Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-07-23
VOICES OF THE PRESS.
The President and Currency Reform.
(Chicago Times Herald.)

tChlcaSO l11neS-ftefalt.)
That class of critics who are bound
10 find fault with the administration at
all hazards and ar every turn, think
they have a particularly strung case on
th. question of currency reform. Why
has not the Presdent used all his power
to at least obtain currency reform
commission from Congress? they ask.
Why has he suffered the time TO go by
without bringing the subject to the at
tention of Congress? And they accuse
him of bad faith in ignoring the issue
upon which he was elected ana of Will
fully disappointing that great mass of
his supporters who voted for HIM on
the money issue.
No criticism WAS ever more unreason-
able or unjust. There has never been
"a President of the United States who
has used more expedition and more
political tact in giving effect to the
issues upon which he was elected than
President Mckinley. Look over the
entire list of presidents, from Jefferson 5
time when party contests first began,
to the present moment. and but one
other instance can be found where
special session of Congress was imme-
diately called to pass laws giving effect
to the reforms which the people by
their vote had declared should be made
Every body, but idiots and carpins
critics, will admit that the two crin-
handing issues of the campaign upon
which Major Mckinley was elected
were the reform of the tariff SO as to
produce an adequate revenue and the
maintenance of the existing gold stan
dard. In addition to these the Repu BIZ
can platform had pledged the admins
tration to use it's power to promote in
telnational himetaillsm.
In respect to one of these issues, the
tariff, the Presidents party was unit,
with a understood policy. On the
question of monetary reform it was not
"a unit. nor is II at all likely any plan
whatever would meet with acceptance
by Congress until after a long and
wearisome debate.
on The tariff question there was but
little difficulty in the ways and means
committee formulating a measure tina
commanded the assent of the House anC
of the party. But what KIND OF
prospect would there have been for ar
acceptable bin for currency reform al
the hands of the committee ON banking
and currency? AS constituted in th'
last House, and as it probably will bt
in this, no two of them agree upon any
general policy For the maintenance
of the gold standard there was ma
iority, but on the details of any meas
ure, ON the retirement of the green
backs. and the amendment of the bank
ing iaSv there are almost as many dif
ferent views as there are members q
the committee. Knowing that he haf
such a Congress to deal with, Wha'
would a wise and polite president have
done? One thing he could have done
He could have followed the almost I'M
broken precedents of his predecessor:
and waited until Congress met in regu-
lar session in December! Then wher,
would reform be? This he refused t
do. hut gave it out. even before his in.
euglration, that he INTENDED to call &
special session of Congress at the earli-
est possiblc day And for this decisvt
course he has received the unqualified
appreciation of the people.
He had two measures to present, ont
upon which his party was agreed, an
the other upon which it was nos
Which should he select first? There
can he but one answer. and that is, tn,
one on which his party was agreed
suppose that he had sent both in? Thi
money question would have occupie-
the whole time, the passions woule
nave been aroused. there would have
been Wran&ling without end, and bott
measures would have been blocked by
lnterminable senatorial debate. Ever
as 1t has been, in the debate OF tn
tariff, senator's have ugged i'm bodily
long essays on the silver question
What would have been done had th'
silver question really been the issue?
Meantime the President and the sec
rotary Of the treasury have given thu
country every assurance that IL Con
gress fails to give authority to appoin
a monetary commission a plan of re
form that will be acceptable to the con
seryative and business interests of TIL
people will be presented by the admin
istration to Congress at the Decembe
session.
Nor must it be forgotten that in pur
suance of the party's policy as eX
pressed at st. Louis a commission ha
been sent abroad to sound Europea'
governments on bimetallism, and unit
we have its report no definite plan 0
currency reform can intelligently b
devised.
How unjust, then, and unfair all thi
criticism Of the Presidents sincerity?
Indeed, when we consider the delicac
and perplexity Of the situation, tn
state of the country, and the anXiou
expectation of the people, we firmly he
iieve the President has pursued tn
only course that would lead to success.
and that his policy has been in the mos
eminent degree far-sighted and 81
gacious