The news & observer., 1898-03-12
"AFrECTATIOE or VIRTUE" EXPOSED.

The American W O0l anu cotton lie
porter, Il violent anti-free silver paper,
tells the truth about the men who AFRO
gate to themselves all the patriotism and
honor in the country. 1t thinks the sill
yer men cra1lks, wanting to put fifty
cent dollars in circulation, but it has
found Olrt that the men who pretend to
stand for national honor are even worse.
In defending its position the Reporter
says:
"Why is it that we are now accused
of heresy by some of our contempO-
raIies? Because we have ventured to
point out that some people think there
are more dreadful evils than free sill
yer, though they do not minimize their
terror of the latter. On the principle
that dishonor is worse than death, they
have about made up their minds that
they prefer bankruptcy and starvation
rather than corruption. Is is not a
pleasant predicament that confronts
us? Onl4t the one side a party of wild
fanatics intent on deluding the masses
into believing that Il ffty-cent dollar
is as good as a hmdred-cent dollar.
On the other, a chain of political bosses
and demagogues reaching from Maine
to California whose one arm is to sell
legislation to the highest bidders. and
who. by their affectation of civic vir-
tue. succeed more than fairly we'll in
pulling the wool over the eyes of or
dinary mankind.
such is the unhappy plight of the
American people. 1t is n condition,
n9t Il theory, which now confronts u.s.
Ii the Reporter is right, ought the
people 'tsMbese one aim is TO sell lcgisla-
ton to the highest bidder to be per-
mitted to play the hypocrite without ex-
posure?
As to free silver. honest men differ
about it, 1thfef silver advocates sincerely
believingsthat it is the gold appreciation
that makes gold the dishonest and silver
the honest dollar. 1t is a difference
upon AN economic question THAT does
not imply dishonesty in either. This is
not true of the cOrruptionists whose
one aim is to sell legislation to the high.
est bidders, and who, by their affecta-
ton of civic virtues, succeed more thai
fairly well in pulling the wool over the
eyes of ordinary mankind"
1t is encouraging to see a paper Of
The standing of the American Wool and
Cotton Reporter exposing the sale of
legislation to the highest bidders. 1t
was q national scandal that the nen
who bought the election of Harrison in
IN, I1.o Ink ir,lo
schedules that taxed the people for
their benefit. 1t was notorious that the
sugar trust dictated the sugar schedule,
in large measure, in the Wilson act in
return for their big contributions to
elect Cleveland. 1t lis not denied that
the great manufacturers and trusts
bought high tariff and protection from
Hanna when they put up millions to
preserve the national honor" in 1896.
The Dingiey act gave them authority
to recoup by putting their hands in the
pockets of the consumers to the tune Of
5G per cent. The sale of the taxing
power, of protection to trusts, and of
other species of legislation has been
open and scandalous.
The Reporter performs a service for
which all honest men owe it grateful ap-
probation when it thus exposes the hy-
pocrisy of the men who by ''their af-
fectat;on of civic virtue succeed in
pulling the wool over the eyes of ordi-
nary mankind' while they "sell legisla-
ton to the highest bidder