The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-05-09
AN OPINION as IS AN OPINION"
Butler Interviewed - Waiting to
Find Out What's Rust and
What's True Steel"
The General HRuIs Hayes over the
COaIs-His Views on the Financial
TrOubIes-A Cloud which
May Spread.
New York SUM-

porter yesterday, mo, i haven't any lucas
on the political situation whatever. But sit
down; / want to talk to you," and the gem
eral motioned to one OF the easy sofas in
parlor 10 of the Fifth Avenue hotel.
II don't mean to say that | haven't any
ideas; mean that ] have none to make
public"
But it is said, general, that you do not
exactly approve of the recent policy OF the
president"
DO they? Who says so? That's Just The
trouble Now have not Said word to any
one in which any fair opinion as TO what l
think and intend to do may be based. They
distort things. Why it isn't safe for me
even to joke on the matter. A few days ago
a reporter from a New York newspaper
called on me and said that he didn't want to
interview me at ALL | was reading in
Methodist journal an account OF Mr.
Hayes attending Parson Newmans church
one Sunday and the Foundry Meth
odist church the next so l said in fun, IF
was Parson Newman, | would preach ser
mon to him from the text i would that thou
were either hot or cold What was my sur
prise to see this twisted the next morning
into an implication on his policy, when l
did not think of his policy. / thought that
if | was Parson Newman I'd have HIM go TO
one church or the other and not see saw"
But are you not going to express an opin-
ion when the extra session begins, generalY''
That's just what L IN waiting for. L want
to go into that congress entirely untram-
melled. / want TO be free to do some things
if the policy is a success, and others If it
isn't. Anybody knows as well as do what
the effect will be if it is not, and if it is i
presume the Sun will be ready to acknOwl-
edge it,"
But, general why is it necessary to be so
| careful about expressing. an opinion now?
You surely do not think that your views to-
day may be changed when congress meets7'
"Well, you see" and here the general
stopped short and looked at the reporter
several minutes. That's an innocent ques-
ton" he finally said; very innocent but
you must remember that am an old law
| yer" And then the general laughed heart
lily.
General, how came you to coin
that that word contra 5 band, as ag,
| well, YOU see there were three of them
at work on a rebel fort down near Fortress
Monroe, and they stole a boat and came
over to my camp. The next day messenger
came with flag of truce and demanded
them. L said that these men were regarded
as property, and as such were used by their
masters in building forts just as shoyels
were used; that being so, they rendered
material assistance in carrying on the war,
and therefore were contraband OF war. And
| they were, wern't they?'
What difference there is in the condi-
tons of those persons now" the reporter
| said
Yes, yes indeed" the general said medi-
tatively.
Does your heart bleed for them now,
| general?"
II tell you. -" the general began, as he
impulsively rose from his seat, and the re-
| porter was secretly congratulating himself
that he was about to get some kind of an
| opinion, when suddenly remembering him.
| he int I'D
| again. mo. no. he said, Il have no opin-
ion to express now; absolutely nothing to
/ say. When congress meets | shall probably
not be misunderstood. / have been out of
politics for two years, and want time to find
out what's rust and what's true steel. 1t
| won't take long"
We'll, general, perhaps you can give an
| opinion as to the title by which President
| Hayes holds his Officer
Eyes, 1 can, but have not done so yet.
/ have never been called upon to do it Off
cially. When / am L can do so very
| quickly"
"And you also have views as to whether
or not Governor Tilden ought to be in the
white house."
"Yes, sir; my mind is clear enough on
| that point, but shall not make that opinion
| known until called upon to do so officially"
Blu what can be the objection now to
saying what you think upon that subject2'
1 OCCducCf tlC SCnCIdA ICopOnQcQ very
| quickly, because / am likely to be called
upon officially to express such opinion"
| But what difference can that make now
that the matter is settledY'
well, let us wait. / am waiting. You
wait"
Twill Speaker Randall be reelected, Gen.
eral?"
II don't know" This was said with the
air of man who is perfectly Indifferent to
| the matter 81 can tell you this" he con-
tinued speaking earnestly, "the next ses-
| sion is going to be an important one, more
so than is generally believed. There are
going to be some other things to attend 10
besides politics This European war means
! something. Now, apprehend little differ
ent effect in this country from il from that
| entertained by some of the press. / don't
believe it will help us much. True,
it will send up the price of bread
stutts, provisions, leather, vessels,
| men, now at simply supporting pay, will
have to ges higher pay in order to buy flour
and corn. That means an increased price
| for labor, and when that comes again our
manufacturers can not compete with those
of other lands. That will be one effect
Watch things and see If it isn't. Then,
there's another. There'n be demand in
Europe for gold. They'll pay more for it
there than it's worth here, and our stock
| will go there That means higher price for
| gold and the greenback, which is payable
lin gold, will go up too; or. in other words,
| property here win depreciate still further
Why, even to-day New York won't sell
for enough to pay its mortgages. Your
banks dare not foreclose, and where
will further depreciation lead
US? How are we going to resume
specie payments-pardon me, gold payments
lin 1879 under such circumstances? There
is little cloud no bigger than a mans hand
here now, but it will be big enough pretty
soon. Something has got to be done, and
the people won't stand fooling. They have
been fooled long enough. Way, two years
ago Stewart Woodford stumped Ohio for