The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-03-15
CoNrH N PTIBLE AND DIsREPUTABLE
JOURN ALISM.

A few days ago the Raleigh News
and Observer contained nearly q
column editorial under the head
ing: "Butler Repudiates Silver"
That paper copied several extracts
from the Congressional Record, be-
ing part Of a debate between Sena-
tor Aldrich and Senator Butler on
the gold standard bill. That paper
taking these quoted sections as it's
text proceeded to say that that
showed that Senator Butler had re-
fused, when asked by Senator AID
rich, to say whether or not he IA
vored the free coinage Of silver. The
editor OF the News and Observer
knew when he wrote that article
and clipped that extract that he
was suppresslng the truth and will
fully and maliciously publishing
to his readers an infamous false
hood. Whyf Because the editor OF
that paper had the Congressional
Record before him, and right un-
derneath the extracts which that
paper published there Is in the
Record clear and explicit state
ment made by Senator Butler In
reply to the question 81 Senator
Aldrlch, which Is as follows;
"But / think to day-to answer
the that the United States
could open It's minis to the free
coinage of silver and absorb all OF
the silver that will come to US and
still not Increase the circulating
m dunn to an amount larger than
the business needs OF the country
require"
Further comments unnecessary
for every honest and right think
Ing man will condemn the bastard
ly conduct Of the News and Obser-
yer In clipping certain extracts and
skipping the one we have just quo
ted above, In order to try to mis-.
represent Senator Butler. The News
and Observer has been guilty Of 80
many low, dishonest and contempt
IDLE acts like this that no honest
man who desires to know the truth
can longer rely upon any statement
that 1t makes.
Now what are the facts? Sena-
tor Aldrich had attempted to state
the position Of the peoples Party
on the money question, but had
grossly misstated it by saying that
the Peoples Party was In favor Of
an unlimited quantity Of paper
money and unlimited imitation Of
prices. Senator Butler arose and
interrupted Senator Aldrich and
stated that he had totally misrep-
resented the position of the Peo-
Plies party and that therefore he
demanded the right to state then
and there what the position of the
Peoples Party on the money ques.
tion was. Senator Butler proceed
ed to do this, stating the quanti-
tive theory of money for which the
Peoples Party stands, that is, for a
currency Of gold, silver, and paper
money, every dollar a full legal
tender and issued direct by the
government, and for tho quantity
OF this volume OF full legal tender
money not to be left to accident of
output OF metals from the mines
nor the paper money to be issued
by the banks and contracted or ex.
banded at pleasure, but that the
whole volume should be regulated
by the government 80 as to in
crease Its volume each year In pro-
portion to the increase of popula-
tion and business, 80 that the Dur.
chasing power Of the dollar would
always be the same and the stabil-
fty OF prices could be maintained,
and that a contract IL 1t matured
ten years from to-day could be
paid In dollar of the same purch-
asing power as when the contract
was made.
While Senator Butler was max
Ing this statement Senator Aldrich
continued to interrupt him by ask
Ing him whether or not he favored
the free coinage of silver. sena-
tor Butler refused to be interrupted
or to answer his question until he
mad finished his statement, saying
to the Senator each time that he
would answer him before he finish
ed his statement for 1t would be q
part OF his statement; and conclu.
ding his statement he did answer
him in the language quoted above.
The editor of the News and Obser-
yer knows this for he had the Con
gressional Record before him. The
editor of that paper, II he stands
with Bryan on the money question
as ne processes to do, endorses the
statement that Senator Butler
made and ought to have been glad
to publish the full statement to
show how completely it answered
Senator Aldrich and set forth q f.
nancial system that no goldbug can
successfully attack. But instead
OF that the contemplate character
who edits that paper distorted the
Record to try to misrepresent a
man who was standing in the Sem
ate battling against the gold stand
ard and contending for the honest