The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-04-25
VALE MORRISON.

The eastern papers are talking of an
/ Interview in Washington with Colonel
William r. Morrison ON the subject Of
finance 1t was an interview, too, of
considerable importance, especially TO
silver Democrats and yet the Associa4-
ed Press dispatches did not bring it to
the west
The New York Commercial Adver-
tiser represents Colonel Morrison as
saying in the interview that he would
be willing to take as the Democratic
policy or platform the declaration made
in the law repeating the Sherman act
Here it is:
And it is hereby declared to be the
policy Of the United States to continue
the use of both gold and silver as
standard money, and to coin both gold
and silver into money of equal intrin-
sic and exchangeable value, such quail
ity to be secured through international
agreement or by such safeguards OF
legislation as will insure the mainte-
nance of the parity in value of the
coins of the two metals and equal
power of every dollar at all times in
the markets and in payment of debts.
And it is hereby further declared that
the efforts of the government should
be steadily directed to the establish
ment Of such a safe system of bimetal-
hsm as will maintain at all times the
equal power of every dollar coined or
issued by the United States in the
markets and in the payment Of debts"
This" Colonel Morrison is represen-
ted as saying, was voted for by many
socalled silver and anti-silver senators
and members, and was approved and
signed by the president during his ad-
ministration. Such a declaration of
purpose best indicates the way to the
prosperity and progress of our people.
But any policy under our government
must respond to the public will which
should not be arbitrarily overthrown.
ITO insure such a policy, counsel
should rather be taken of the peoples
representatives than of a bunch of
financiers, who may be learned in their
craft, but whose counsel may have the
bias of self-interest."
1t is true the colonel admits that
there is not enough gold for money of
final redemption, and in a mild way
ent administration. But-well, let Mr..
Morrison speak for himself:
Gold alone is now too narrow and
insufficient money basis. We have Dor
rowed by sale of bonds, eighty mil
lions each year of this administration
to keep on as we are going. Under the
administration plan the national banks
to keep their money good. would need
I n cd n
treasury does now, and would do it, as
the treasury does now, at the public
expense. AS often as hard times over
took US, business wrecking would set
in; time for settling would be upon us,
and the property of the financially
weak would pass for the strong.
IF 1 had my way I would, as is
said in the act repeating the Sher-
man law, continue the use of both gold
and silver as standard money which
has been so often declared to be DEM
ocratic policy. If you are going to ask
me how this is to be done, 1 say frank
ly l do not see the way under present
circumstances without the cooperation
of other countries, and this co-opera-
ton L see no immediate prospect of
securing"
We are sorry to see Mr.. Morrison
taking this attitude on the financial
question His straddle is quite as bad
as that Of Mr.. McKinley's. and if any
thing, even weaker than the Ohio ma
jor's. To say postpone the free and I'M
limited coinage of silver until the CO.
operation of European nations can be
secured, is to pronounce the goldite
shibboleth, and henceforth the silver
Democrats, if this interview is genu-
ire, should class Mr.. Morrison as one.
We can afford to have no compromises
this year in the Democratic convention.
Either the straight single gold stand
ard must win or true bimetallism,
which means an immediate return to
opened minis for the free and unlimi-
ted coinage of both silver and gold
without waiting the good pleasure or
cooperation Of any other nation under
heaven. Those who mentally assent to
a compromise before this battle is
fought are already half traitors to
their cause, whether they stand for
gold alone, or for bimetallism.
Vale Morrison.