The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-08-13
THE PEOPLES HORSE SENSE.

THE PEOPLES HORSE SENSE.
There 10 reason to fesl apprehension Of
trouble In this country IL Bryan should
be sssctsc and free silver coinage should
Be adopted That condition Will come
about through entirely natural causes
the natural tendency to seif-protsction IN
money mattern For this reason Il il the
duty Of every Repsblicsn-and Indeed OF
every c.tszen--whe has not been led away
by the deIasion. 10 bend every effort 10
the election Of the Republican candidates.
Seattle has gone through many cam
passns and the Republican party has very
rarely failed OF success when u has been
Ia the right II has had The experience OF
rsore than ONE election when. until within
two or three days OF the voting. one
would have supposed that there xas not
q Republican In the city. and that gath
ering Of Popallss on . street corner rep
resented the entire voting population II
must De remembered that while a Popu-
Iist can talk like sixteen, he can only
vote like one.
The issue this time IL too serious a
,
when the Democrats. aided by the Popu-
llxts. deluded the people with brilliant
pictures OF the lovely results OF . low
tariff, while the Republicans appealed 10
the people to beware. It was known that
distress must inevitably follow. But a.
the same time It was explained that the
principal sufferers would be working men
that IL. mechanics. factory hands and
snllmen. This time. however. the conse-
quences viii be felt In every walk Of
life. Those who depend upon their wages
for . living viii be. a. usual. the worst
sufferers. but every man who owns .
blt OF property will feel the pinch follow
Ing the extreme stringency which must
Inevitably come with the proposed policy.
A change In the tariff can be easily made
when a mistake Is discovered. but IL once
confidence IN this country's financial sys-
tenn Is shaken. II VIII take years OF bitter
penitenee before restoration can be had
II Is because OF our profound confidence
IN the good horse sense OF the people Of
this country that we say there is no occa~
sion 10 doubt the result. or ali the peo-
PIE In the world. the Americans are the
most commercial peopls--they appreciate
the laws Of commerce better than almost
any other nation. Notwithstanding that
a certain percentage has several times IN
the course OF our history sought TO Inn
poee fanciful schemes OF finance. the ma
ton has never yet failed TO insist upon
having sound money After the war. when
our financial system was disturbed. al
most the first thing the people did was 10
begin to arrange for a resumption upon a
specie basis.
That distinguished French nnancier
whom Mr.. Bryan treats so cavaiierly.
but who IL nevertheless q recognized au-
thority. says;
There - much surprise In France and
throughout the continent OF Europe that
a nation 50 great. so rapidly growing. so
richly endowed In character and in mate
rial resources as Is the American people.
should allow It's development TO be tram
meled BY frequent and severe crises. and
that Il should either be unable to discern
their causes or lack decision 70 remove
them from IT'S path.
The Abandonment OF notes or paper
money issued by the state. the definite
adoption OF gold as tho sole standard
these are the two necessary conditions
on which the United States can secure a
financial position as important as that
they now hold In agriculture and industry.
On these two conditions they can some
cay approach and equal Great Britain as
a financial power. IL. on the contrary. they
persist in their system OF government pa
per money. and In the rehabilitation Of
silver. their industrial and commercial
development alike viii be sramms,ed. and
they viii undergo marked and permanent
experiences OF financial weakness"
This distinguished writer. lnheriting az
once friendship Tor the United States and
ansipathy 70 England. With no object ex-
cept 70 serve this country Is entitled TO a
very respectful hearing. With no disre-
spect to What Mr.. Bryan calls "the com
mon people" We suggest the possibility
that the years devoted by NJ. Paul LEROY
Reauileu may have afforded him better
opportunities FOR the study OF financial
problems than men who, however istelii-
gent. honest and patriotic. have devoted
their attsntlen 20 other matters until vita
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