The Washington critic., 1885-12-08
TOPICS OF THE DAY.
Mr.. Cleveland a Presbyterian and
Somewhat of a FataliSt.
SOMETHING NEW IN WEDDINGS.
Ex-Comptroller KnoS's Views About
the silver Question.

'JOhn Jay KNOX, 1Or many years
Comptroller of the Currency, is spend
ing few days with his family in
Washington" says Jules Guthridge of
the Chicago NeoS. "When Mr.. Knox
resigned his position as Comptroller
eighteen months ago he accepted the
presidency Of the National Bank of the
Republic of New York city. One of
his former associates at the Treasury
Department says that since Mr.. Knox's
connection with the bank the deposits
have doubled in number and the gen
cral business very greatly increased.
He accepted the place at an annual sal
airy of $40 ,000 but at the end of the
first year the directors unanimously in
creased it to $1,000 During his pres
ent visit in Washington Mr.. Knox has
talked with number of leading men
in both parties in regard to the silver
question, which, he says, will be the
first subject of Importance to be consid
cred by the incoming Congress. The
result of these conversations leads him to
believe that number of the more
prominent silver mcn-like Senator
Allison of Iowa, for example--have
modified their views very greatly since
last year. Mr.. Knox does not believe
that the time has arrived for n ma
jority of public men to favor an entire
suspension of the coinage of the silver
dollar, but he does think that the
present session of Congress will witness
the passage of bill temporarily sus-
pending the coinage for two years
This, he says, is the best the anti silver
men can expect. The attitude of the
Administration which is known to be
in favor of any measure that will stop
even temporarily the accumulation of
silver in the Treasury vaults, will have
an excellent influence in helping to
bring about that result"
A~#
Says contributor to the New York
Tribune of Sunday: General Arson G..
McCook paid afying visit home after
the indianapolis ceremonies. l walked
down Broadway beside his compact
and wcll-filled figure yesterday. He
has the complacent look and air of
man well satisfied with himself and the
world. He told me that there was much
unfavorablc comment on the decision
of the President not to go to Indiauap.
oils. "The action of the President of
the United States should always and
invariably and in every conceivable
emergency be fearless" he said to me.
Mr. Cleveland is not a coward. ]
don't believe he has any fear in his
composition. He is Presbyterian and
somewhat of fatalist. But in this mat
ter he allowed himself to be influenced
by lot of weak counselors and timid
advisers. 1t was mistake. Yes, l
have heard the stories that he is always
surrounded by body guard of detect.
ives. l had an ocular demonstration
Of the fact at the Inauguration. The
order was for President Aarthur and
Mr.. Cleveland to walk out of the Sen
ate chamber together and Mr.. Hen
bricks to follow in my company. AS
we stepped out into the open air two
men thrust themselves in between Ar
thur and Cleveland and Hendricks and
myself naturally desired to know
who and what they were, and they dis
closed to me their badges as special de-
tectives. | said to Mr.. Hendricks that
it was sorry comment on our Govern
mcnt that these men should be in such
aplace and he agreed with me. But
never for a moment supposed that Mr.
Cleveland knew they were there or who
they were. They simply magnified
their official positions as men Of small
caliber arc apt to do.