The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-19
A DUTY TO BE PERFORMED.


The Journal believes that the Republican
party would have been stronger in the re-
cent election if it had made an honest and
earnest effort to pass a currency-reform
bill at the last session of Congress, and
that any exhibition of a purpose to evade
or postpone action on the subject will
weaken the party in 1900. In referring to
action at the last session it is not forgotten
tI.... the Senate was opposed to any healthy
financial legislation, and that no measure
of currency reform could have got through
that body. Nevertheless, the Journal be-
lieves that the passage of such a measure
by the House would have strengthened the
Republican party before the country.
The two great issues in 1896 were the tariff
and money questions Protection for Amer
lean industries and the maintenance of the
gold standard as against free silver at 16 to
l were the two issues on which the Repub-
licans won Both were equally important,
and it is doubtful if the party would have
succeeded on either one alone. 1t certainly
would have been beaten if it had wavered
on the money question. Mr.. Mckinley was
the embodiment of the principle of protec-
ton and brought to the party every particle
Of strength there was in that issue. 1t was
a potent principle, and no better or more
popular representative of it could have been
nominated than Mr.. Mckinley, but it is
very doubtful if on that issue alone he would
have been elected. 1t was believed at the
time, and there is no reason for changing
the belief, that he owed his election to the
no ind
money Republicans and sound-money Dem
ocrats, who would not have voted for him
on the tariff issue alone. The free-silver
question was injected into the campaign
with so much force and pushed with SO
much energy and adroitness that it almost
overshadowed everything else and drove all
the friends of sound money together in sup
port of the only party that offered an es-
cape from free silver. 1t was because the
Republican party offered such an escape
that it drew to itself the entire soundmoney
vote of the country. In this view of the
case the money question was even a more
important issue and more useful to the Re-
publican party in 1896 than was the tariff
issue, because the former attracted the
votes that turned the scale and which were
only secured by the Republicans taking
strong ground on the money question. The
money question as it was understood in 1896
embraced two ideas-maintenance of the
gold standard and reform of our currency
sys&em-and the election of Mckinley was
regarded by business men and soundmoney
Democrats as pledging the Republican party
to carry out both ideas. That it would, if
successful, carry out it's policy of protection
for home industries was foregone conclu-
sion. 1t has already done so. President
Mckinley recognized the Importance Of that
matter by calling a special session of Con-
gress. The call was issued two days after
his Inauguration, Congress met in extra ses-
sion on the 18th Of March following, and
the Dingley tariff became law July "a. AS
far as the tariff question is concerned the
pledge of the Republican party has been re-
deemed. It was redeemed promptly and
WELL But on the other great question, that
of currency reform, no substantial progress
has been made. at least by Congress The
press, the people, the monetary conferences
and the monetary commission have all la
bored aesiduously to promote the work, but
Congress has done nothing beyond reporting
a bill on the subject which was subsequent
ly withdrawn by the committee on banking
and currency for further consideration. The
Journal believes the Republican party would
nave been stronger in the recent election if
the House had passed the bill at the last
session, leaving it to be defeated in the SEN
ate, and the sooner a judicious bill on the
subject is passed the better it will be for the
party and the country. The sentiment
throughout the country in favor of sound
money and currency reform is as strong to-
day as it was the day Mckinley was elected.
1t still looks to the Republican party for
realization of its hopes, and is keeping
tab on the administration and Congress to
note what is done or left undone in the mat
ter of redeeming party pledges on the SUBJ
ject No fault was found because the whole
of the special session of the Fifty-fifth Con-
gress was given to the enactment of a new
tariff law That pledge had to be redeemed.
There was some criticism because Congress
did not take some action on the subject at
its regular session, though the impossibility
of getting a bill through the Senate was
recognized. The disappointment will be in |
creased If the next session should expire |
without action, at least by the House, and |
the friends of sound money win wonder why |
the Fifty-sixth Congress should not be con-
vened in special session to pass currency |
reform bill, as the Fifty-fifth Congress was
to pass a tariff bill. The Republican party |
cannot afford to allow another year to pass
without redeeming the second OF the two
pledges on which it won in 1896. Evasion of
a duty will not be construed by the people |
as performance of it.
That Republican victories in national
elections benefit the country is an estab-
llshed fact which has ever been disputed.
except by chronic calamity walters. This
class will find some interesting reading mat