The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-12-01

followers or MIR. Bryan, ana at tDelr
doctrines additional to the one fayoring
free silver coinage. All the socialists,
anarchists, and wild men of society whom
Europe has sent us shrieked for Bryan,
although the great bulk Of our adopted
citizens voted for Mckinley. The plat
form seemed to countenance rioting as a
means Of redress OF grievances, and it
made one OF it's planks a reconstruction
OF the Supreme court in order to change
n legal decision. Senator Tillman. in the
National Review for October, 1896, says
the Bryan platform demanded the reor-
ganization Of the Supreme court for the
purpose OF reversing the decision against
the legality Of the income tax How
many English bi-metallists would vote
for a member OF Parliament pledged to
bi-metallism and the legislative reorgan-
ization OF the Supreme court Of Judica-
ture Of the United Kingdom for the pur-
pose OF reversing legal decision?
V.
"A majority Of the American people
wish a more energetic foreign policy than
they believe will come from any admin
istration named Democratic They are
deeply affected by the lamentable condi-
ton Of the Christian subjects OF the
Turkish Empire. They mean to annex
Hawaii. They desire to see Venezuela
allowed to retain her rightful sole do
minion over the mouths OF the OrinocO.
They are intensely anxious to see ar
rested the atrocities in Cuba, and to aid
in making the island free and independ-
ent. They meant to elect a President
who would speak freely and earnestly
on all such questions arising anywhere
on the globe, and who would maintain
American policies and interests even at
the risk of war relative to any ques-
ton affecting the Western hemisphere.
These points are not now mentioned to
arouse feeling or to enter into debate
but in order to account for many Ameri-
can votes.
"But none Of the foregoing rensons-not
even the one concerning the national
honor in connection with the currency
influenced so many voters against Mr.
Bryan as did the determination or the
American people to plainly vindicate and
firmly establish the principle of protec-
ton to American industries by adequate
tariff duties on foreign products. That
decision was in fact, reached in the cleo
tons of 1894, which changed a Democrat
lie majority of $50 in the National House
to a Republican majority of more than
$50. This question might have been
avoided by the Bryanites; but in their
platform they declared against the Nc
Kinley law Of 1890 and said that there
must be no tariff legislation until free
silver coinage should be adopted. This
declaration fixed upon Mr. Bryan's back
n fatal burden. The people felt sure pro
lection would help them out OF hard times.
They were not sure free coinage would
help them. BY voting for Bryan they
would reject a certain good thing for the
promise Of a doubtful good They did not
hesitate long, but overwhelmed free coin
age for the sake Of protection.
Even il all the above uncontrovertible
facts are not welcome to our kin beyond
the sea- they should at least satisfy BIZ
metallists that there was no pronounce
ment against bi-metalism in our late cleo
ton. We have said by the election that
we viii not 90 TO free silver coinage now
and send gold to a premium, and pay
our public aud private debts in a debased
currency, and join forever the silver mo-
nometallist nations. But we said In our
st. Louis platform that we favored BIZ
metallism, and pledged ourselves to pro-
mote 1t, and Mr. Mckinley, in his letter
of acceptance repeated the pledge.
1T is true that as the sharp and bitter
conflict went on, the c0ntending symbols
became, briefly. gold and silver. The OPP
posing badges and the hats were yellow
and white. But now the fight is over, the
distinctions and limitations in this com
pick problem Of money will again appear
and be regarded.
THAT the United States is opposed to
the single gold standard, and is in favor
of retracing in due course and with care
full regard to the national honor the steps
taken in the decentralization Of silver until
both gold and silver shall be admitted to
free coinage at the ratio Of 1914 to /, and
made the standard money Of the world
is proposition which would receive the
suffrages OF four-fifths of our voters, ii
this proposition alone could be fairly pre-
sented to them, even without further de-
bate. They have sufficiently informed
themselves TO believe that the quantity OF
real money, and not the money which
must be redeemed in some other money,
determines the prices Of the worlds COM
modities, that the decentralization Of half
of the worlds real money is slowly reduo
ing prices and crushing debtors, and that
the use OF only gold as non-redeemable
money is placing the great instrument
Of exchange in commerce upon such
narrow basis that the present depression
in production and trade will continue,
with occasional and temporary reactions,
for an indefinite period and with mani
fold evils to the human race the world
over.
ITO such convictions entertained by a
vast majority of American voters com
mitted to bimettallism, the friends Of
such monetary system may confidently
appeal. The question is not one Of four
years, nor yet Of a decade. 1t may take
as long to remonetize silver as it has
taken to realize the paralyzing influence
of characterization. But the fact that
six out of thirteen OF American voters
have given their ballots for the wild
project Of immediate free silver coinage
by the United States alone shows that
the question is one Of which must be
compromised and adjusted in some way.
The advocates of cold mpno-m a+a II;s,y,