New-York tribune., 1891-02-21
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
SENATOR MCDONALD NOT HOPEFUL FOR
DEMOCRATIC SUCCESS.
xvrcrs THAT THE SILVER QUESTION WILL
ne rRoUBLEsoME-APPRovI Mr. cLEvE-
LANDS LETTER-A VIGOROUS oP-
PoNENT's RESPECT FOR
THE PRESIDENT,

THE PRESIDENT.
washington, Feb. 2O..-There is no more con-
..,,a.iye member of the Democratic party than
.v.Senator Joseph f. Mcdonald, of Indiana. lie
NC been out of active politics for several years
10 has law offices in Washington and spends his
Winters here looking after cases in the Supreme
Court He does not apparently look forward 10
the political future of his party with any special
oorfdence He does not share tie enthusiastic
opiuions expressed by the light and superficial
thinkers of his party He is one of the few
democrats who comprehend the strength of tins
Administration anC the full character of the Presi
dent. Mr. Mcdonald has practised law for the
last thirty years in Indiana. He has come ire
ousntlv in contact with the President and has ap-
naared both with and against him in many OF the
leading cases tried in that State. He has also
conducted number of campaigns against Mr..
Harrison and, therefore, has more profound
knowledge of the strength of the Presidents char
acter and ability than the majority of his asso-
cjates in the Democratic party
The ex-senator belongs to the class of sturdy,
s,,ong men who came to the front during the war.
These men appear to be of different type from
those who are at the front now in public life The
men of that period were nearly all of them large
physically and mentally. They were men of un-
usual character and decision. They had positive
convictions and were not easily demoralized by
any sudden wave of popular opinion. They had
clear political vision and understood thoroughly
practical politics in the best sense Of the WORD.
The ex-senator. although in the neighborhood oil
sixty-ive years of age is to-day strong, male ana
vigorous He is man of large figure and robust
physique. His head is round and his face is full
He is bald. with the exception of long curling
l,o;- ba hooly RI NJ head
line over his ears. His double-chinned face is
smooth-shaven and fresh-colored. A faint throat
latch of gray whiskers follows the underline of his
double chin and simply accentuates this line of
his face. His forehead is broad his eyebrows are
unusually prominent, and have the defiant twirl
of military mustache. His eyes are dark. His
hose is Roman in shape. He has pleasant
voice and manner of dcliberation in speaking.
He is one of the closest reasoners among the
lawyers practising before the Supreme Court. lie
never makes any appeal TO the emotions. He be-
longs TO the class of lawyers who prepare their
arguments for the judges and not for the iurics.
His remarks the political situation therefore.
have unusual interest as he has been mentioned
several times of late for the second place on the
Democratic ticket. He is personal friend of
and believer in Mr. Cleveland
asked Mr.. Mcdonald what he thought would
be the effect of Mr. Clevelands letter the silver
question. He said in reply:
d" In some ways 1 glad he has written such a
letter This silver craze has taken on such pro-
portions that it is well that the issue should be
early and sharply defined. There are eighteen
months yet for public opinion TO be educated upon
this subject. great deal is possible during that
period. / am glad Mr. Cleveland has taken this
position, because l believe it is the right one, and
prefer to be right than to succeed upon a false
basis"
Mr. Mcdonald said further that it was highly
portant for the Democratic party that this sil-
yer issue should be disposed of or made subordinate
TO others. Said he:
IF Mr.. Cleveland should be nominated with
such an issue, he could not carry q single State
West of the Mississippi River. Then, upon the
other hand, if we were to nominate a candidate
pledged to the free coinage of silver, could not
carry single State east of the Mississippi River
This silver craze may pass away and it may be
come intensified The value of silver to-day is
determined by the supply and the demand. No
possible act of legislation can advance its value
People who are now decaiming against the advo-
cafes of a gold standard and who charge that The
Government is responsible for the present low
price of silver. would do well to recall the condl
lion of affairs in this country in 1852. This was
a period when there was a great production Ol
gold and the silver product was small. The gold
production was much larger in proportion than
that of silver The consequence was that III"
sea rcer metal, silver went TO premium as against
cold To-day there is overproductlon OF Sill
yer. or a larger production III proportion than
of gold. and its price has gone down accord
inclv. No Nation has ever been able TO make
cheap currency circulate alongside of dearer one
Germany tried il by coming the German thucr
This was supposed TO represent the value eiulVa-
lent IN our dollar. But che bullion value OF TINS
coin was only ~ cents, and when it was issued II
could only be received in the commercial maiKeus
of the world for that value. II has never goU
above 70 cents The farmers OF the country nat
urallv feel anxious for some KIND OF lcgisiauiol
which will advance the prices OF AGRICULTURAL
nroducts But they must remember, "haV eVN',
Of their Representatives are often III the hdoiO VI
overlooking, that any legislation whlch mas 'eh-
dency 10 mark up the prices OF thlhss 'heS II"
70 sell must naturally mark up the prices ol .hins
they have To buy. 1t Will not oe possioie io'
tbis oonntrv TO circulate the two currences shVei
and gold without an arbitrary declaration 'n"'
80 ounces of silver are worth an ounce Oh
cold and then to have all the civilized Natlohe VI
Tho earth agree to the same standard Ihau Is
,ha only way that the two metals can pe Hlaoe
freely to circulate together
.T,bora are few OF the people who are clahior'
ing to-day for free coinage VINO unuei''Nno snaI
He,. nt They are urged on by the same feel
inc which inspires all of the people WI" au' 'o'"'
ohe.n roorev Il IS a panacea for hard tunes
People in distress are naturally cap'Va'eo oS
i,s theories not realizing the fact that they would
ho tho srst surcrers. ANY unlimited coinage
Of silver would simply mean contraction OF the
currency by the sending OF gold to premium
That is absolutely unanswerable Ihen' win any
kind of imitation, the people without money nave
M more means of obtaining it than before
The Senator went On TO say that ne hopcu '"i>
issue might be so explained that by the heAe