The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-20
CALLS IT SUICIDE.
Senator Chandler so Characterizes
Mr.. Cages Course.


Washington, Dec. Ex-senator Chand-
Ter of New Hampshire, 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 cur
rency legislation, viii pass the neceS-
Sary appropriation bills and take care
of Hawaii and Cuba, there will not be
serious party division during the ses-
sion, and there will be adjournment in
May. Business viii revive, the balance
of trade will continue in our favor, and
the Republican party will, in November,
1888, elect majority of the house in the
F'ifty-fifth congress.
tOn the other hand, if Secretary Gage
continues to press upon congress a bill,
the object of which he says is, first to
commit the country more thoroughly
to the gold standard. and the immedi-
ate result of which is to throw doubts
upon the sincerity of the president s
declarations in favor of continued eff
forts to secure bimetallism, a political
turmoil will arise in congress which will
split the now united Republicans into
fragments, While it will unite and con-
solidate the now incOngruous oppOsi-
ton.
1T is not feasible to retire the green
backs. There is more probability that
a bill will be sent to the president to
increase their amount 1t is not pcssi-
bic to secure the passage through
either house of a bill making the green
bonds payable in gold. The effect to
do either thing will probably result in
the passage of a 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 dis
cretion 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 GER
tain congressman embrOiled therein,
with presidential VetoeS, as threatened
by Secretary Gage, under angry dis
cussion, it will happen that all business
enterprises and bonds and stocks will
be disturbed. prices will fall, insolven-
cies win increase, and the Republicans
will lose the congressional elections in
1898 as disastrously as they did in 1890,
and beyond the hope of a favorable re-
action in 1900 at which time, there
fore, a Bryan Democratic president
and congress will be chosen.
Whether we are to have one of these
results-politica1 safety-or the other
political truction-depends entirely
upon the course to be pursued by Sec
retary Gage and those who are pressing
him forward; namely, the Gold Stand
ard league of New York and the self
constituted monetary conference How
much Secretary Gage cares for the Re
publican party is not known. Whether
President Mckinley whose good faith
toward blnetallISm is coming to a test.
Will stop his secretary, is not known
It is to be hoped he will But no poIit-
ieal situation has been clearer to sound
eyes since the Republican party began
its marvellous career forty-two years
ag5. There are times for all things.
There is a time to move and a time to
keep still, and now is the time so to
keep.
1t is simply political suicide for the
Republican party in this congress to
at1rmatiVely open the currency ques-
ton and to bring on yea and nay votes
upon currency legislation. We ought
to await the progress of international
bimetallism, the advent of business
prosperity, and the filing of the treas
ury by the normal workings, soon to be
seen, Of the new tariff law Shall we
wait for these things or rush on to self
decide. VIII he act for his people or
for the plutocrats? Upon his answer
will depend the events of 1898
civilian E. CHANDLER"