New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-18
LESTICE G1YNOR'S PLEA.

JUSTICE GAYNORS PLEA.
Mr. Justice Gaynor must. Oh mature rcllcc-
ton. perceive that his earnest plea for
| ponocracy contains several somewhat serious
errors. He says, for example, that the Repub-
lican and Popocraic platforms are in exact.
accord and alike in calling for rc-csablish-
| mont Of the double standard, and that the only
| difference between them upon this head Is
| that the one demands that il he done by inter
national agreement. and the other that 1t be
| done by the independent action OF this coin-
| fry This he repeats us the sole issue or de
| .bate presented by the two platforms in re-
| "spect Of the money question whether the
United States Is to act alone, on its own inlt'a-
| tive or in harmony and conjunction with oiIl'
crs And he adds, in indignant protest, that
| the voices Of those who ask for such ne
| bate are being drowned under unmaniy ana
| vicious cries Of Anarchist. Socialist and III
| matte"
| But that is not the only difference and the
| sole issue Of debate between the two platforms,
| in respect Of the money question: not by any
| mems There are other differences. radical
| and essential. which should be obvious to
| every one who carefully reads the two docu-
| ments In establishing a bimetallic system OF
currency there Is nothing more important IMAM
the fixing of the ratio between the two metals.
| That Is the crux Of the whole problem. ms
| country has already had two different ratios
| between gold and silver Other nations nave
had many others. The silver-ising nations or
tudov have several Tie silver advocates in
! this country have in tie last few years pro-
nosnd M least half :, dozen different ones, rang
| inc from below III TO TO above ~ to ]. Anna
such circumstances the Republican platform
| tIn IN ha Iefp
| tire consideration and international agree
meot. while the Pcpocratic arbitrarily fixes II.
without rhyme or reason, at Ii to Ia ratio iii
| fcring from that Of any. other country now hav-
| ing y double standard and differing very widely
| from the natural or commercial ratio. Surely
| that furnishes a legitimate Issue Of debatt.
| Again the Republican platfSrrA d"lp mas
| that whether with a single or double unlf
| the present standard of value shall be mai"-
| timed and that every dollar, whether 81 go''i
silver or paper shall be made and kept *
actly at par with the present gold dollar ne
POpOcratic platform makes no such demand
but on the contrary, says the present gold DOL
lar Is too valuable, and the new dollar under
free coinage should therefore be cheaper; ana
that view Of the case Is daily enlarged upon
and emphasized in the most authoritative man
ncr by Mr.. Bryan and his followers. Is not
that n second difference between the two plat
forms in respect OF the money question! Ana
IS not this n third. that the Republican recog-
niZcs and leaves unmpaired the right or prl-
yate contract, while the Popocratic den0unces
II and demands its abolition in terms hitherto
unheard outside Of the widest Socialislc raw
lngs? II is inconceyablc that these should not
be evident TO Justice Gaynor's judicial ana
discriminating mind.
For the sake Of the argument on the learned
Justices own ground. however. let these be
passed over and let ii be- supposed that the
only difference Is that mentioned 10y him. Is
not that Il matter of world wide Importance
It is all very well, and sounds very grand. 10
talk Of this country leading the other nations
instead Of marching with them Blli lay aside
all hIfdiutn and see what such leadership
would mean 1t would mean that from the
time of our adoption of bimealism 10 the time
of It's adoption by the other commercial ma
lions If ever, Of which we should have no war
ran;-wc should have n deprecated silver cur
rcncy not received at It's face value by the
other nations with whom we have daily deal
ings. II might be FOR many years 1t might be
for only IA day But that single day would be n
million times too long. \ single day Of rcpu-
dlatlon would bring everlasting dishonor upon
y
mean wholesale robbery In every Stat" 81 The
Union \ single day of cheap" money would
he the most disastrous day in all our history.
COMPARED with il BLACK Friday would
BE- = pleasant "reminiscences II ever ia" change
from Il gold 10 II bimcrallir standard shall be
made IL must ~ be- made that there will be
no gap. that not for moment will there be
any difference in value between the gold dol
lar aud the silver dollar. either IN our own
markets or In the markets of the world
There is one other error in Justice GaynOrs
plea which must not 20 uncorrected. That
Is his statement that the voices of those who
ask for q debate Of the one issue he has named
are drowned under cries Of Anarchist. So
calst and lunatc." Tie learned Justice quite
mistakes lhe provocatlon Of those cries. The
popocrats arc called Socialists because they
propose 10 forbid the right Of private contract.
and 20 do other equally Socalslic things. They
are called Anarchists because they propose in
their Platform to debauch the Supreme Court.
10 make It's Judgments and the judgments of
MI Federal courts Imperative and 10 deny Ia
the Fcdcral1 Government the right 10 enforce lis
own laws and TO perform its Constitutional
functions; because. too their Presidential can
ddnte Ia daily preaching n war Of sections and
OF cInssps and ApOloglzng for resort fo vin-
lence ~ n means OF settling disputes. Those
are the reasons for calling the Poporrais 10y
such names. and they are not to be dlspelled