The sun., 1897-12-10
Tho Ono Great Issue.

Senator ALLISON is reported by the Even.
ing Post as making these remarks in reply.
ing to a question concerning the prospects
of financial legislation by Congress:
III want to say right here. though. that think
many persons who feel uneasy over the financial
situation Law strcss tho necessity for legsla
ton than important ph ascs OF the case
what countrymen need to do now IA not 10 much
legisate TO this that feature Of our financial
system but to raise every possible protection the
country against tho election OF Mr. BRYAN or some
other candidate OF similar views to the Presidency in
1900. There 10 the point Of peril TO be guarded. II
should elect President three years hence with
Mr.. BRrANs principles. we might have filled
statute books with good iegisaon adv ancc but It
would be poweriess to the credit of the nation
Tho assertion is made frequently by the
Mugwump papers, more especially, that
Mr.. MCKINLEY was elected with a view
to "currency reform" and that he was
pledged to bring 1t about. There was no
such pledge, however, in the St. Louis
platform, and he did not receive the
votes OF gold Democrats in consequence of
it. They voted for him simply to save
themselves and the country from the dis
astrous consequences which would have
come from the election of Mr.. BRYAN and
the establishment of the free coinage Of
silver at 9 to 1. That was the square and
simple issue in the campaign. No scheme
Of currency reform was involved.
The election Of Mr.. MCKINLEY has &C.
complished the purpose of those who voted
for him. whether Republicans or Demo
Gratis. We have had no silver free coinage,
and shall have none during his Admins
fa vf,af
tenn of currency reform upon which there is
an approach to agreement, or the possibility
of 1t, among either his Republican or Dem
ocratic supporters. For the time being,
however, we are protected against the dis
aster of silver free coinage according to the
demand of the Chicago platform; and that
Is very much.
The danger has been warded of, but it
has not been removed. As Senator ALLISON
says, 1t will again be threatening in 1900,
though then it may be modified in form.
The obvious dictate of prudence therefore,
is to avoid the risk of dividing the oppo.
nents of Organism meanwhile with fruit
less currency controversies, involving ques-
tions likely to provoke irreconcilable differ.
ences among them. If the revenue of the
Government is sufficient during the next
two years the currency system can be left
as 1t is without harmful results; and doing
nothing is infinitely better than most of
the propositions made for currency re.
form," whether by Secretary GAGE or any
Of his school, all representative of the In.
terests Of the banks more peculiarly.
Besides this general distraction from the
main issue Of Organism, which obviously
will come up again in some shape in 1900,
mischievous efforts are made to divide con-
servative sentiment, particularly in this
State. They were made during the late
campaign and have been kept up since its
close, more especially in this city. At a
time when, as Senator ALLISON points out,
harmony Is patriotic requisite in face of
determined assault on the credit of the
country and its financial solvency, few
malcontent and scheming men, influenced
solely by personal spite, are seeking to di.
vert public attention from 1t by raising a
hubbub over matters Of routine party organ.
ization, which at most are of trifling con-
sequence and as compared with the extreme
gravity Of the question to be settled two
| years hence are Of no consequence whatever.
1t was seriously suggested in the Mug.
wump NeD York Times, few days ago,
that Republicans should defeat their own
party persistently in order to "beat PLATT,
and the Tribune is proceeding in accord.
ance with that petty and malignant policy
1t cares nothing for Republican principles
for the honor and credit OF the country, but
devotes itself wholly to venting it's spite
against the Republican leader in this State
The election in New York next year is like
ly to prefgure the result in the contest
of 1900; yet WHITELAw REID is plotting
to give it to the Bryanites.
The great mass of Republicans, however
care nothing for these purely personal an
imosities. and are outraged only that the,
should be seeking qualification in efforts t.
produce party disorganization at tim,
when unity and harmony in the party ant
among all the opponents of Bryanism ar,
30 obviously dictated by patriotism.