Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-01-24

United States without regard to other
nations?"
"If by 19Oo,' said Senator Chandler,
nothing had been accomplished in the
direction of international b~imetallism,
I am almost willing now to say that I
would advocate independent coinage by
the United States. / would not, how
ever, be willing to leave the republican
party on such an issue, but l should try
to convince my republican friends that
such a course was the proper M to
pursue"
Gone swallow does not make a
spring" is an old saying which conveys
a great truth. Neither do two. But as
acompanionpieceto Senator Chambers
interview I here quote a recent edito-
rial from the ablest independent news
paperin America, the Washington Post.
1t is a gold standard paper, but its ed
itor keeps his finger constantly on the
public pulse and sounds a warning to
republican leaders. Under the caption,
"a Word with Currency Reformers,"
the Post says:
81 IL might nut DG duliSS lOI HOs WA0 Va
demanding an extra session Of the Fifty
sixth congress at the earliest practicable
date for the purpose of passing a curren-
cy reform measure to give the situation a
careful review in order to determine two
things: l. 1t would seem to be e1pedient
for them to find out whether or not they
nave the votes-a majority in both houses
requisite for the passage of a bill that
would be satisfactory to the friends of
sound money. 2. Having the requisite
votes in a combination of gold standard
men of both parties, could they put their
bill through without mourning great risk
of SO seriously demoralizing the sound
money forces as to render the outcome of
the campaign of 1900 extremely doubtful?
We do not believe there is sufficient Vi
tally in the free coinage issue to war
rant the least hope or fear of the defeat
Of the gold forces in another battle of the
standards, but 1t seems to us quite posi-
Bile to reinforce the free coinage combine
ton with a new Issue and with q good
many voters who would cut loose from the
republican party If that issue were forced
on them.
The currency reform for which an extra
session is demanded contemplates q good
deal that was not in the republican plat
form Of 1896 and could not safely have
been urged by the republican candidate or
those who supported him. 1t contemplates
the retirement of the greenbacks and coin
notes, an aggregate of more than $780,
000, 600. Even If there were an easy and pop
ular plan for supplying other currency in
place of those notes there would be strong
and persistent opposition to their retire
ment. Whether logical or illogical, sound
or unsound. such a proposition exists in
the republican party, in the citadel OF
sound money. Sentiment is a power that
has to be reckoned with in politics. 1t
does not consent to argue and has little
So IL {~ -aar1r 1N.f a ~ ~ II n
tions. Would 1t be safe to disregard the
g%reenback sentiment in the republican par
ty by taking such action against that fea-
ture Of the currency as has never been
authorized by a vote of the people?
But there is no popular OF approved plan
suggested whereby the gap occasioned by
retiring the greenbacks can be filled. To
wipe out the legal tenders and provide a
bank currency In lieu thereof will furnish
the Bryan combination just the issue they
need In an emergency. Will 1t not also fur
nish them the votes they need? That Ia q
question which the Post oommends to the
serious consideration of all who are tmpa-
tient for currency reform legislation.
To have or not to have an extra ses-
sion of the new congress- is the question
that is now worrying the heads Of the
republicans. The truth is, now that
they will have possession of the whole
government after the 4th of next March,
they are frantically asking each other:
What shall we do with it?" 'sThere's
the rub" for in that extra session what
times they'll have wooing each other
must give them pause. AS long as they
did not control the senate they could
talk splendiferously about what they
would do if they could. They appear to
be perfectly united. So soon, however,
as they have full swing it will be de-
veloped that they are as badly split up
the back as were the democrats in even
their worst estate. Already a close OBJ.
server can mark the signs of rows and
wars and feuds impending. Some want
federal interference in the race troubles
of the south; others don't. Some desire
to enter upon a universalland-grabbing
scheme; others don't, particularly the
venerable and cherubic Hoar. Some are
itching to amend the Dingley bill,
which both as a revenue producer and a.
home industry protector has proved a
fiat failure; others protest against fur
ther tariff tinkering, notably the be-
loved Dingley. Some want the gold
standard fastened on the country; 9TH
ers don't, especially Senator William
Il. Chandler. Some want Mckinley re-
nominated; others don't, and these lat
ter will rally round Thomas Bracket
Reed, the leviathan among republic
ans. And SO on to the end-the bitter
end. From the day the Fifty-sixth con-
gress is organized it will be pull Dick,
Pull devil, among the republicans, and
with the chances decidedly favorable
to Old Horny.-Champ Clark's Wash
ington Letter.