New-York tribune., 1900-09-18

independent of the action OF other nations ia
.peaIed. In 1895 the Republican party reeog-
nized the necessity for bimetallisIn by pledgng
the party to earnest effort to secure an In
ternational agreement for ;he free coinage OF
silver and the President immediately after MS
inauguration by authority OF Congress, ap.
pointed commission composed OF distinguished
Secretary Hay, in letter written 10 Lori
AldeRham in November 1895 and aftervard
published in England, declared that at that
time the President and majority OF his Cabi-
net still believed IN the great Gesrab.ity of
international agreement for the restoration
or the double standard but that IL dlo not seem
oppoTtune 40 reopen the negotiations 1ust then
The financial law enacted less than year ago
contains a concluding section declaring that tle
measure not intended TO stand in the way
OF the restoration OF bimetallism whenever il
could be done by cooperation with other ma
tions The platform submitted TO the last Re-
publican Convention with the Endorsement or
the Administration again suggested the possi-
biIity Of securing foreign aid in restoring silver.
Now the Republican party for the first time
openly abandons it's advocacy Of the double
standard and indoTses the monetary system
which it has so often and 50 emphaticaliy con-
demned. The Democratic party, on the con-
tTary. remains the steadfast advocate or the
gold and silver coinage Of the Constitution ana
is willing that other nations shall determine
for us The time and manner Of restoring silver
70 lis ancient place as standard money me
ratio of l6 10 ! is not only the ratio now exist
ing between ali the gold and silver dollars In
circulation IN this country. rauo when eve, sseH
the Republican Administration has not attempt
ed 10 change. but it is the only ratio advocated
by those who are seeking TO reopen the mints
Whether the Senate. hostile TO bimetalllsm,
can be changed during this campaign or the
campaign of 1907 can only be determined aiter
the votes are counted, but neither the present
nor the future political complexion Of Con
gress has prevented or should prevent an an
nouncement OF the party's position upon this
subject in uneQuivocal terms.
The Currency BILL which received the sanction
Of the Executive and the Republican members
Of the House and Senate justilies the warning
given by the Democratic party in 1896. 1t was
then predicted that the Republican party would
attempt 10 retire the gTeenbacks, although the
party and its leaders studiously concealed their
intentions That purpose is now plain. and the
people must choose between the retention or
the greenbacks issued and controlled in volume
py the Government ana Natlona! baih note
currency issued BY banks ana controlled In their
interests. II the National bank notes are
to be secured by bonds. the currency system
supported by the Republican party involves
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 will con-
tribute 10 the size and permanency OF a Ma
? tional debt. II is hardly conceivable that the
debt paying policy OF the past 10 the dangerous
doctrine Of perpetual bonds.
ELECTION OF SENATORS BY THE PEOPLE.
providing for the election of Senators by direct
vote Of the people appears for the first time in
Democratic National platform, but resolu-
tion proposing such an amendment has three
times passed the House of Representa- tives, and
that, too, practically without opposition. What
ever may have been the reasons which secured
the adoption Of the present plan a century ago,
conditions have made IT imperative that
the people be permitted to speak directly in the
selection OF their representatives in the Senate.
A Senator is 10 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 member Of Congress, !
for State officers and for President, he is COM
petent to choose his representative in the Sen
ate A system which makes the Senator re-
sponsible for his election to the people as a
whole and amenahe to them If he misrepresents
them must commend itself to those who have
confidence in the intelligence and patriotism Of
The platform irdorses the principle of direct
legislation. This Is already applied 10 the more
important questions in Nation State and CITY
It rests upon the sound theory that the people
The Covern,,1cn &c a. 1isa ,RIiI of The 1ennn tbe
more free If viii be from misuse and abuse.
Several planks Of the labor platform are de-
voted TO questions in which the laboring classes :
have immediate interest out which
Inotety afect our entire population. While what
IS generally known as government by injunction
is at present directed chiefly against the en-
Pioyes- ef corporations when there IS dis
agreement between them and their employer il
involves a principle which concerns every one.
The purpose Of the injunction in such cases IS
10 substitute trial bs9f fe for trial by jury and
is a covert blow at Jury system. The aboli-
tiGn Of government by injunction is as necessary
for the protection Of the reputation Of the colrt
as it is for the security of the citizen. Black
stone, in defending trial by jury. says:
The impartial administration Of Justice
which secures both our persons and our proper
ties IS the great end of civil society. but If that
body cf men, and those selected by the prince
such enjoy the highest offices Of the State
their decisions, in spite Of their natural inJeg-
Tity, VIII have frequently an involuntary bias
toward those Of their own rank and dignity. It
Is not 70 be expected from human nature that
the few should be always attentive to the in
terests and good Of the many
II the criminal laws are not sufficient Cor the
protection OF property they be made more
severe but a citizen charged with crime must
have his case tried before jury Of his peers
The blacklist as now employed in some places
enables the employer to place the employe under
practical duress for the skilled aborer loses his
independence when the employers can not ONLY
discharge him. but prevent his securing spv
similar employment. The blacklist ena bles en-
control over the wage earners which a private
monopoly exercises without contract
TO SETTLE LABOR TROUBLES.
The platform renews the demand for arbitra-
ton between corporations and their employees
NO one who has observed the friction which
arises between great corporations and their
numerous employees can doubt the wisdom Of
estapIlshing 5n impartial court for the just and
eQuitaDie settlement Of disputes The demand
Tor arbitration ought 70 be supported as heartily
by the public which suffers inconvenience he
cause Of strikes and lockouts, and by the en-
ployers themselves, as by the employees The
establishment OF arbitration viii insure friendly
relations between labor and capital. and render
obsolete the growing practice Of calling in the
army to settle labor troubles
/ cannot too strongly emphasize the impor-
tance Of the platform recOmrae ndation Of the
establishment Of a. department of labor with
member Of the Cabinet at its head When we
remember how important position the Ia borer
nils IL our economic, social and political fabric
1t is hard TO conceive Of valid objection being
mace 70 this recognition Of his services Agri-
culture is already represented in the Presidents
Official househo q. the Army and Navy have their
representatives there: the State Department
with its consular service, and the Treasury De-
partment with its close connection with fiscal
affairs, keep the Executive in touch with the