The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1897-08-20
In Name Only.

There may be some motive Tor
keep-up deception, so long as some
body is being deceived. But to go on
with glaring hypocrisy after every
body knows and understands it, this
is the height of stupidity.
Six months ago President McKin-
ley appointed three distinguished
citizens of our country, Messrs VOL !
colt. Stevenson and Paine, on a com
mission to visit Europe and solicit
the cooperation of England, France,
Germany and Russia in the restora-
tion of silver to equal privileges at
the mints with gold. This was done,
as was then said, in prompt and faith
full fulfillnent of the pledge made in
the st. Louis platform, which bound
the Republican party to restore BIZ
metallism in this country, if it were
possible by international agreement.
1t is true that few persons had
much faith in the sincerity of that
pledge, and it was generally regard
cd as an attempt to obtain votes by
false pretenses, in which it was re-
markably successful in view of the
thinness of the disguise. 1t ought to
| have been apparent to every sound
i minded voter with ordinary infor-
| nation and means of observation
this pledge was hollow sham.
There was not a political speaker
from Maine to California who adj
vocated the election of Mr.. McKin-
ley, or newspaper, that did not,
from the opening to the close of the
campaign, ridicule the coinage OF
silver, and endeavor to show that
the "silver craze" was dead, and
that everybody who believed in the
restoration of silver WaSa repudiator
and had no regard for the national
honor Not single orator or news
paper advocating Mr.. McKinley's
election contended that bimetallism
by any agreement with foreign
nations was possible, and must be
brought about as necessary condi-
tion to our national prosperity. But
on the contrary, with the greatest
unanimity, these advocates and
newspapers denounced the scheme
of restoring the '50-cent dollars" as
not Only reputation, but as non
sense, also unworthy of considera-
tion, and utterly contrary to all
"sound finance
But the president appointed the
commission, and it must be admitted
that of the three, he selected two
enthusiastic bimetallists and sent
them abroad. 1T is true they had no
instruction and no authority to do
anything but talk, and urge the
governments of Europe to join in
another monetary conference over
the restoration of silver
1t is said these commissioners
have been making some Roadway in
the direction of obtaining the con-
sent of France to join in such con-
ference. But the message of the
president sent to congress on the last
day of the recent extra session rec
ommending the passage OF a law
creating a "sound money" COM
mission. to recommend to congress a
bill in accordance with the "busi.
ness interests" of the country, had
the effect to undo all that our COM
missioners abroad had accomplish
ed in behalf of bimetallism.
The brief message OF the President
clearly showed that no has neither
hope nor desire to see silver rehabil-
itated, and this attitude of his was
so apparent in the financial centers
of the world that silver began to fall
in the market at once, and has been
going down ever since.
And this fall in silver has caused
the greatest delight. Instead of BIZ
metallism, the administration and
its friends now rejoice at the prospect
that silver will go so low that it will
seem ridiculous to talk of it's restor-
alton.
In this open hypocrisy why con-
tinue the farce of maintaining an
expensive commission abroad to
promote bimetallism? If every nation
on earth were ready to restore silver,
tho powers behind this administra-
tion are so openly and strenuously
opposed to it that the United States
would not lie party to it.
Let our commissioners be called
home. Ring down the curtain and
put out the lights. The farce has
been on the boards long enough. 1t
has ceased to be even funny, and is
getting too old to be ridiculous.
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