Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-02-16
CALM REFLECTION
Coming to HOt-Headed Statcsmsn-Cleve-
lands Position on the silver Bill.

lands Position on the silver Bill.
Specia, telegram 20 ne sunday Register
WASHINGTON. February Il Let no one
imagine because of the outcry caused by
Clcyeland's anti-silver letter that gentle
men in public or private life in Washing
ton are DISCOURAGED Some Of them IT the
first blast, after reading the letter on
Thursday morning, were inclined 70 be-
lieve that il was all up with Mr. Cleyc
land so TAR as the possibility Of ever again
being candidate of the Democratic party
Tor the Presidency was concerned. They
felt that the party had OCcn so thoroughly
committed 70 the policy OF free coinage Of
silver during this session of Congress, that
Mr.. Cleveland in openly opposing that
policy simply served notice on the party
that they need look 10 him 10 more as their
leader But since Thursday the friends
Of the eX-PreSidcnt seem 10 have thought
the matter over carefully, apparently, and
after studying the situation thoroughly
seem 10 have found reason 10 take quite
different view of the matter In the first
place, those Of them who are in position
20 know the inside workings of the move
ment for free coinage in the present Con
gress recalled many things tending TO show
that that movement was largely manufac-
turcd and carried on by paid agents. Now
n there Is such a strong and general lie
mand among the people Of this country for
free silver, whatsOrt OF legislators have
we here in Washington If they must be
urged and driven 10 grant the people what
they want by the most powerful lobby ever
known here. They also recalled the
fact that in private and conf
dental conversation with many
members Of both the House and Senate
who in public talk strongly in favor Of free
a 4
that they were not convinced OF the Wis
dom Of the financial schemes they advoclt.
ed on the floors of their respective cham
0ers Our people seem TO want free coin
age. they would say, land consequently
we have got 70 work for it, \ character
istic evidence of this sort Of thing occurred
a few days ago. \ Western Republican
who is recognized as one OF the leading ad-
vocates Of free coinage in the House and
who in season an out has put himself for
ward as a champion of the silver cause, sat
down in confidential mood 10 talk with a
group OF friends, one of whom was
a newspaper man. The Western
man became very communicative.
and BEGAN 10 talk on the desperate fight
they were making for free coinage. He
went on 10 discuss the chances OF securing
legislation at this session. AID admitted
I with no show of regret that the situation
was not at all encouraging. Then he pro
ceeded, much 10 the establishment of those
about him, TO declare that the silver move
ment was a good deal of craze, anyway.
and he would not be sorry when il was
done with. He plainly intimated that he
| did not believe in the doctoring of the sill
yer coinage himself, and ne had no idea
| the country would be benefited to any ap-
preciable extent by the enactment Of a free
coinage law. On the contrary, he
/ seemed Of the opinion that after the mag
I mary boom was over the country would
suffer a disastrous reaction Now, this
man is a silver mine owner himself. and
I vet he talked in this way, and the views he
expressed were unQueStOnaOly his real
ones. 10 is also recalled that when the sill
yer bin had passed the Senate last session
and came 20 the House for action. some OF
/ the Western Republican Senators who had
/ fought hardest to get IL through their
/ Chamber. came 10 the leaders OF the House
and iulimated very strongly that the bill
/ had better not be allowed TO become Law.
/ I T il did they said. the effect was likely to
| be disastrous 20 the country. As 10 the
I Democratic position ON the silver
question i'm this session, DC should
also be borne in mind that the attempt to
/ defeat the Force till had much 10 10 with
getting the Democrats into line in favor OF
free coinage. ~ matter OF TACT, lhVst
/ VINO have summed Up the situation care
b fully do not hesitate 10 say that not one
hall The Democratic members of tke House
are sincerely convinced OF the wisdom OF
enacting "a free coinage law. When the
/ friends of Mr.. Cleveland recall these
things. 10 is not 20 DC wondered at that they
await with confident hopefulncsS the tinal
effect of that gentleman's letter against
/ free coinage They believe, IN short. that
/ the letter is going 10 have the effect OF
greatly allaying the vigor of the demand
for free silver and in the long run Will
make Mr. Cleveland stronger than he was
/ before he wrote IT, They think The masses
Of the Democratic party are so firmly con-
WINGED OF Cleveland's honesty that they
will. under the spell of his declaration
against free silver. begin anew the study
OF the question at issue, and finally see the
wisdom and justice Of his position, and az
cept il rs their own. Already there are
many things tending 70 show that the view
/ Cleveland's friends take OF the matter has
something IN il. Men who. on Thursday.
were boldly declaring that Cleveland had
killed himself politically by his letter, are
now inclined 10 go back on their utterances
and take a much more conservative view
81 q n effuurfnu