The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-03

these AGRICULTURAL products whlle opening
the door to inc; eased importations of for
eisn agricultural products. The receipts
exceeded the expenses as long as the Re
puSlicans were in control. But when they
went out deficits began. The $lOoC0o,0oO
gold reserve. never before trenched upon,
was depleted to meet expenses. Bonds had
to be sold and distrust and business para
lysis followed. That took place before
the repeal of the silver purchasing act
demonstrating that II was not the effe,t
Of the repeal of that law, and the same
condition continued after that law was
repealed. showing that the silver question
figured very little in the matter. The tar
In was to bliTie. The lack Of revenue, the
closing of mills and lack of work. the loss
of confidence. the lessened demand frr
American products at home, and the'ratal-
iatory legislation which shut out our
products abroad, the increased taxation
from the sa!e OF bonds. the stoppags of
public works, and the general paralysis
Of business were due to the tariff tinker
ing. The threat Of free silver has helped
to make matters worse. Rut to say .hat
a cure can be brought about without
tariff legislation is almost as ridiculous
as to say that il can be done by ths free
and unrestricted coinage of silver.
The silver question has figured in the
problem to this extent: 1t has enabled
the Democratic free traders 20 shift the
issue away from the responsibility rest
ing upon them as consequence of the
mischief wrought by the Wilson bill
Tn. Press has hitherto helped the Dem
ocrats out of their dilemma by accept
in- their challenge TO change the sub
ject Of debate. 1t evidently begins to
perceive that this was a mistake. 1t
now apparently discovers that the re-
peal Of the Sherman silver purchasing
act, involving as it did Republican
qualification, was a gratuitous work
that would never have been rendered
necessary had Protection been let alone.
1t discern3 that Republican co-opera-
ton in Mr. Cleveland's unnecessary
war on silver has had the effect to force
the Republican party into q semblance
of hostility to the white metal that finds
little favor among the Republican
masses, and that has had the uneXpect-
ed effect to push into prominence
proposition. with strong backing. for
unlimited free coinage which would not
have gained serious vitality but for the
precipitate willingness of the Republi-
can leaders, two years ago. to enroll
themselves under the Democratic ad-
ministrations anti-silver banner.
While in this mood Of accurate rea-
soning, the Press would do we'll to re-
mark that with Protection again re-
stored, carrying with it abundant reve-
nues, increased business activities and
renewed balance of trade In this coun-
try's favor, it will in all likelihood be
possible for the next Republican admin
istration to resume the coinage of
American silver in such restricted
amount as will involve no jeopardy to
the interconvertibility of all our dollars.
Such a statement would not only be in
the direction of reasonable prophecy,
bul IL WOulu dlSO teilu " DItuh Tie
force of the claims of the free silver
men that the Republican party has put
itself under the thumb of the limited
Wall street element which appears to
have captured the present administra-
ton, body and SOUL
Proper as 1t Is to oppose with empha
sis the rash suggestion of Independent
and unlimited free coinage at the i'm
possible ratio of 16 to /, the fact should
not be ignored that the traditional pol
icy of the Republican party is in favor
Of safe bimetallsm, which means as
liberal a coinage Of silver as can be sus-
tained at parity with gold. There
cannot be too many dollars, provided
they are all good and honest dollars.
ssThp Rcnuhlic0u marty Glands fnr