It was an opportunity to strike at
England in a vital spot; it was as statesmanlike and patriotic as
his attempt to deprive the South of their representatives.
Mr. Cleveland was fighting with splendid courage to save the
country from free silver, caring nothing for politics and animated
solely by the highest and most disinterested motives, and Mr. Lodge
was thinking only of his spite. President Cleveland, said a Boston
paper, deserved and had the right to expect Mr. Lodge's support,
instead of which "we find our junior Senator introducing a
legislative proposition intended to appeal at once to the anti-
British prejudices of a good many Americans, and to the desire of
the then preponderating sentiment of the country to force a silver
currency upon the American people. It was an effort to strike at
England."
Mr. Lodge proposed that all imports from Great Britain or her
colonies should pay duties double those of the regular rates, and
any article on the free list should be made dutiable at thirty-five
per cent; these additional and discriminating duties were to remain
in force until Great Britain assented to and took part in an
international agreement "for the coinage and use of silver."
Mr. Lodge's free silver amendment shared the same tomb with his
Force Bill; in the Senate fortunately there were men with broader
vision and less passion.
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