The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-02-02
"Again to the Battle, Achaeansi"

"Again to the Battle, Achaeansl'
To the gathering indications that
the war against sound currency was
not ended by the defeat of Bryan in
November, 1896, is added the introduce
ton, in the Senate, of the Matthews
Tiller resolution, and its passage by
that body, after an earnest general de-
bate, by the large majority of fifteen
votes. The resolution is substantially
a reaffirmation of that of Stanley Mat
thews in 1878, and is as follows:
That all the bonds OF the United States is-
sued or authorized to be issued under the
said acts OF Congress hereinbefore reoted,
are payable, principal and interest, at the
option Of the government of the United
States in silver dollars of the coinage of the
United States, containing 412i grains each
OF standard silver, and that to restore to its
coinage such silver coins as a legal tender
in payment of said bonds, principal and in
terest, is not in violation of the public faith
nor in derogation of the rights of the public
creditor.
Amendments designed to express
the governments purpose, or intention,
to pay its obligations in gold, or in
money as good as gold, were defeated.
With the exception of Senator Caffrey
of Louisiana, the democratic Senators
voted for the resolution, those who had
been ranked as gold democrats, as we'll
as those who have been pronounced
silver ties. Seven Republicans voted
for the resolution. Six were the west
ern Senators who have stood on the
silver side of the currency question,
and to their number was added Senator
Chandler of New Hampshire.
The adoption of this resolution
amounts only to an indication of the
trend of individual or party opinion,
but in this particular it is interesting
and important. In its present stage it
does not affect the policy or action of
the government. That can be done
only when President and a House of
Representatives are in accord with the
Senate on this question. To secure
this accordance will be the effort of the
party that was led by William j. Bryan
in the last national election. To pre-
vent this accordance, and, if possible,
to change the judgment of the Senate,
will be the task of the party that
elected William Mckinley to the pres
idency. This is made the dominating
issue in politics. On this issue Repub-
Leans will again be arrayed against
Democrats. The preliminary battle
will be fought in the election of con-
gressional representatives during the
current year. The Democrats will seek
to overturn the Republican majority in
the House of Representatives In the
general election of 1900, for the choice
of the chief executive as well as mem
bers of Congress, the practically solid
vote of the Democratic Senators on the
adoption of this resolution shows that
there is to be henceforth no division in
the Democratic party on this question.
Republicans, in Congress or out, are
welcoming the battle on the old lines.
The issue is sharply drawn by the
Presidents speech in New York, on
Thursday evening, at the meeting of
the National Association of Manufac
turers, and by the passage in the Sen
ate of the Teller resolution on the fol-
lowing day. In President Mckinley
the Republicans have leader who, in
the battle begun again for sound money
and the national honor, leads with
skill and boldness. In the extracts
from his recent speech, published in
another column, are statements of truth
and expressions of Republican policy
that will be watchwords in the coming
campaigns; and they will light the
way to a victory that shall settle for
ever, beyond revision, and beyond the
power of folly or demagogism to dis
turb the question as to what kind of
money this nation is to have, and in
what sort of money it shall pay its
debts.