The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-02-19
CLEVELAND AND SILVER.

We have before remarked that Mr..
CLEvEL1ND's attitude on the silver ques-
ton would not weaken, but strengthen his
chances for denomination. The next battle
for the Presidency will be made mainly on
the issue of tariff reform, and the silver
question, important as it is, will be subor
dinated to it.
The comments of the leading papers on
Mr.. CLEvELAND's attitude toward silver,
show the present trend of thought on this
question. The Philadelphia Times says:
| There is one man whose name will go into
history as the heroic statesman of his age,
the one who dared to be right and to speak
for the right even at the cost of political sue
cess.
Whether or not we agree with the Times
as to what is right at the present time con-
corning silver, we must admit that CLEvE-
LANDS action will very likely increase his
popularity in the doubtful states necessary
to his election, and in fact in all places
where free silver is not especially an issue,
like it is in the west,
The ST. Louis Globe-DGmocrdt says of the
effect the letter will have on CLEvELAND's
prestige:
He will be criticised to some extent of course,
and many of the Democratic politicians will dc
clare that they can never again support him;
but it is by no means certain that any real harm
will come to him.
The New York Com mercidI Advertiser
says:
The significant phrase was comprised in the
words IN the present situation" We take it
that Mr. CLEVELAND stands with the tom
mercidt and other conservative doublecoinage
advocates in believing that the only solution of
the question is free coinage by international
agreem emf. Gold alone is not and will not be
sufficient for supplying the needs of our cur
rency. But as between a limited gold currency
and an unlimited silver currency, with the con-
comitant evils of the boarding or export of gold
and the rush in this direction of Europe's sur
plus silver, there can be but one choice to con-
sentative fnanciers.
The Omaha World Herald is one of the
most pronounced. defenders of free coinage
and an expansion of the currency. Its
words are, therefore, Of especial signifi
canoe, as they represent, in great degree,
the views of the agricultural west in the
large states of the great valley:
MR. CLEvELaNDs adherence to his original
III lGCo vi VIC buCy dlC Op-
posed by the preponderance of his partys opin-
ion and imperil his hopes of receiving his
party's support in the west and south, is a
strong tribute to his rugged honesty. A truck
Ter in his place would not have placed himself
squarely on record as opposed to one of the
favorite ideas of his political sect. A dema-
gogue seeking party preferment would either
have lodged the issue or ostentatiously EN-
braced the views now so popular.
Before the ides of next years November ar
rive the sentiment OF the country may be
changing toward Mr.. CLEvELAND's position on
the silver question. He was years ahead OF
his party on the subject of tariff reform, and
his far-seeing craftsmanship should be taken
into consideration with his attitude on silver.
Even'now there is not perfect unanimity in his
party as to how silver coinage should be regu-
lated. His perspicacity may extend beyond the
present and perceive the mountain moving to-
wards Mahomet.
Moreover there are good many people who
are emphatic in the demand for an increase in
, the circulating medium who are not in favor OF
achieving that object by coming eighty cent
silver dollars SO as to enrich silver bullionaires
when there are other and better methods.
Every day brings fresh combinations OF
our view that CLEVELAND has really
strengthened himself in the east, by decar.
ing against "free, unlimited and indepen-
dent" silver coinage. The word ''indepen
dent'' is the key to his views; and, with
the phrase Sin the present situation, u
effectually checks the criticism that he is
not in favor either of silver coinage, upon
proper agreement with the leading nations
or of an expansion of the currency pro
portlonate to the needs of the countries
Mr.. CLEVELAND is all right, so far as hi:
nomination and election are concerned.