The Washington critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1885-1888, 1885-12-26
WASHINGTON. D. O., DEC. 20, 1885
MIR. nECK,s "ArrAcK.o

MIR, BECk'S "ATTACK."
Considerable nonsense is being writ
len just now about the speech of Sena-
tor Beck on the silver question, as
though it were in the nature of hos
Tile gauntlet thrown down to the Adj
ministration and the signal for an open
war. The Senator from Kentucky, it
is safe to say, had no such belligerent
intention, and it is equally safe to say
that the President regards it in no such
light What is said about his "dismay
ard chagrin" in the promises is moth
ing but boSh, or the President Is not
the cool-hcaded, sagai)us man that
the country believes him to be.
II was well known before Mr.. Clcve-
lands inauguration that he was not in
thorough harmony with his party in
regard to silver and the effects of its con-
tinucd coinage Nobody knew better
than he that the party was not at har-
mony with itself on this subject, rs it is
not on the tariff, the bankruptcy bill,
the educational bill and many other
subjects. The President also knew
when he wrote his message that many
members of Congress would dissent,
more or less, from his opinions relative
to coinage. lie must have known that
Senator Beck had not changed his
position in this regard, and that he
would take carly opportunity to say
so. But all this does not imply II rup-
ture in the party that is likely to prove
incurable or involve cdSuS JelH be
tween Senators and Representatives
who favor the silver dollar and the
President and Secretary of the Treas
ury who do not.
The question is one that is certain to
provoke much discussion-much more
than is necessary and useful-and it will
develop various contrarieties of policy;
but the mere statement of difference
between Senator and the President as
TO what policy should govern is one
thing; declaration of hostilities be-
tween the two is quite another.
1t is consequently unfair to Mr.. Beck
to parade him rs an enemy to the
Administration simply because he can.
not subscribe to its ideas about the cur
rency; and it is more than unfair to ex-
aggeratc the attitude of the President
as being one of surprise and alarm at a
speech which so nearly accords with
the distinguished Senator's previously
well known aud often reiterated opin
ions.
GENERAL LEW WALLACE, that
weird romancer and diplomat, who has
"becn abroad so long, you know" has
started on a mission TO change the
name of this glorious Republic from
"The United States of America"
10 America" simple and un-
adorned. He thinks that the
eternal fitness of things would
thereby be greatly conserved, for with
out our confines every one of us is
known, not as Omitted States man,
but as an American. Again General
Wallace says it would greatly simplify
and make easier the arduous work OF
diplomats. For instance" he adds
"a representative of Russia, in referring
to his government, says His Imperial
Majesty, the Car, but in all my cor.
respondence / had TO say, the Govern
ment of the United States of America. -
This was certainly very hard upon oui
late Minister to Turkey. 1t must have
taken up so much of his valuable time
that we wonder how he could have held
those celebrated seances with Abdu
Hamid, at one of which doubtless the
scheme to change the name of oul
country was hatched. We venture the
prediction, however, that in spite oI
the combined efforts of General Wal
lace and the Sultan, that this natior
will continue business at the same old
stand rs "The United States of Amer
lea"