The San Francisco call., 1896-02-28
SILVER AND THE TARIFF.


The debate in the Senate on the COM
bined silver and tariff issues has cleared
mp the controversy sufficiently to show
the ground on which all Republicans can
stand. Senator Carter on the one hand
explained that his opposition to the tariff
bill was not due to any desire to force
silver legislation on the Senate at this
time, but to the fact that the bill, being a
purely emergency measure, was hastily
drawn and full of defects. On the other
hand Senator Hoar disclaimed any inten-
ton to support gold monometallism OF
the Cleveland monetary policy, and de-
cla1ed "the Republicans Of the East be-
lieve in double standard of value, in
accordance witt the constitution and the
doctrine promulgated by Alexander Hamil-
ton"
On the showing made by these state
ments it ought to be easy for all Republi-
cans in Congress 10 find basis OF agree
ment. Silver legislation at this session
would be useless, for Cleveland would veto
it, and, moreover, it is not imperative. On
the other hand tariff legislation is i'm
peratiye. Every month shows deficiency
in the revenue, and every day shows large
Withdrawals from the gold reserve. Until
we have some change in the tariff these
deficiencies will continue, the drain on the
reserve will go on, and before the next ses-
sion of Congress Cleveland may find
another opportunity to please his Wall
street friends by making further increase
in the bonded debt of the country.
Senator Carter's statement that before
Morrill, called up the tariff bill in the Sem
ate efforts were being made to bring about
a conference between the Republicans of
both houses, SO that a satisfactory ad Just
ment. of differences might be made, GER
tainly affords a sufficient explanation for
voting against Morrill's motion. Why
should he vote to take action on one bill
when arrangements were already under
way to provide another? The fact that
such conference was being prepared was
in itself a justification for the course pur-
sued by Carter and other Western SEN
ators, and disposes of the charge that they
made deadlock on the tariff for the pur-
/ pose of compelling the passage of silver
bill.
1t is well known that the emergency
! tariff bill is not a Republican measure,
and was passed by the House only because
it was believed that Democratic support
would be given in the Senate, so that 1t
could be enacted and put into operation at
! once for the relief of the treasury. AS the
Democrats, however, have refused to vote
for it, and the Democratic President has
declared he does not need it, there is Ger.
tainly no reason why Republicans should
make it test of party allegiance. II
| should be thrown aside as Carter suggests
and a conference bill agreed upon by the
Republicans of both houses should be re-
| ported in its place.
1t is politics, OF course, for Democrats to
make as much OF seeming divisions among
! Republicans as possible. In this case,
however, they will have their trouble foi
! their pains. The division which seemed
so manifest in the vote on the bill has
been explained away by the debate There
has been by the Senators Of the East and
of the West clear declaration in favor OF
the principles of protection and bimetal-
lism, and on that platform the united
party will in the future as in the past con-
tinue to legislate for the welfare of the
| peOple.