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hereby repealed, to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
