The herald., 1897-12-20
Threatens to Split Up the
g. O. P.
CHANDLER'S SOUND WARNING
THAT NOW Is THE TIME TO KEEP
STILL
: A Yea and Nay Vote on Currency
Legislation Means the Death of
the Republican Party
Associated Press Special Wire.

WASHINGTON, Dec. ~. - 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 standard
associates will cease their demand for
impossible currency legislation, con-
gress will pass the necessary appropri-
alton bills, probably take care of Hawaii
division during the session and there
will be an adjournment in May. Bust
ness will revive, the balance Of trade
will continue in our favor and the Re-
publican party will, in November, 1898,
elect a majority of the house in the
Fifty-f1fth congress.
"On the other hand, If Secretary Gage
continues to press upon congress bill,
the object of which Is, he says, first to
commit the country more thoroughly to
the gold standard and the immediate
result of which is to throw doubts upon
the sincerity of the presidents declara-
tions in favor of continued efforts to Sc
cure bimetallism, political turmoil Will
arise in congress which will split the
now united Republican party into frag-
ments, while it will unite and CONSOLE
date the now incongruous opposition.
1t Is not feasible to retire 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
ri ba !, oh Mt cold
or authorizing bonds payable in gold.
The effort to do either thing will prob
ably 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 discretion of the president,
who will be commanded to exercise his
opinion to the advantage of the govern
ment and not for the advantage of the
creditors.
with such an uproar in congress as
these proceedings will create, with GER
tain congressman embroiled therein,
with the presidential vetoes, as threat
ened by Secretary Gage, under angry
discussion, it will happen that all busi-
ness enterprises and funds and stocks
will be disturbed, prices will fall, in
solvencies will increase and the Repub-
licans will lose the congressional cleo
tions in 1898 as disastrously as they did
in 1890, and beyond the hope of favora-
Bile reaction in 1900, at which time, there
fore, a Bryan Democrat president and
congress will be chosen.
''Whether we are to have one of these
results-political safety, or the other,
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-con
.Jtituted monetary conferences. How
much Secretary Gage cares for the Re-
publican party is not known. Whether
President Mckinley, whose good faith
toward bimetallism is coming to test,
will stop his secretary is not known. Il
is to be hoped he will. But no political
situation has been clearer than the pres
ent one, to sound eyes, since the Repuo-
lican party began it's marvellous career
forty-two years ago. There are times
for all things. There is time to move
and a time to keep still, and now is the
time to so keep.
'It is simply political suicide for the
Republican party in this congress to
affirmatively open the discussion of the
question and the bringing of yea and nay
votes on the currency legislation. We
ought to await the progress of interna-
(tional bimetallism. the advent of busi-
ness prosperity and the filling of the
treasury by the normal workings, soon
to be seen of the new tariff law. Shall
we wait for these things or rush on to
self-destruction? President Mckinley
must decide. Will he act for his people
or his plutocrats? Upon his answer will
depend the events of 1898 (Signed)
"WM. E. CHANDLER.
ONE MAN PLEASED
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Dec. 19.-H. III.
Hanna returned today from Washington
where he had been attending the meet
lings of the monetary commission.
"The plan recommended by the COM
mission" said Mr.. Hanna, ''is, believe,
the most thoroughly satisfactory solu-
tion of our currency difficulties that has
yet been suggested, and believe it will
commend itself to the sound, conserv-
ative business sense of the country.
The convention that gave birth to the
movement will reassemble here January
25th."