New-York tribune., 1896-02-03
Presidential candidate for seat in the Cabinet
for Mr. Plat.
CHTID'S PLAY.

CHILD'S PLAY.
1t has pleased majority Of Senators TO make
a show OF their foolishness. 1t is commonly
suDposed that horse sense" Is n quality largely
deyeloped in new States and mining camps, Dut
not a solitary one Of the Senators who nave
spent month over the silver bill has the slight
est notion that It can possibly pass They are
ncrfectly aware that 1t will not even be con-
sdered in the Holsc. as it is an impertinent
alteration of a II, ASSURE passed by the latter
hodv in RESPONSE TO the Presidents urgent ap-
peal for power to meet the necessities Oh
the Treasury 1t is likely that some or the
Senators who voted for silver coinage in place
of a bond bill did so because they were opposed
TO any more issues Of bonds or borrowing OF
money while the Treasury confesses monthly
deficit but il there are such Senators II would
have been more manly and more sensible 10
vote against the bond bill, without taking
months time to fastcn upon 1t a coinage Dill
which they know neither the House nor the
President will approve.
Rut II seems to be a condition on which Sena-
tors from silver States get Office that ut least
opre in each Congress, whether with the slight
est practical reason or without any, they should
Il
coinage bill if they can. 1t is pity for con-
stitucnts TO have such Senators, or else II Is Il
nitv for Senators to have such constituents. be-
cause no good whatever. but some harn, is zone
bv this biennial exhibition. IL there were any
chance that free-coinage bill might become Il
law. the recurring effort would receive ana De
entitled to more respectful attention. as an hon
est II mistaken, endeavor to meet wishes OF
constituents. When 1t is made repeatedly With
ort even the pretense Of hope that "A bill can he
nassed the effort has n tendency to disgust ana
even to affront many who have been well In
clned toward bimetalllc views.
There were eighteen Republican Senators who
voted or were paired in favor OF this absurui'y'
One of them was from Pennsylvania ana ME-
Cameron has announced that he Will not return
The two Senators from Utah arrived just IN
time TO make the number eighteen with them
were the two Senators from Colorado, two from
wyoming, two from Montana, two from ldaho'
two from Washington. and one each from Gail
fornia. Oregon. South Dakota. North Dakota ana
North Carolina These are the Kepubhcans.
The two Senators from Nevada record them
selves MS silver men II Is altogether unneces-
sarv 70 say that the twenty-six Republicans Who
voted or were paired the other way represent the
vast majority Of the Republican party. and have
behind them the deliberate opinion of the people
in States which control majority Of the elec-
toral votes and which must govern the country
Il II is to he governed by anything except the
Southern Democracy. ON the Democratic side
the division was very different only fifteen
voted or were paired agalns' the BILL even when
a vote for IT was an absurdity. But twenty
,frnI fort hp
these included nearly all the strong ana active
men Of that party in the Senate the men VINO
have States and electoral votes behind them.
The President and the few who follow him any
where. even into Hawaiian disgrace are plainly
unable to muster on this question much more
than third Of their party The eighteen Scill-
tors from Missouri. Arkarsas Tennessee" MIS-
slssippi Alabama. Georgia. Florida, South caro-
lima and Indiana, with one each from Texas,
Louisiana. Virginia. Kentucky. North Dakota
and California may not be the wlscsi men in the
world but they represent a large share ~ what
practical force there Is in the Democratic party.
This vote ought 10 be regarded by The financial
world as n bit Of sheer Stiffness. which can have
no influence upon the welfare. The good faith or
the future policy Of the Nation. The difficulty
Is that not all men are intelligent enough 10
understand It thus thoroughly. In foreign coun-
tries. It is probable. there will be found not
Il few fairly competent investors and capitalists
who will look upon this action Of the Senate as
only new disclosure of the downward tendency
Of public opinion in this country. Such men Will
be apt to forget that the Senate has voted more
than once in the same way, and with the same
entire want OF practical result. Necessarily the
influence upon the public credit must be In
furious to some extent. and 1t Is possible that ii
may result during the coming months in some
further Outgo OF gold