The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-06
AN IRREPREssIBLE CONFLICT.


Among the local expressions of opinion
regarding the monetary commissions plan
of currency reform is one by Hon. John w.
Kern. which probably voices a good deal of
Bryan sentiment throughout the country
He complains that care was taken that
six and one-half millions of American vot-
who did not vote for Mckinley should
be ignored" He has searched the report
and plan in vain for any recognition of the
financial vagaries preached by Mr.. Bryan
last year. including the free coinage of sill
yer at the obsolete ratio of is to !. The
local organ of what is left of Organism also
condemns a plan which excludes Mayor
Taggart and City Attorney Kern. together
with the rest of the six and one-haf millions
of voters who supported Bryan in 1896 ="
Candor compels the admission that this
currency reform does utterly ignore the
financial views expressed by the Chicago
platform and advocated by Bryan and the
six and one-haf millions of voters who sup
ported him. 1t not only treats them I'M
worthy of consideration in any plan for
placing the finances and currency Of the
country sound and stable basis, but it
antagonizes them in such way as to show
that the trainers of the plan regarded them
vicious and dangerous and deserving to
be fought to the death. That was the posi-
ton of the advocates of sound money last
year, and if six and one-half million voters
cast their ballots for those views-truly an
alarming and threatening number-seven
million and one hundred thousand voted
against them. thus committing the country
to the policy of sound money and currency
reform. The monetary commissions plan
represents the views of the majority, not
the minority. The Bryanites have no special
ground Of complaint against that PLAN
Every other plan of currency reform sug
gested since the election of McKinley-and
there have been scores of them from quar-
tiers entitled to great respect-ignores the
views embodied in the Chicago platform and
advocated by Mr. Bryan as completely as
the commissions plan does.
The mistake made by those who are still
coddling the corpse of Organism and float
ing around on the wreckage of the Chicago
is an irrepressble conflict between them
and the advocates of sound money and cur
rency reform on honest lines. If Mr.. Bryan
had been elected he would inmedia tely have
inaugurated a financial policy which would
have ignored the views of his opponents as
completely as all plans of currency reform
now before the country ignore his views
to meet before giving practical effect to the
doctrines of the Chicago platform. He would
have placed the government, and thereby
the currency, on a silver basis in less than
a week after his inauguration. In political
sense and by his acts, he would have said
ITO hell with your gold standard end cur
rency reform" and If the sound-money vot-
ers had objected he would have reminded
them that he had been elected by the people
for that very purpose. The election of Nc
Kinley meant as much in the other direc-
ton. 1t was in effect a popular instruction
to him and his administration and to Con-
gress to establish the finances and currency
of the country on principles Numerically
opposed to those advocated by the defeated
candidate. In this war of the Standards
this conflict of principles, there is no more
room for compromise than there was in the
war between freedom and slavery. 1t is an
irrepressible conflict, and must be settled
in favor of the right or in favor of the
wrong. If the supporters of Bryan and
Organism had got into power they could
have settled it their way, but having been
defeated they have no right to complain il
their views are ignored in all plans of sound
finance and currency reform.