Evening star., 1900-09-18

Inauguration. by authority Of Congress,
appointed a commission composed OF dis
tinguished citizens to visit Europe and So
licit foreign aid. Secretary Hay, In let
ter written to Lord Alderman In Novem-
Der, 1898, and afterward published In Eng
land, declared that at that time the Presl-
dent and a majority of his cabinet still be-
lieved in the great desirability of an in
ternational agreement for the restoration
of the double standard. but that 1t did not
seem opportune to reopen the negotiations
just then. The financial law enacted less
than year ago contains concluding
section declaring that the measure was not
intended to stand in the way Of the restora-
ton of bimetallism. whenever 1t couid DC
done by cooperation with other nations
The platform submitted to the last repuo.
lican convention with the Endorsement or
the administration again suggested the pos
sibility Of securing foreign aid in restoring
silver.
Republicans New Position.
Now the republican party. for the first
time. openly abandons its advocacy OF the
double standard, and indorses the monetary
system which 1t has so often and so en-
phatically condemned. The democratic par
ty on the contrary, remains the steadfast
advocate Of the gold and silver coinage of
the Constitution, and is not willing that
other nations shall determine for US the
time and manner of restoring silver TO its
ancient place as a standard money. The
l.
existing between all the gold and silver
dollars in circulation In this country-a ra-
ito which even the republican administra-
ton has not attempted to change but IL Is
the only ratio advocated by those who are
seeking to reopen the mints. Whether the
Senate now hostile to bimetallism. can be
changed during this campaign or the cam
paign of 1862 can only be determined after
the votes are counted, but neither the pres
ent nor the future political complexion OF
Congress has prevented or should prevent
an announcement of the party's position
upon this subject In unequivocai terms:
1.-The currency bill, which received the
sanction of the executive and the repubh-
can members of the House and Senate, JUS
titles the warning given by the democratlc
party in 1896. 1t was then predicted that
the republican party would attempt to re-
tire the greenbacks although the party and
its leaders studiously concealed their In
tentions. That purpose Is now pialn' ana
the people must choose between the reten-
ton of the greenbacks. issued and con-
trolled in volume by the government. and
a national bank note currency ISSUED Dy
banks and controlled in their own interests
If the national bank notes are to be Sc
cured by bonds, the currency system now
supported by the republican party involves
a permanent and increasing debt, and, SO
long as this system stands, the financial
classes will be tempted to throw their pow
erful influence upon the side of any meas
ure which will contribute to the size and
permanency of a national debt. 1t Is hard
ly conceivable that the American people
will deliberately turn from the debt-pay1nS
policy of the past to the dangerous doctrine
of perpetual bonds.
Election of Senators by the People.
The demand for a constitutional amend
ment providing for the election Of senator's
by direct vote Of the people appears for
the first time in democratic national plat
form, but resolution proposing such an
amendment has three times passed the
House Of Representatives and that, too.
practically without opposition. Whatever
may have been the reasons which secured
the adoption of the present plan century
ago. new conditions have made 1t 1mpera-
tive that the people be permitted to speak
directly in the selection Of their represen-
tatves in the Senate. A senator is no less
the representative of the state because he
receives his commission from the people
themselves. rather than from the members
of the state Legislature. If voter is COM
petent to vote for a member of Congress,
for state officers and for President, he Is
competent to choose his representative In
the Senate. A system which makes the
senator responsible for his election to the
people, whole, and amen&ble to them
Ii he misrepreSentS them, must commend
itself to those who have confidence in the
intelligence and patriotism of the masses.
FavOrs Direct Legislation.
"The platform indorses the principle of di-
rect legislation. This Is already applied to
state and city. 1t rests upon the sound
theory that the people can be trusted, and
that the more responsive the government
is to the will Of the people. the more free
1t will be from misuse and abuse"
He then devotes several paragraphs to
labor questions: favoring department of
labor, faVoring the demand for arDltratlon
between employers and the employed. and
ccndemninG the practice of calling In the
army to settle labor troubles
Government by Injunction.
Continuing, he says:
Several planks of the labor platform are
devoted to questions In which the laboring
classes have an immediate interest. but
which more remotely affect our entire pop
u,ation. While what IS generally known as
government by injunction is at present d.
rected chiefly against the employees OF cor
porationS, when there Is a disagreement be-
tween them and their employer 1t involves
81 principle which concerns every one. The
purpose Of the injunction in such cases Is to
substitute trial by judge for trial by jury,
and is q covert blow at the jury system
The abolition of government by injunction
is as necessary for the protection of the
reputation of the court as it Is for the Sc
curity Of the citizen. Blackstone, In de-
Tending trial by jury, says:
The impartial administration OF justice
which secures both our persons and our
properties, is the great end Of civil society;
istracy select body Of men. and those
selected by the prince. such as enjoy the
highest offices Of the state. their decisions
in spite of their natural integrity. will have
frequently an involuntary bias toward those
OF their own rank and dignity. 1t is not to
be expected from human nature that the
few should be always attentive to the in
terests and good Of the many.
''If the criminal laws are not sufficient
for the protection of property they can be
made more severe. but citizen charged
with crime must have his case tried before
a jury of his peers.
Would Exclude Asiatics.
1.-The Chinese exclusion act has proven an
advantage to the country, and its cont.nu-
ance and strict Endorsement, as well as it's
extension to other similar races, its impera-
lively necessary. The Asatic Is so essen
TALLY different from the American that he
cannot be assimilated with our population
and is therefore, not desirable as perma-
nent citizen His presence a temporary
laborer. preserving his national identity,
and maintaining foreign scale Of wages
and living. must ever prove injustice TO
American producers, as well as perpetual
nf irrifa