The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-06-09
NO COMPROMISES POSSIBLE.

There are weak politicians In the
Democratic party, says the Philadelphia
Times-the leading Democratic paper in
the country-and some who are enteebled
In Intellectual grasp by presidential am
bition. who cling to the idea that there
may be some compromise on the money
question In the Chicago convention. by
which both the friends OF honest money
and Of dishonest money can stand on the
same platform and support the same
candidate.
This is the widest Of political delp-
sions. There is no middle ground be-
tween honest and dishonest money.
There can be no compromise between
those who seek to maintain the money
standard OF the enlightened world ana
those who seek to go back to the money
standard OF the pagan and semi-civiliEed
nations. He who is not for honesc
money Is against It. and he whe is
against honest money is against national
credit, against business confidence. ana
against every attribute that can aid in
dustrial prosperity.
The national conventions TO be held al
ST Louis and at Chicago must declare
distinctly for honest money or for cheap
money. They must declare in favor OF
the gold standard that has been the !
standard OF this government since it was
founded. and that is the standard OF |
every civilized nation Of the world, or 1
they must proclaim their purpose TO con-
vulse the whole business and Industrial |
interests Of the country by adopting the 4
silver standard. that would halt enter I
prise, cheaper labor and compel every 1
one who earned a dollar to pay two dol /
lars for one dollars worth OF the neces-
saries OF life.
There can be no middle ground between 4
the champions Of the free silver currency /
that is sweeping some Of the Western
and Southern states like a whirlwind and
the honest gold dollar upon which every
contract Of this government has ever
been based from the day that Washing
ton was inaugurated as president until
now. There can be no evasion, no equivo-
cation, no glittering generaHtes mean
ing anything or nothing accepted by
either OF the national conventions Of the
two great parties Of the country They
must be for or against the gold standard;
they must be for or against the free coin
age of silver; they must be for or against
the maintenance Of the national credit,
and they must be for or against keep
ing this great republic in touch with the
honored nations OF the world, or turning
it backward TO take rank with the ma
tons which have not yet reached the
standard Of civilization
1t is idle to talk about compromise;
about a platform that can be accepted
by both gold and free silver convictions.
Such a platform must upon its face de-
clare its purpose 10 cheat one or the
other. and none could misunderstood its
meaning. The issue has become too
grave, too sharply defined, to permit OF
any equiyocation. There must be honest,
manly. straightforward declaration in
favor Of honest money that all know
means the gold standard, or dishonest
money that all know means the prostitu-
ton of our currency to the silver stand
ard of China, Japan and India. The
issue is plainly presented; let political
parties decide their own destiny.