The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1900-09-21

distinguished citizens to visit Europ,
and solicit foreign aid. Sccrotur,
liat, in II lottor written to Lord Al.
denhnm in November, 1898, and af
forwards published i'll England, DO
c!arod that at the timo the president
and mnjorIty Of his cnhintt still
h"llercd in tho great Hc4iruulty OF
an international agreement for the
restoration OF the dOnble standard,
bnt that 1t did not seem opportaro to
reopen tho negotiations inst then.
Tho financial law cnactod less than n
year ago contains concluding, see.
ton declaring that the maasnrcs was
not Intended to stand in tho way Ct
tho restoration of bimetail,sm when.
ever 1t could ho dono by co operation
with other nations. Tho platform
submitted to the last Republican con
ventlon with tho endorsement Of tho
administration again suggested the
possibility Of scouting foreign all in
restoring silver.
Now tho Republican party, for tho
first time, opcnly nbnntlrns It's nlvo-
cscy of tho donb!e standard, und in
dorscs the monetary system which it
so ofton and SO emphaticully con
demncd. The Democratic party, ON
tho contrary, remains tho steadfust
advocate Of the gold and silver coin
age Of the constitution, and is no.
willing that other ua:;ons shall H..
termino for us the timo aud nlau,cr
OF restoring silver to its 2nciont place
rs standard money. The ratio Of
lO to ls not only tho ratio now cx-
listing between all the gold and silver
dollars in circulation in this country,
ratio which oven tho Repnblicnt
administration has not Attempted to
change, but it. is tho only ratio aGvy
Gated by those who are seeking TO
reopen the mints. Whether tie Sen
ate, now hostile to bimetalllsm, cun
be changed dur this campaign or
the campaign OF 1902 can only Le
determined after the votes are count
ed, but neither tho present nor the
future political complexion Of Con-
gress has prevented or should pro-
vent an announcement Of tho party's
position upon this subject in unequiv-
ocal terms.
Tho currency bill, which :ecelved
the sanction Of the executive and tho
Republican members of the House
and Senate, justliies the warning Civ
on by the Democratic party in 1896.
1t was then predicted that the Re-
publican party would attempt to re-
tire the grcenbacks although the
party and it's leaders studiously con-
cealed thoir intentions. That pur-
pose is now plain and the people
must choose between tho retention Of
the greenbacks, issued aud controlled
i'll volume by the government, and
national bank note currency issued
by banks and controlled IN their own
interests If the national bank notes
are to bo secured by bonds, tho cur
rency system now supported by the
Republican party involves q perma.
ncnt 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 will contribute
to the slzo and permanency Of ma
tional debt. 1t is hardly concoiva-
bic that the American people will
deliberately turn from the debt-pay-
ing policy Of the past, to the danger
ous doctrine of perpetual bonds.
ELECTION OF SENATORS BY TIE PEOPLE.
The demand for constitutional
amendment providing for the elec-
ton of senators by direct vote of the
people, appears for the first tlme in
a Democratic national platform, but
aresoluticn proposing such an amond-
mont, has three times passed tho
House Of Representatives., and that,
too, practically without opposition.
Whatever may have boon the reasons
which secured the adoption Of the
present plan, Il century ago, new
conditions have made it imperative
that the people bo permitted to speak
directly in tho selection Of their rep