The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1899-02-02

~" sup w N"6
organs might say: If Mr.. Mckinley is
not going to do anything, about the
best thing he can do is to adjourn and
go home. But we will let republican
leaders manage that.
We, however, venture this sugges-
ton: The st. Louis republican plat
form called for the existing gold stand.
ard until international bi-metalism
could be had, and Developments since
show that international bi-metalism is
an impossibility. The republican voter
did not in '98 commit himself to the
gold standard for all eternity; nor did
he commit himself to all that the re-
publican party might make out of the
gold standard. What was the gold
standard as it existed in '96? The sur
reptitions act of '73 making the gold
dollar the standard instead of the silver
dollar; the Parity Clause; and the rul-
ing of Carlisle that gold alone shall be
paid for government notes or green
backs if the holder demands gold. Very
little was said in the campaign of '96
about the retirement of greenbacks,
and nothing at all about the retirement
Of silver. If these measures had been
advocated in '96, Mr. Mckinley would
never remembered having sat in the
presidential chair.
But the republican party has a most
comfortable way of doing things; they
do it, then talk about it. They elect
a president and congress to do certain
things, but say nothing about those
things till the election is over. The
measures are then passed and Of course
must then be discussed before the peo-
pie. But the people are then told. you
must not repeal this law, you will "Dis-
turb Businessl" Thus have the peo-
pie been bamboozled on from one step
to another in the direction of the gold
standard and all its dire consequences
to themselves without having any
knowledge at the time they voted of
what it was they were voting for. This
may not be an honest way, but it has
proved, in the hands of Republican lead
ers, a most successful way.
How many republican voters in '96
knew that they were voting fg the re-
tirement Of greenback and silver? Yet
here comes a bill with very great alac-
rity from a committee which has not
INDUCED in an accouchement for years,
providing for those very things. If
there is a single greenback or treasury
note outstanding ten years from now it
"~ceases to be legal tender for debts,
public or private, except for dues to the
United States" Did you know in '96
that you were voting for that? Not IN
less you were initiated into the inner
chamber of the republican temple. You
uOA U llAO 1bs NOll ~ uOu / mhbbCI
about that; in 1900 you will be told the
repeal of this law would "dieturb bust
ness" and you will go right along and
vote for some OTHER step in the direction
of the gold standard and that you don't
know anything about when you vote
for it.
The republican leader too sharp tc
even now tell you the next step will be
the retirement of silver. He gives you
the gold standard in broken doses SC
that your constitution can stand thu
medicine, He treats you as the maj
did his dog whose tail he cut off an incl
at a time. But the dog knew what wa!
!, going on, or off rather; he didn't havt
, to wait till the next congress met. Thu
coinage committees bill does not name