Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-12-20
Free SiIver's Punishment After Death.

feeling pretty lonesome. The closing
scene of the House debate on the gold
standard bill was significant of the
dscord that exists in Democratic
ranks on the money question. The Re-
publicans dared their opponents to offer
a 16 to 1 amendment to the pending
bill. Some Democrats We're willing to
accept the challenge, but others OBJ
Jected, and as unanimous consent was
necessary, no amendment was offered.
| Had such an amendment come before
| the House, the Republicans would
have promptly voted it down. but 1t
| would have made the Democrats go on
| record for or against 16 to l, and they
| lodged the issue. If the party really
had faith in the principles it stands for.
| it would have welcomed the oppor-
tunity to support such an amendment.
1t was noticeable through the weeks
| debate that the Democratic opposition
was listless and uninteresting. 1t is
plain that the free silver heresy is los
ing its hold upon the Democratic heart.
The delusion is dying out, and those
most hysterical in their ardor three
| years ago, are cooling down in the
| most perceptible manner. The fact
| that a dozen Democratic representa-
tives voted with the solid Republican
majority for the gold standard bill.
may cause even William ]. Bryan to
put his thinking apparatus in action.
The cause of free silver is buried be-
yond all hope Of resurrection. 1t is, in
fact, being punished after death, and
Intelligent Democrats must feel that
upon a matter of such vital economic
Importance. No issue before the
more fairly and squarely, and no vic
tory was ever more complete than that
won by sound money. The decision
has been justified by events in Il man
ner which cannot be misinterpreted
And the new currency bill. which the
Republican Congress is passing in such
handsome fashion. is in response to
popular demand which the vociferous
employees of the silver trust are help
less to thWart. The bill is not a radical
| measure. 1t makes gold the basis of
the currency, thus cutting adrift from
bimetallism of every kind, and ending
all talk of any chimerical quest for
some nation to join us in some scheme
Of bimetallism. All the Legislative
bodies of the world cannot alter the
| relative valves of gold and silver.
! They can establish gold or they can
establish silver. but they cannot cs-
tablish both at the same time. and in
| establishing gold this country is simply
| legalizing the practice Of years and
falling in line with the other nations
of the earth.
| One after another the countries that
| chung to the silver standard have
| yielded to the irresistible world ten
dency The money of the following
| countries is now legally or in effect
based upon or regulated by the gold
| standard: The United States, Great
| Britain, Germany, Russia, Austria
| Hungary, Norway and Sweden, Den
mark, Portugal. Turkey, Japan, Fin
| land. Egypt, British Honduras. Brazil,
Chill. Peru, Costa Rica, France, Italy,
Holland. Switzerland Belgium, Spain,
Greece, Venezuela and India. The free
coinage of silver at 16 to or any other
| artificial ratio is an abandoned deiu-
sion in every country that uses gold.
| The law of economics which banishes
the superior money from circulation
| when inferior money has unlimited
sway relentlessly enforces itself every
where. The only countries adhering to
silver are Mexico, where all commerce
is conducted by the gold standard;
China, where the white metal passes at
its intrinsic value by weight. the price
being regulated by that of gold; Servia
and Roumania in Europe and few of
the poorer and belated Central and
South American states. Will the
Democracy come before the country in
1900 with the plea that the United
States should step back into the class
of these nations?
Alas, the poor Democracy. What
will it do for an issue? The Irresistible
logic of events has pulverized- the last
free silver argument. The cause Of
free silver is dead and is getting vigor-
Gus punishment after, death; ,''apd it
only remains for the dead to bury their
dead. The perfunctory opposition to
the gold standard bill is only a CHASTITY
shadow of former power. The Repub-
lican Senate will follow the lead of the
House in passing this measure Which