The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-23

The Senate and Cleve1and's Nominations-The
Silver Question.

oISer question:
Washington Special.
DO you anticipate any general hostility to the
administration on the part Of the Senate IL refer
ence to confrmatiousT
AS tC the attitude of Republican senators IN
respect 10 combinations, II Is too soon yet TO give
an opinion Where changes are made In admin
istrative offices of leading character, necessary
to place all branches of the government in har-
m0ny with the administration, there will prob
ably be no fault to find, although the changes
made are not improvements. Where there IS q
clear and palpabe violation Of the law have no
doubt the Republicans will seek to correct 1t so
far as they can under the provisions Of the tenure
of office act. | think the chief feeling among
the Republicans will be sense of humiliation
and shame that the people have III an unguard-
ed moment placed IN power in this country
the very men that waged war against
the country for years, created all
the vast public debt, and DESTROYED
the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. !
confess that feel this more than anything else
that the disconnected Republicans for trivial
causes, have been so regardless Of the experience
OF history as TO place III power rebels prominent
In the confederate service who do not propose to
change their opinion, and who are now acting
upon the very doctrine which led them into the
rebellion. | believe that thousands of men,
Republicans and patriotic Democrats who voted
for Cleveland, will feel that in this they have
done an injury to republican Institutions and
have brought reprOach upon the cause in which
they, at least, were true to their country. Our
Democratic friends are greatly mistaken if they
think the people regard with any patience the
placing of prominent confederates In high posi-
ton of trust who do not even pretend to be sorry
for the course they adopted, and who are now IN
Office just as much representatives of the South
ern Confederacy as they were when they We're
in the Confederate Congress or in the rebel
ranks"
''What do you regard as the wisest method of
dealing with the silver question:"
Il am glad to say that the silver question is
not now and has never been political one. Both
parties have been divided upon it, and that gives
me great deal of hope that a wise solution will
be made out of it. 1t is manifest unless some
thing is done early in the next Congress that we
shall come to single silver standard, the effect
Of which is to demonetize all the vast quantity
OF gold in the country, to cause it at once to be
boarded and retired from circulation and this
has largely contributed to produce the present
stagnation in business. No prudent man would
care to embark IN a great enterprise when he
may be met in u very short time with a sudden
change Of money standards. 1t looks to me now
very much as it was in 1877, when ali coin was
excluded from circulation, and the currency was
paper money. Many men thought that the at
tempt to add silver and gold to currency
would produce contraction, and make the times
harder Experience has shown that our prog
ress toward resumption increased the volume
OF trade, and gave greater activity to bust
ness If now gold is demonetiZed, the same
effect will be produced that from 1873 to 1871
While if proper measures are adopted to keep
silver and gold the same footing and free cir
culation, to the other, this will add to the
volume of currency, remove distrust, and pro
mote business. | do not think that the general
course of the Treasury Department, under the
present administration, has been wise in this
respect Formerly we added to gold in the
Treasury by issuing silver certificates in ex
change for gold bullion. which could be readily
exchanged into gold coin. The refusal to issue
such certificates now in exchange for gold cuts
off the most important contribution of gold to
the Treasury while the attempt to keep gold in
the Treasury by manipulation of the bankers
will only defeat the object, perhaps, and add to
the dstrust among business men. | have no
doubt that Secretary Manning is trying to do
precisely what | favored-maintenance OF gold
and silver as current funds but | doubt whether
he will accomplish the purpose by the plans that
have been adopted lately