The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1897-07-31
uNTIMELY AGITATION.
A Healthy Financial Condition In
sured.

|
sured.
Is there any reason in reviving cur
rency agitation and stimulating the
destructive silver men and all the mon
etary quacks and cranks into pernicious
activity by a declaration that the mon
etary system which has served for
many years will not answer any longer
and must now be changed In order to
save the country from disaster? There
are some men who think so. They
seem unable to remember IA years OF
prosperity under this same system,
years in which the nations progress in
wealth and development of industry
were unrivaled by any other nation
known to human history thus far.
Kindly sympathy. a plying recollec-
| ton of better days. when these men
were coolcr-headed and more practical,
may warrant the most gentle refer
ence to their Authorizations; but is
there any good reason for putting the
nation into false position and stir
ring up all the cranks to do all the mis-
chief they can?
The government stands on n solid
| footing so long as it maintains, with
! the last republican platform, on which
President Mckinley was elected, that
the existing currency has been made
and shall be kept "every dollar as good
as go!d;" that "the existing gold stand
ard must be preserved" and that AL
our silver and paper currency must be
maintained at parity with gold" This
is an intelligent declaration which con-
forms to facts. 1t has been tremen-
dously strengthened in weight with the
people BY the fact that the election of
republican president and congress
without any change of currency laws
whatever has completely removed all
monetary misapprehension Pancs
have vanished like bats of the night;
boards of gold have been unlocked;
enterprise and capital have prepared
for the utmost vigor after n tariff for
protection and for revenue has been
provided. and men in practical bust
ness are no longer fretting themselves
about possibility of impairment or de-
basement of the currency. This state
of things having been reached by the
republican declaration and pledge, fol-
lowed by republican victory. what oc-
casion is there for new declaration
that the currency is not sound and safe
and that the system needs an elaborate
overhauling and rebuilding?
The worst of il is that in one branch
of congress, beyond peradventure,
those who advocate revolutionary and
destructive policy of free silver coin
age have q clear majority. tits evident
to all that the healthy financial condi-
tons which have resulted from repub-
lican pledges and success have much
improved the minds of some senator's,
who are willing to pass a republican
tariff and to give fair trial to the re-
publican belief that sufficient tariff
for protection and for revenue will
without further legislation remove diff
ficulties and anxieties about money |
No one can tell how far these senators
may be influenced by the practical re-
suits of the tariff about TO be passed. |
But. If forced to vote OF speak now in |
anticipation of all those results. these |
senator's can only reiterate their idea
that free silver coinage is the sole suf- |
ficient panacea and thus commit them |
selves anew TO efforts which are dam
gerous to the pubic prosperity. Is it |
the right time to force the monetary |
question upon them, wherf nothing |
practical can be done. but dhe only act |
or declaration possible in the senate
must be adverse 10 sound policy and |
public welfare?
1T does not alter the weight of these |
considerations that some leaders Of |
high position fail TO appreciate them. |
II they feel under obligation 10 press
upon the country an untimely agitation
which cannot possibly result in prac-
teal good at this session there is so
much the greater reason for republic
ans in both houses TO realize the harm
which such agitation would do. to pro-
vide against il. restrict it and bottle
1t up as far as possible. 1t is of no use
to discuss theories about the monetary
question when the two houses of con- |
gress can by no possibility be brought
to agree upon any desirable measure.
1t would seem to be good time to pre-
vent needless discussion. continued agi-
tation and controversy. which can only
widen the breach between opposing
liDes-N. Y. Tribune