Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1891-04-28
Cleveland's Flop.

1t issS metimes said that the age
If miracles is past, hut the state
nents r. Gently written by Grover
Cleveland to State Treasurer Steph-
ms Of Missouri on the silver ques-
zion Sc m to disprove it, inasmuclI
"a Il e "Sluffed Prophet" admits
that he has been mistaken twice on
the silver question, and such an ad
mission is little short Of miracle.
Said Mr.. Cleveland: "When tn"
law was passed for the coinage OF
two millions of silver dollars month
ly l feared the result, for ] thought
it would prove an injury to the bus
iness interests of the country, for d
time at least. However, the law
proved benefit, for, contrary to my
OPT ion, the country was ready fur
the change. When the present law
providing for the coinage of $4,000,
600 month passed L thought the
measure too radical and that il
might have the effect of driving
gold out of the country, but in this
was mistal en-"
Thus far the oracle Of the Democ
racy merely admits that he was hn-
man and therefore liable to err; out
there is corollary to this admis-
sion which, in view Of the impeud-
ing Presidential contest, is more
interesting than the confession. AS
is well known, a number OF South
ern and Western States are pro.
nounced in favor of the free coinage
of silver, and some of them, thOusD
Democratic through ami through,
have declared that no anti-silver
man need not Look for the Dem
)cratic nomination for the Presi-
iency in 1892 Hero is where the
corollary c)me In. Mr.. Cleveland
said, in reply to a questi!n ~ to
what he would do with free coin
age bill were he elected in 1892. Tf
should be elected President in 1892
he bill would not reach me until
1894. What would he bad for the
'ountry to-day might be necessary
in 1924"
Those opposed to as we'll as those
in favor of free coinage believe the
present law is a fine one, in 81 far
that the country was benefited by it.
With the rapid strides the country is
making it is impossible to say what
financial measure we may be ready
for in 1894"
If that is not "Good Lord, good
devil" statement of the case, then
no man in public life ever made one.
1t is as bold bid for the nomination
in 1892 as could be conceived. 1t
puts Cleveland into the position OF
one who is willing to sacrifice every
principle which he has held for the
sake of currying favor with one wing
of political party, at the same
time expressing doubt enough as to
the correctness of his position to
leave his retreat open in case of q
sufficiently vigorous protest from the
other wing. He is Bunyan's "Mr
Faclng-both-ways" to perfection.
But what becomes of that dam;
less courage and sturdy determin
alton which have been the chie
characteristics of Glover Cleveland
according to his friends and admir-
ers? Where are the stiff neck and |
unbending backbone of which VIZ
have heard so much? What has eff |
fected the wondrous change i'm the |
man who wrote the Warner letter,
md who, while president, meyer
missed but one chance to urge Oh
congress the suspension of silver
coinage? Alas for the democratic
party. Its favorite leader, its hope
for 1892, has carried out the tradi
tions of the party by doing the
wrong thing at the right time, and |
has set himself straddle of the |
fence just when his party was pro-
claiming most loudly that nothing |
could swerve from the fixed line OF
principle end policy.-S. F, Chroni.
Gle.