St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1897-06-26
The ncuRRENcY COMMISSION. "
IncoEpetency of the whole McKin-.
ley Party.

THE nCuRRENCY COMMISSION"
I1corapete.,cy of the whole McISin-
ley Party.
The republican party platform, twill !
lie remembered, does not pledge the
party to currency reform. The only
change it proposes is the abolition of
the gold standard by means of inter-
national bimetalliam. On other qnes-
tions Of currency reform it is silent.
This fact compels the republican par
ty in congress to defend the present
currency system by refusing to take
measures to reform it. Though the sys-
TEN is condemned by both people and
bankers, yet the republicans cannot
afford to place themselves behind any
scheme Of reform. They dare not make
even an effort to concentrate on any
position. They are afraid to indofse
the proposition to retire the green
backs; they cannot take a stand In favor
of the restoration of silver, and SO they
are compelled TO assume an attitude
which makes their party the champion
of the present system, which everybody
condemns as utterly inadequate.
The inherent weakness of herepub-
licsln position is further emphasized by
their effort to evade response bility.
! They dare not bring the question TO an
issue in congress. and so they. intend
to hide behind the proposition to fora
q currency commission. The "curren-
cy commission" plan is fraud and a
sham in conception and purpose. Its
nothing more than a plan to delude the
people while the gold syndicate which
| controls the republican leaders greases
| the skids for the final slide to the gold
| standard.
The currency commission" plan is
engineered by the political bunko
steerers who had charge of the Indian
apalis convention. 1t is an effort to
postpone, to evade, to cover up the in
evitabIe issue. 1t is falsely called "a
buainess mems plan.''
i The men who are behind the ''curren-
cy commission" sham are sneering at
politicians, as our correspondent says,
! and at the same time begging politi-
cians to indorse their proposition. They
say it is not a party question, but it is
| nest essentially and eistinctively a
party question. Currency reform is the
4 main and most vital issue between the
/ parties. The democrats have declared
that the true remedy for present evils
is the restoration of silver. The repub-
Leans, controlled by the gold syndi-
cate, have contented themselves with
declaring that, while the gold standard
is q bad thing andoughtto be abolished,
yet they are in favor of it if we cam
1 not have International bimetalIisrn.
BY advocating international bimet-
ellism they deluded a majority of the
people into believing that. the Euro
/ pean nations are willing to enter into
an agreement with the United States
Such an agreement is an impossibility
! until independent action by the United
States forces them to take steps-in that
i direction.
Having appointed an international
commission, the republicans are now or
the point of favoring a national .cur
rency commission The democrats in
4 congress will, of course. propose that
scheme and expose it. The people who
went to the polls last fall elected con.
gress to carry on the public business
and there is no reason why congress
should not act, or, failing to act, the
burden of responsibility should not fall
on the republicans.
i A few more months of the gold
standard, coupled with the effects ol
the forthcoming Dingley law. will fine
the people in no mood to be trifed with
Currency commissions and interna
tional commissions will cut small figure
in the. verdict they will pronounce
against the republicans next year
They will condemn the Mckinley part,
en- the broad ground of general in
competency. Elected to restore pros
perity, every scheme put forward D,
that party has been for the purpose o
robbing or deceiVing the people. Every
plan of REFORM it has proposed has lee
to harder times, lower prices and lowe
wages.--Atlanta Constitution.