Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1897-12-31
STRONG LANGUAGE.
SENATOR CHANDLER SPEAKS OF
CAGES INSANE CAREER"

His Policy is "Simply Political
Suicide"-The Republican Party
Should Dodge the Money Ques.
ton if Possible is i'm No Po-
sitiOn to Make an Aggressive
Warfare for Gold.
Senator Chandler, of New Hamp.
shire, has written a letter to the
Washington Post, in which he says:
"If the Secretary of the Treasury
and his single gold standard associates
will cease their demand for impossible
currency legislation, Congress will pass
the necessary appropriation bills, prob
ably take care of Hawaii and Cuba j;
there will not be a serious party divis-
ion during the session, and there will
be an adjournment in May. Business
will revive. the treasury receipts will
equal the expenditures, the balance Of
trade will continue in our favor, and
the Republican party will, in Novem-
Der, 1898, elect majority OF the
House in the 55th Congress.
"On the other hand, if Secretary
Gage continues to press upon Congress
a bill, the object of which, he says, is
9 first to commit the country more
thoroughly to the gold Standard and
the immediate effect of which is to
throw doubts upon the sincerity of the
Presidents declaration in favor of con-
tinued efforts to secure bimetallism, q
political turmoil will arise in Congress
which will split the now united Re-
publicans into fragments, while it will
unite and consolidate the now incon-
gruous opposition. 1t is not feasible
to retire the greenbacks; there is more
probability that bill will be sent to
the President to increase their amount.
1t is not possible to secure the passage
through either house of a bill making
greenbacks into gold notes or author
izing bonds payable in gold. The
effort to do either thing will probably
result in the passage of bill for the
redemption of the greenbacks in silver
dollars and for the payment of all
United States bonds in gold or silver
coin, in the discretion of the President,
who will be commanded to exercise
his option for the advantage of the
government and not for the advantage
of the creditor.
"With such an uproar in Congress
as these proceedings will create, with
Western congressman embroiled there.
in, with Presidential vetoes, as threat
ened by Secretary Gage, under angry
discussion, it will happen that all bus
mess enterprises and funds and stocks
will be disturbed, prices will fall, in
solvencies will increase and the Re-
publicans will lose the Congressional
elections in 1898 as disastrously as
they did in 1900, and beyond the hope
of favorable reaction in 1900, at
which time, therefore, Bryan Demo-
cratic President and Congress will be
chosen.
Whether we are to have one OF
these results-political safety, or the
other political Observation-Disclosures
entirely upon the course to be
pursued by Secretary Gage and those
who are pressing him forward-name-
ly, the gold standard league of New
York, and the self-constituted ma
tional monetary conference. How
much Secretary Gage cares for his
Republican party is not known.
Whether President Mckinley, whose
good faith towards bimetallism is
coming to the test, will stop his Sec
retary in his insane career, is not
known. 1t is to be hoped he will.
But no political situation has been
clearer than the present to sound
eyes since the Republican party began
its marvellous career forty-two years
ago. There are times to move and a
time to keep still, and now is the time
to so do.
"It is simply political suicide for the
Republican party in this Congress to
affirmatively open the discussion ol
the money question and to bring or
yea and nay votes upon currency legis