Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-12-21
SENATOR CHANDLER
'oes Not Agree With Sec
Cages financial Bill
says Greenbacks Cannot Be With
drawn, Put should Be Increased.
Claims the Proposed Course Will Be Suicide
to the Party.

Washington, Dec. Ex-senator
Chandler of New Hampshire, has writ
ten a letter to the Washington Post,
in which he says: IF the secretary of
the treasury and his single gold stand
ard associates will cease their demand
for impossible currency legislation
Congress will pass the necessary ap-
preparation bills, probably take care of
Hawaii and Cuba, there will not be q
serious party division during the ses-
sion and there will be adjournment in
May. Business will revive, the treas
ury receipts will lequal the expendi-
lures, the balance of trade will con-
tinue in our favor and the Republican
party will in November 1898, elect a
majority of the House in the 56th Con-
gress.
On the other hand, if Secretary
Gage continues to press on Congress a
bill, the object of which, he says, is
first commit the country more thor
oughly to the gold standard and the
immediate effect of which is to throw
doubts upon the sincerity of the Pres
ident's declaration in favor of contin-
ued efforts to secure bimetillism, a
political turmoil will arise in Congress
which will split the now united Repub-
licans into fragments, while it will
unite ard consolidate now incongru-
Gus opposition.
1T is not feasible to retire the green
backs: there is more probability thar
a bill will be sent to the President o.
increase their amount. 1t is not pos
sible to secure the passage through
either house of bill making the green
backs into gold notes or authorizing
bonds payable in gold.
1.-The effort to do either thing will prob
ably result in the passage of a bill for
the redemption of the greenbacks in sill
yer 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 West
ern congressman embroiled therein. with
Presidential vetOes, as threatened by Sec
rotary Gage under angry discussion, ii
will happen that all business enterprises
and funds and stocks will be disturbed
and prices will fall, insolvencies will i'll
crease and the Republicans will lose the
congressional elections in 1898 as disaS-
trouSly as they did in 1890 and beyond the
hope of favorable reaction in 1900 al
which time, therefore. a Bryan Demo
cratic Presluent 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 Secre.
tary Gage and those who are pressing
him forward, namely, the Gold STANDARD
League of New York and the self-cOnsti.
tuted national monetary conference. How
much Secretary Gage cares for the Re
| publican party is not known. Whether
| President Mckinley. whose good faith to-
ward bimetallism is coming to the test
| will stop his secretary in his insane ca
| reer, is not known. 1t is to be hoped q
| will. But no pilitical situation has beer
clearer than the present to sound eyes
since the Republican party began its
| marvellous career. AZ years ago. There
are times for all things. There is time
to move and time to keep still. and now
| is the time to keep still.
ut is simply political suicide for the
| Republican party in this Congress tt
| affirmatively open the discussion of the
| money question and to bring on yea ant
nay votes upon the currency legislation
We ought to await the progress of inter
national bimetallism. the advent of bust
ness prosperity and the filling of thu
treasury by the normal workings soon t.
| be seen of the new tariff law. Shall W,
wait for these things or rush on to self
| destruction? President Mckinley mus
decide. Will he act for his people or fo
his plutocrats? Upon his answer will de
pend the events of 1898.
(Signed civilian E. CHANDLER.
/ aDap 10 1897 -