The Washington weekly post., 1900-09-18
BRYAh'S FORMAL YES
CONTINUED rRox rIRsr PAGE

1 AlAIiNIEU EhDA FtrSE FA1E
empower the commission to protect indi-
viduals and communities from discriminz-
ton. and the public AT large from unjust
and unfair transportation rates
/ The FsHan neiaI Plank.
( The platform reiterates the demand con-
tanned in the Chicago platform for an
American financial system made by the
American people for themselves. The pur-
pose Of <1ch a System IS 70 restore and
maintain a bimetaIlic level OF prices. and
IN order that there may be no unceTtaintT
as 20 the methods OF restoring bimetdl-
I ism. the specific declaration in favor of
/ free and unlimited coinage al the existing
ratio Of Is 70 !, Independent OF the ac-
F ton Of other nations is repeated In 1Ssj
the Republican party recognized the ns-
cessity for bimstallism By pledgiug the
party 20 an earnest effort 70 secure an
International agreement for the free coin
age Of silver. and the President. imme5i-
ately after his Inauguration by authority
Of Congress, appointed a commission COM
posed Of distinguished citizens &c visit
Europe and solicit foreign aid Secretary
Hay. In letter written 10 Lord Alden
ham. in November, ISes and afterGard
published in England. declared that at
that time the President and a majority
Of his Cabinet still believed in the great
desirability of an international agreement
for the restoration Of the double standard.
but that ii did not seem oppOrtune 20 re-
open the negotiation just then. The finan-
cial law enacted less than year ago con-
tains concluding section declaring that
the measure was not intended To stand in
me way OF the restoration Of bimetsllism
1
ton with other nations The platform
submitted 10 the last Republican cOnven-
uon with the Endorsement OF the admins
tTation again suggested the possibil ~ of
securing foreign aid in restoring silver.
Aiihe Ratio Of 70 4.
Now the Republican party, for the first
time, openly abandons its advocacy OF
the double stindarc. and indorses the
monetary system which 1t has 50 often
I and so emphatically condemned. The
Democratic party, on the contrary. re-
mains the steadfsst 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 ratio or ie 70 ! Is
not only the ratio now existing between
all the gold and silver dollars in eireula-
tion in this country, a ratio which even
the Republican administration has not at
tempted 10 change, but It is the only ratio
advocated by those who are seeking to
reopen the mints. Whether the Senate.
now hostile to bimetallsm, can be
changed during this campaign or the
campaign of 1852 can only be determined
after the votes are counted, but neither
the present nor the future political COM
plexfon Of Congress has prevented or
should prevent an announcement of the
party's position upon this subject in un-
equivoeal terms.
The currency bill, which received the
sanction of the executive and the Re
publican members of the House and Sem
ate. justifies the warning given by the
Democratic party In 1896. 1t was then
predicted that the Republican party
would attempt to retire the -reenbacks
although the party and IT'S leaders studi-
ously concealed their intentions That
purpose is now plain, and the people must
choose between the retention OF the
greenbacks issued and controlled in vol
ume by the government, and a national
bank note currency issued by banks and
controlled in their own interests. If the
national bank notes are to be secured by
bonds. the currency system now support
ed by the Republican ~arty involves a
permanent and increasing debt, and so
long as this system stands. the financial
classes will be tempted to throw their
powerful influence upon the side of any
measure which viii contribute to the size
| and permanency of national debt. IL is
hardly conceivable that the American
people VIII deliberately, turn from the
debt-paying policy Of the past 10 the
dangerous doctrine of perpetual bonds.
Election of senators by the People.
The demand for constitutional amend
ment providing for the election of Sena-
tors by direct vote of the people appears
for the first time in Democratic national
platform. but a resolution proposing such
an amendment has three times passed the
( House of Representatives. and that. too.
practically without opposition. Whatever
NAV have been the reasons which secured
the adoption Of the present plan, a CEN
tury ago new conditions have made II i'm
perative that the people be permitted 10
speak directly in the selection of their
representatives 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
a voter is competent TO vote for a men,
Der of Congress, for State officers. and for
President he is competent 10 choose his
representative In the Senate. A system
I hich makes tie Senator responsible for
his ELECTION TO the the people as a whole. aad
them, must commend itself 10 those who
have confidence in the intelligence and
patriotism of the masses.
Z The platform indOIses the principle Of
direct legislation. This is already applied
TO the more important questions in na-
ton, State and city. II rests upon he
sound theory that the people can be
trusted and that the more responsive the
government is 10 the viii OF the DeoDie.
the more free il will be from misuse and
| abuse.
The Labor Question.
Several planks of the labor platform are
devoted to questions in which the labor
ing classes have an immediate interest.
but which more remotely affect our en-
! tire population. While what Is generally
known as government by injunction is az
present directed chiefly against the en-
plOyes of corporations when there is a
disagreement between them and their
employer, il involves a principle which
concerns every one. The purpose OF the
injunction in such eases Is 10 substitute
trial by judge for trial by jury, and IS a
covert blow al the jury system The aboll-
ton Of government BY injunction is as
necessary for the protection Of the repu-
tation OF the court as 1t is for TIE secu-
rity OF the citizen. Blackstone, in defend
ing trial by jury. says:
THE impartial administration OF JUS
tice. which secures both our persons and
| our properties IL the great end OF civil
society," but If that De intrusted entirely
10 the magistrscy. a select body OF men
and those selected by the prince such a
enjoy the highest Offices Of the state, their
decisions. In spite OF their natural in
tegrity. will have frequently an inyolun-
tary bias toward those OF their Own rank
!; and dignity. II IS not TO be expected from
human nature that the few should Be al
ways attentive to the interests and good
: OF the many"
h.