Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-05-20

Stewards amendment lying right al
hand and which will be strong temp
tation for them to seize and apply 70
enforce their diotations.
Now this amendment proposed ny
Stewart is but a sugar coated PROPOSE
tien-an exceedingly thinly coated one
n is too--to send the country headlong
to a silver basis. In the first place ne
proposes to cut the reserve fund IN two'
when II has been seen from experience
that $780, 900, 900 is a limit none 700
large. especially when such large inter
ests as the silver trust are only walt
ing for an opportunity to use It's ue-
pletion to force us upon silver OASIS
At $50, OOO, 900 such an attempt would D.
more than twice as easy as now. Again
Stewart would have all in excess Oh
that used in buying up government.
bonds, however, great the premium
might be. Then, and here the true pur-
pose of the amendment is seen, IN
event of a pinch, which the reduction
in reserve would be used TO brlhg
about, the government is to compel all
holders of obligations payable accord
ing to Interpretation in gold to receive
silver and should the stock of this coin
run low the old Sherman law is to go
into force. This is so transparent as
to deceive no member of Congress and
no intelligent person who has compre-
hended the campaign discussions of the
monetary questions. 1t might, how
ever, serve to deceive some and II
brought to an issue help to complicate,
what would otherwise be the bald
proposition defeated last November.
Stewart means mischief He is loyal
to no party and to no individual save
Stewart and the silver conspirators IN
league with him. He is for silver for
what there is in it for him. There are
men who are probably honestly con-
WINGED that free coinage of silver is
what the country needs and eventually
must have. They are willing for it to
be brought about in legitimate way.
They assume that the ineilicacy of the
proposed tariff will demonstrate the
correctness of their silver theories.
Accordingly they are willing to allow
other theorists a chance. When a per-
son has absolute faith in the success of
principle he can wait patiently, he
can defer to others. That is what some
of the silver men will do in the matter
of tariff. Moreover some of them be-
Hove that the tariff will be of some
little advantage. They We're pro-
verites. They win vote for the tariff
unless Stewart may tempt them aside.
For his part he is for free silver at all
costs AS a member of the silver trust
and somewhat advanced in years he
wants to reap at least some of the
reward. Free silver to him means pelf
not principle. Stewart represents the
spirit of the free silver propaganda.
which is still organized, watchful,
waiting opportunity. 1t thrives on the
distress of the country. 1t cannot long
exist under good times and so it seeks
to prolong the existing conditions, and
there are influences at work among
the sound money forces, which in this
respect are unconsciously playing into
the hands of this ruthless organization.
The sound money Democrats in the
Senate who do not recognize that
protective tariff is the only way out of
the situation and who do not aid in
bringing about the best that is attain
able are playing into the hands of
Stewart and his scheme. Republicans
who are greedily striving to secure for
any locality more than an equitable
share in the readjustment of the tariff
are doing likewise.