The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-01-30
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VI. VI. MURDOCH. Editor
FORCING THE ISSUE.

FORCING THE ISSUE
OF course there will be wide differ
ence of opinion touching the result Of
the vote in the United States senate in
which, by a majority of fifteen, that
body has just reafirmed the Stanley
Mathews resolution of twenty years
ago. to the effect that the obligations
Of the United States are payable IN
either gold or silver coin at the option
Of the government. President McKin-
ley but the night before had declared
in a speech delivered in New York city,
that such obligations would never be
paid in other but the most valuable
dollar. The question is, does the SEN
ate resolution mean anything else? the
Republicans who voted for the resolu-
ton declared that they meant nothing
else, while the other supporters held
that the silver dollar is just as good as
a gold dollar, and would remain just as
good under free coinage. 1t looks to
us as if the issue for the next national
campaign was by these speeches and
votes being unnecessarily expedited,
and mayhap at the expense Of Republi-
can strength There is no doubt that
the contingent which forced consider
alton Of the resolution at this time, had
two or three objects in view, one OF
them being to force Republicans to de-
fine their positions, another to put
themselves on record as the champions
of free coinage, and the further desire
Of committing a majority of the senate
against the administration, especially
against the Secretary Of the Treasury
The discussion and vote emphasized
the fact that the Republican party is
not unit on the money question. Sen
ator Lodges amendment declaring that
all debts are payable in gold coin, or
its equivalent, was lost more than two
10 one, or "A to 90. And so on every
proposition subsequently offered the
Republican side was found divided, in
one instance two leaders Of our party
refusing to vote. Quay and Hoar both
offered modified amendments, but they
were rejected. Under this light and in
face of the division, the measure must
now go to the house, which is strongly
Republican. Inevitably ali the pending
measures looking to a reform and a
more satisfactory regulation Of the
ceuntry's currency, will now be held
up until the bout is finished in the
house. What effect this Republican di-
vision and adverse expression in the
senate viii have upon the house can
only be guessed at. The issue seems
now to be a single gold standard and
5lmetalIism, upon the one hand, and a
double standard with free coinage upon
the other, with ultra goldbugs clinging
20 the Republican side and outright
fia1ists to the Democratic wing.
The Republican leaders, in our esti-
ton, made a mistake in permitting a
discussion and a consequent forcing of
the issue until after our party in con-
Eress had formulated a satisfactory
currency bill under which to go to the
country upon. OF course the fusion
crowd in the senate could not have
been prevented introducing their reso-
nation, made a mistake in permitting a
majority of three to five, without dis
Cussion-by default, as it were. But
the fact remains that the Republican
majority in congress has not yet ar
rived at any party conclusion touching
this money question farther than the
unalterable and unanimous resolve that
every dollar shall be as good as every
other dollar