The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-01-27
CURRENT COMMENT.
THE TELLER INFAMY.
From the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

(From the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
The Teller resolution is SO bold and
barefaced an attack on the public credit
that its passage by majority vote Of the
Senate would take the proportions OF
public calamity. Bad and pernicious as
was phe passage by Congress Of the Mat
thews resolution, of which it is a copy,
twenty years ago. it would be hundred
fold more pernicious now, even If its in
dorsement was limited to the Senate and
it was emphatically reDudiated by the
House. For twenty years ago the decline
in the value Of silver had been so slighs
comparatively that it was widely ACCEPT
ed belief among public men that II the
United States should go into the market
and buy and keep on buying considerable
quantities of silver and coin it into dol
lars it's old market value would be re-
stored. The Matthews resolution was
incidental to the prevalence OF the theory
which led to the passage Of the Bland
Allison bill. BY aIlzwho were not carried
away by that delusive theory, and by
many who were, the Matthews resolution
was condemned az an Ubiquitous and
shameful violation of the public faith.
Twenty years of experiences have since
demonstrated that the decline OF silver
could not be stopped by statutes or resolu-
| tions, or even by the mischievous and
wasteful partnership entered into by the
Government. with thessf1ver mine owners
orsstifteen years the Government bought
nearly their entire. output of silver and
still the decline went on. And now,
when silver has fallen to less than forty
| five cents on the dollar, to revive that In
iauitous resolution and to proclaim to the
| world that in the opinion Of the Senate
OF the United States it would, not be In
violation of the public faith nor in dero-
| cation of the rights OF thespublic CREDITORS
| to pay the bonds of the United States for
which the Government received gold OF
| its equivalent, in silver worth less than
| forty five cents on the dollar, would be
an act SO Infamous that the shame of II
would RUG throughout the world. II
| would dishonor the nation. 1t could not
| fail to revive the widespreadSdistrust in
| the stability of the gold standard and in
| the permanent value of our Government
obligations, which was believed to have
been banished by the result of the Presi'
Dental election.
And there appears to be great DANGER
that that resolution will pass the Senate.
But it will perform at least one useful
office. 1t will separate9 the sheep from
the goats 1t will show just how
nun Der of socalIed Republican senators
stand on the question of their adhesion to
the declaration of principles embodied In
| the Republican platforms 1t Will aHorf'
can principles. They will be forced to
show their hands Nor should the loyal
Republicans in the Senate be required to
carry on unaided that fight upon the vital
issue of the maintenance OF the national
honor. There should be such an uprising
Of. the people, such general 1and lmpos
| ing demonstration of public opinion In
protest against the colossal infamy Of the
Teller resolution rs will either prevent its
passage or partially neutralize its mora
effect as in any way rejecting the intel
ligent public sentiment Of the nation