The times., 1899-07-09
Aidrich Is Making the Issue.

Hfurfch Is making the Issue.
Admissions which have been made by
members Of the subcommittee of the
Senate Finance Committee whe are hold
ing special meeting at Narragansett
nation finally has been reached by the Re-
publican party TO fasten upon the nation
by process of law the policy of gold mo-
nometallism which the Administration has
been enforcing without the warrant of law.
The subcommittee has agreed to accept
the House proposition 10 pay all outstand-
ing obligations of the Government in gold
Around this proposition Senator Aldrich
and his eonfreres are constructing what
they are pleased TO call bill for cur
rency reform. II the choice OF this title
is not using the livery of heaven.to serve
the devil no exhibition of that unholy de-
ception has been given by the national law
makers in modern times 1t is that sort of
reform" 10 which Mr. Mckinley was
forced to commit himself at the St, Louis
convention before Kohlsaat, Depew, and
the other representatives of the gold forces
arrived at distinct understanding with
Hanna as to exactly where the campaign
fund was TO come from.
There can be scarcely any doubt as to
the passage of the bill by the next Con-
gress. The Hanna crowd had too big a
hand in the selection of majority of the
new and old Republican members of both
Houses not to be able to force through
any financial legislation demanded by
the exigencies of Mr.. McKinley's re-
nomination. OF course it is expected
that there will be a few unmuzzled
Representatives who will, in strident
eloquence, remind the leaders of the
swift sweep of the party from the
unbroken series of national bimetallic
platforms from the day currency be-
came an issue down to the moment
when, at the st. Louis convention three
years ago, the Mckinley managers were
coerced into agreeing TO the insertion of
the word gold in the platform But this
eioquence will be intended for the ground
lings at home and not TO check the final
step Of the party into the gold camp. The
fact that Senator Allison, whose bimetallic
professions for more than twenty years
have been almost fearful at times, is now
arrayed squarely and openly on the side
of the gold monometallists shows what a
compelling grip the Hanna organization
has upon Republican members of Con-
gress.
Democrats ought to rejoice that at last
the Republicans are coming from under
cover-that at last they no longer move
around in haze of SNUG hypocrisy on
the currency question. The bill which
Senator Aidrich is preparing will con-
tain not even pretence of friendliness for
silver. II will not even take account of
the vitally important fact that all of the
Governments outstanding obligations are
not in gold. But it will provide that
every one of these obligations must be paid
in gold, thereby putting into the pockets
OF a horde of favored creditors a profit
which they themselves did not bargain for
when they invested their money in Gov
eminent bonds. The Democracy can now
meet the issue fairly and squarely. 1t can
no longer be obscured by a cloud of doubt
| arising from Republican pretensions of
complacency to bimetallism. Even the
The Aldrich bill will squarely array the
forces of monometallism on one side and
the forces of bimetallism on the other.
There will be no cause of quarrel among
bimetallists over unessentials. Repub-
licanism will be the party of monometal-
! lism. and the Democracy will be the party
of bimetallism- There will be not the
for oil
to the Republican standard. There will be
no excuse for the monometallists to flock
| to the Democratic side. The gold standard
Democrat, puffed out with an overesti-
mate Of his importance, can no longer
harass Democratic councils by his presence
or confuse Democratic minds with his plat
itudes. He will be forced by circumstances
publican bimetallist will have no shelter
outside Of the Democratic camp.
With the issue thus clearly defined there
can be no double dealing anywhere along
the line. 1t will be the old tariff fight OF
| 1888 over again, and no man can lose his
bearings as the battle RACES. The Repub-
licans will have TO look to the money in
] terests in 1860 as they looked to the pro-
tected interests of 1855, for salvation. They
cannot look TO the producing elements o:
the West and South-the money borrow
ing elements OF the nation-for sympathy
or support.
If the Democracy holds fast to its his
tory-if it holds fast to the teachings Of
Jefferson, Jackson, and Polk, and heark-
ems not TO the voices of the Clevelands, the
Godkins, the Schurzes, and the George
Fred Williamses-a sweeping victory viii
reward its steadfast faith and courage IL
1900.
Mr.. VanderbiIts Mishnp.