Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-02-03
DIR NATIONAL HONOR.

Speaking or the slavish obedience of
the Republican majority in the House
to the will of Reed and the goldbug
Republican leaders in defeating the
Stanley Mathews resolution, the Intel
ligencer says:
With but two exceptions. the Republic
can side of the House of Representatives
stood like StoneWall against the as
sault of the financial honor of the govern
ment.
This is rather ungrammatical, but
we can understand what Pecksniff is
driving at. Nearer to him than life
nearer even than Saint Hanna-is the
honor of our government 1t keeps sleep
away from Pecksniff's eyes, this think
ing of the possible overthrow of the
honor of the government and incident
ally of Hanna, who, also, comes out
very strong on all occasions for the
honor of the government.
Now, just what does our esteemed
contemporary mean by the honor of
the government, and what are tho-a
horrid people, the bimetallists, advo-
eating that is not consonant with the
honor of the government-for which,
supposing case, they may have quite
as much regard as Pecksniff, or even
Saint Hanna, himself? The honor of
the government, says Pecksniff, is be-
ing assaulted by the 16 to bimetan-
lists.
How, pray?
Is it dishonorable for the govern
ment to keep it's contract? That is all
the silver men ask. That is all the
Stanley Mathew resolution asked. Be-
fore the gold clique and Wall street
had foreclosed their mortgage on the
Republican party, or, rather, its lead
ers, that same resolution passed Con-
gress by two-thirds majority. 1t de-
clared that our debt was payable in
silver money at the option of the gov
eminent as was written on the face Of
the bonds, themselves, at the ratio to
gold of sixteen to one, and one of its
strongest supporters was William Nc
Kinley, who since certain events have
happened has, well-changed his mind,
which all wise men are permitted to
do.
Was Mckinley in those days trying
to dishonor the government, injure it's
standing and credit and do all the 9TH
er damnable things which arise in
Pecksniff's mind and alright him when
he thinks of those wretched people,
the bimetallists, one of whom, by the
way, William Mckinley protested to
be until within few days ago?
Is it honorable in Pecksniff's mind
to abrogate the governments sacred
contract to pay its debts in gold or sill
yer, as might be most convenient, and
pay it in the dearer money metal? Is
it honorable to rob the debtor in order
to give to the creditor twice his due?
That is what paying our bonded debt
contracted for in gold and silver at
the ratio of 16 to means, if we are
to be forced to pay the debt in gold
alone while silver is demonetized.
President Mckinley, in this connec-
ton, speaks only of our debt as sac
red" The American people, however,
believe that the governments contract
is equally sacred. If not, to use a
Bunsbyism, why not? What right has
the creditor over the debtor beyond
that of collecting his debt according to
the contract under which that debt
was made? And is it honorable to null
ify that contract in favor of the credi-
tor at the expense of the debtor, mere
ly because one of our money metals
has been demonetized by fraud and
money made, consequently. twice as
dear as it was before and the debt