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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 4, 1901)
The Commoner. until August, when the panic was beyond control. Even Mr. Bryan's fountain pen cannot rewrite history. Tim Commoner reiterates its statement that tho Unconditional Repeal Bill which Mr. Cleveland forced through by the use of pat ronage was a republican measure, and for proof it points to the bill itself. Below will be found in parallel columns a bill introduced by Sen ator Sherman and the bill introduced by Mr. "Wilson at the request of Mr. Cleveland: Fifty-second Congress, first session. S. 3423, introduced in tho sen ate July 14, 1892, by Mr. Sherman. 'A bill for tho repeal of certain parts of the act directing the pur chase of silver bullion and the issue of treas ury notes thereon, and for other purposes, approved July 14, 1890 Be it enacted by tho senate and house of representatives of the United States of Ameri ca in congress assem bled, That so much of tho act entitled "An act directing the pur chase of silver bullion and tho issue of treas iiry notes thereon, and for other purposes," approved July 14, 1890, as directs the secretary of the treasury to pur chase, from time to time, silver bullion to the aggregate amount of 4,500,000 ounces, or so much thereof as may be offered in each month, at the market price thereof, rind to is suo in payment for such purchases of silver bul lion treasury notes of the United States; is hereby repealed, to take effect on the 1st day of January, 1893; Provided, That this act shall not in any way affect or impair or change the legal quali ties, redemption or use of the treasury notes is sued under .said act. , -V, ' . established by law. . A comparison of these bills will convince anyone that Mr. Cleveland adopted Mr. Sher man's bill, and Mr. Sherman was not in the habit of introducing -Democratic measures. The case might be submitted upon this evi dence, but additional evidence is furnished by the vote in the House and Senate. A larger percentage of the republicans than of. the Democrats voted, for the measure urged by Mr. Cleveland. The republicans arc not in the habit of supporting Democratic measures, and yet in spite of the natural disposition of the republicans to antagonize a Democratic ad ministration, and in spite of the natural dispo sition of Democrats to support a Democratic administration, Mr. Cleveland in his fight for unconditional repeal received more support from the republicans than from his own party. This fact alone would be sufficient to support Fifty-third Congress, first session. H. R. 1, introduced in tho house August 11, 1893, by Mr. Wilson. A bill to repeal a part of an act, approved July 14, 1890, entitled "An act directing the pur chase of silver bul lion and the issuo of treasury notes there on, and for other pur poses." Be it enacted by tho senate and house of ' representatives of tho United States of Amer ica in congress assem bled, That so much of the act approved July 14, 1890, entitled "An act directing the pur chase of silver bullion and issue of treasury notes thereon, and for other purposes," as di rects tho secretary of tho treasury to pur chase, from time to time, silver bullion to tho aggregate amount of 4,500,000 ounces, or so much thereof as may be offered in each month, at the market price therof, not exceed ing $1 for 371.25 grains of pure silver, and to issue in payment for such purchases treas ury notes of the United States, be, and the same is hereby repealed; but this repeal shall not impair or in any man ner affect the legal tender quality of tho standard silver dollars heretofore coined; and the faith and credit of the United States are hereby pledged to main tain the parity of tho standard gold and silver coins of the United States at the present legal ratio, or such other ratio as may bo Tiie Commoner's charge; certainly, tho proof brought from the two sources above mentioned establishes the proposition. But this is not all. When tho next Demo cratic national convention met tho Democrats repudiated the position taken by Mr. Cleve land because it was a republican position and inconsistent with Democratic principles and Democratic record, and tho convention did this in spite of all tho great corporations and in spite of nearly all the great daily papers. In making its denial tho "World relies upon a garbled extract from tho Democratic plat form of 1892. That platform denounced tho Sherman law as a cowardly makeshift and de clared that the Democrats "hold to the use of both gold and silver as tho standard money of tho country and to tho coinage of both gold and silver without discrimination against cither metal or charge for mintage." A makeshift is an inferior thing that is used until some thing better can bo secured. To denounce the Sherman law as a cowardly makeshift would have been absurd if the convention . had not pointed out tho better thing, namely, bi metallism. Tho Democratic party novcr de manded unconditional repeal; it never approved of the President's plan of putting the country on a gold basis. No sensible or sane man . could have construed the platform of 1892 so as to support Mr. Cleveland's course. Mr. Cleveland made no attempt to carry out tho platform; he made no effort to conform to the wishes of the men who voted for him. He was apparently under some secret obligation to the financiers and proceeded to carry out their plans in utter disregard of tho pledges made by his platform. Whilo a majority of the men who voted for him believed in "the coinage of both gold and silver without discrimination against either metal or charge for mintage," he selected a cabinet, every member of which was opposed to that doctrine. Ho consulted with the re publican financiers more than he did with Dem ocratic representatives, and ho rewarded with lucrative positions several congressmen and sen ators who were persuaded by him to betray their constituents. He even promised some that he would favor silver legislation as soon as he could get the Sherman law repealed, and yet, at the request of New Tork bankers, ho vetoed the Seignorage Bill, which was sup ported by a majority of the Democrats in both the House and Senate. Many of the Demo- r crats who had been persuaded to vote for tho repeal bill, learned to their surprise that Mr. Cleveland did not intend that anything should be done to rehabilitate silver. Facts are, indeed, stubborn things and tho "World knows these facts because it was in tho thick of the fight and was as active an organ as the money powerhad during that memorable , contest. If the World desires to defend Mr. Cleve land it can do so, but it ought to do so on the ground that it thinks the republicans were right and tho Democrats wrong, not on tho ground that Mr. Cleveland supported a Demo cratic measure. The World gives Mr: Hill credit for val iant service in aiding' the jpassagcof that -re- - publican measure. Yes, tho country well re members how tho interests of Wall Street brought about a reconciliation between Mr. Cleveland and Mr.. Hill, wlio was supposod to bo Mr. Cleveland's most bitter political enomy. When tho financiers said dance, tho Senator from Now York choso tho President for his partner and they waltzed together until the bill became a law. No contest through which this country has passed better illustrated tho almost irresistible power of organized capital. The banks coerced tho borrowers and tho desks of the members wore yellow with telegrams that poured in by concortod action from tho money centers. Tho Democratic party was first betrayed and then disrupted in order to carry out tho financial plans of mon who wero ready to leave any party or to join any party according as their pecuniary interests would ba advanced. it Facts arc stubborn things. W Not a Democratic Paper. In tho spring of 1898 tho Chicago Chroni cle received a letter from one of its readers who was somewhat skeptical in regard to its Democracy, and in endeavoring to reassure him the proprietor said: "The Chronicle is a Democratic newspapor, and expects to remain such. The quarrels of 1890 are over, and, so far. as tho Chronicle is concerned, they are not to be renewed." On March 10 of tho present year, tho Chron icle said editorially: "Tho Chronicle is not a Democratic organ,' it is an independent .news paper, neither owning nor, admitting allegiance to any political organization." It is not known just when tho change took place, but it is grat ifying to bo assured that tho Chronicle no longer assumes to speak for those who admit allegiance to the Democratic party. It is tho custom of the gold Democratic and Republican papers to quote from such papers as tho Chron icle and describe them as Democratic. Tho Democratic party ought not to be held respon sible for their utterances nor should their edi torials bo accepted as reflecting Democratio sentiment. Recalls Jackson's Time. William B. Ridgely, a representative of tho famous Illinois family of that name, has suc ceeded Mr. Dawes as comptroller of the cur rency. An interesting statement relating to the new Comptroller was printed in the news papers under date of September 21. It wag as follows: William Barre Hidgely, whose appointment as comptroller of the treasury was announced today, placed himself on record as opposed to the sub treasury system and In favor of a United States bank. The first, he said tied up money when it was most needed by the commerce of the country, and the other contributed to easy circulation at all times, thereby tending to ease financial stringency. "The gold standard act," said Mr. Ridgely, "Is not perfect. There are a good many loopholes in it. But I don't know whether it will be remedied. I should like to see the greenbacks retired, too, but there does-not seem to be any immediate prospect