The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1897-07-10
TIE pcURRENoY Commission"
Incou,petency of the whole McEkin-
ley Party.


IncOn,petency of the whole McExin-
ley Party.
The republican party platform, twill
be 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 bimetallism. On other ques-
tions of currency reform it is silent.
This fact compels the republican par
ty in congress to defend the present
currency system by refusing t take
measures to reform it. Though the sys-
tenn 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 am effort to concentrate on any
position. They are afraid to indorse
the proposition to retire the green
backs; they cannot take a stand in favor
of the restoration of silver, and so they
are compelled 70 assume an attitude
which makes their party the champion
of the present system, which everybody
condemns as utterly inadequate.
The inherent weakness of the repub-
hcan position is further emphasized by
their effort to evade responsibility.
They dare not bring the question to an
issue in congress. and 50 they intend
to hide behind the proposition to form
a currency commission. The ''curren-
cy commission" plan is a fraud and a
sham in conception and purpose. 1t is
nothing more than a plan to delude the
people while the gold syndicate which
controls the republican leaders gpeases
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
apolis convention. It is an effort to
postpone, to evade, to cover up the in
evitable issue. 1t is falsely called "a
business mems plan"
The men who are behind the "curren-
cy commission" sham are ~sneering at
politicians, as our correspondent WI
and at the same time begging politi-
clans to indorse their proposition They
say it Is not a party question, but it is
most essentially and distinctively a
party question. Currency reform is the
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-
licans, controlled by the gold syndi-
cate, have contented themselves with
declaring that, while the gold standard
Is a bad thing and ought to be abolished,
yet they N in favor of it if we can
not have international bimetallism.
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
direction.
Having appointed an international
commission, the republicans are now on
the point of favoring a national sour
rency commission" The democrats in
congress will, Of course, propose that
scheme and expose it The people who
went to the polls last fall elected a con-
S1CqS W CARRY Oh lMo puD4lC DuSlHSSS,
and there is no reason why congress
should not act, or, failing to act, the
burden of responsibility should not fall
on the republicans.
A few more months of the gold
standard, coupled with the effects of
the forthcoming Dingley law, will find
the people in no mood to be trifed with.
Currency commissions and interna-
tional commissions will cutsmaIl figure
in the verdict they will pronounce
against the republicans next year.
They will condemn the Mckinley party
OF the broad ground of general in
competency. Elected to restore pros
perity, every scheme put forward by
that party has been for the purpose of
robbing or deceiving the people. Every
plan of reform it has proposed has led
to harder times, lower prices and lower
wages.-Atlanta Constitution.
If Bryan Had Been Elected.