection, caused by the decline of sill
yer. so acute. Mr.. c. Vey Holman of
Maine. q member OF the national COM
mittee OF the National Democrats, thus
summarizes the argument:
"Such q record of abdication OF the
duties and rights OF statemanship as
the Republicans have made since they
undertook to reform our finances twen-
ty-ons years ago. IL hard to find. Was
Il not as evident In 1875 as IL IN now
that the way to retire the greenbacks
was to retire them? Was there ever
| a sane business man. careful OF his
credit, who would Unfortunately reissue
his promissory notes which he had ia
ken in? OF course the men who
framed the act of 1875 clearly foresaw
that If either silver or gold should 60
to q substantial discount, the reissued
greenbacks would be the means of
keeping that disparity constantly In
evidence, to the sore affiiction OF the
national treasury. The truth Is the
provision for the reissue was put In by
the men who had charge Of the meas
ure on a concession to the fat money
element In the Republican party Lead
ers of the so-called sound money ele-
msnt Of the Republicans have often
and in many forms confessed as much.
That act Ia a very mirror Of John Sher-
man. II was just the sort OF trimming
OF which he boasts In his book as be-
coming virtue In a statesman.
IF this same set had had any sound
conscience about the coinage they
would never have passed the act OF
1890. They saw in certain sections OF
the country little craze for silver.
and they thought that by trafiicking
and making terms with the spokesman
II - tx,e L.. xkxt
make a few votes for the Republican
party; that was all. 1t was a small
matter that the currency Of the coun-
try was 20 be glutted with silver dol
lars for which there was no demand.
1.-THE original silver coinage act OF
1878 was confessedly an experiment.
supported at the time by many able
and patriotic men who have since
learned the fallacy Of any coinage OF
legal tender silver at q fictitious ratio.
Democrats and Republicans were both
responsible for Its enactment. But the
Republicans were still In power after
It's evils had become plainly apparent
and did not turn q hand 70 correct
them. Il was left to Grover Cleveland
In 1s4-already elected, but not yet
fnaugurated presidential inveigh
against the flood of silver dollars. And
u } only corrective legislation that has
| been done In a quarter of a century
was done during Cleveland's presen,
administration. -.4..
Nov that the Republicans are out Of
power and are trying to get back. they
make O certain virtuous pretense OF
financial soundness: but even now they
haven't word to say OF the measure.
! they will take for the protection of tn,
. | esteemed existing gold standard. No
, one word does the platform vouchsaf,
about disposing OF the pestiferou.
. | greenbacks and the Sherman act notes
THE way In which that platform wal
made was a clear exposure of the Re
| publican habit OF thought. The wore
and phrase pairing. the invitations Il
| competitive designers OF seductiv,
phrases. that went on around the plat
| form committee Of that st. Louis con
, vention. was unworthy Of the great ma
| tional organization bidding to admins
ter the national government The con
| fessed aim OF the currency plank II
the platform was to caJole voters of al
shades Of opinion short Of absolute fire.
coinage at 1s to ]. or course the majo
| part Of the voters who elect McKinle,
, | (if he be elected) are going to be de
, csived by this plank; but that IL wha
10 always intended by planks tina
promise no specific remedies.
1T IL q platform Of brute thunder
Il 10 q record Of pure empiricism-th
same spirit II empiricism which Ia
determined all the Republican legisia
! ton on all important question for tn
! last twenty-five years. To keep tn
: machinery Of this great government Il
, their hands. has been the one real In
, stinct of the Republican leaders of thi
|, generation. They have made robus
! professions enough on the better side O
q every important question. but whe
, have they ever been willing to do tn
4 sQuareiy right. the scientifically RICH
: thingf What important enactment O
! theirs can be shown which 10 not dis
a figured by q concession to some clam
4 orous element supposed to be poten
1 at the polls? They have seemed to b
o very tender Of the sensibilities of dit
q fsrent classes. In reality they hav
\ been utterly reckless of the interest @
r all patriotic classes. II only they Nigh
a continue to make the laws for them
: selves and their patrons. the tariff bar
ons and the trusts.
a I'VE smilingly condone the notion 9
: 'mossback' assemblymsn and aiderme
O Of third rate cities that the public OF
a ices are the one proper object Of Oh
Q lawmakers study. To some Il ma
q seem an extreme saying. hut II 10 tru
saying that the present leaders OF III
o great Republican party have systemat
a icaliy done on. q. large scale Just whs
our Statesmen from the crossroad
Q and the ward clubs do on q small seal
o There II . historic reason for this.
, reason which In itself brings no sham
a to the Republican party. The Reput
\ licana came into power at a time whe