Omaha daily bee., 1891-12-29

The pre- eminence OF Senator Carlisle
Of Kentucky among the democratic
leaders of today. in ability and states
manship. is conceded on all hands. tie
is a careful, conservative man, lacking
somewhat, it may be, in force and ag-
gressiveness, but having we'll defined
convictions on all public questions. The
counsel Of such a nan TO his party ought
to carry great weight, and heretofore
the influence of Mr.. Carlisle has been
potent in directing the course OF the
democracy. How much power it will
have under the somewhat changed con
ditions, which seem TO have made Cor
man, Hill and Crisp the party directors,
is uncertain.
Senator Carlisle advises his party not
to NEEDLE with the silver question at
this time, and he gives sound reasons for
the counsel. He does not think the ma
jority of the business people OF the
United States are in favor of further
Legislative interference with the cur
rency ut present, and it is his opinion
that some of The propositions suggested
are full Of danger to the country. One
Of these is for the free coinage Of the
American product of silver, which he
thinks would be worse for the people
generally, in one respect ut least, han
any plan yet adopted, as it would give to
the mina owners all the difference be-
tween the bullion value and the coinage
value of silver, which ought to go to
the government, or more properly
speaking, the people, as has been the
case during the past thirteen years.
Asked what he would propose, Mr..
Carlisle said that every dollar in circu-
latiOn among the people should be as
good as any dollar that circulates or
forms the basis of our trade, domestic or
international, and he would let the mat
ter stand as it is now and see what the
future may develop. The capitalist,
said the Kentucky senator, can always
take care of his own interest when
changes occur, or are about to occur, in
the relative values of the different kinds
of currency in circulation, because he
can, in anticipation of snch changes,
convert his money at any time into the
most valuable kind of currency ana
hoard it in order to realize the premium,
while the laborers, and in fact the peo-
pie generally, have nothing to hoard
and arc compelled to receive from day
to day in payment for their labor and its
products just such money as the law
makes legal tender, whatever it may
be-"
These are sound views, the adoption of
which by the democratic party would
undoubtedly be to it's advantage, but
what is the promise that the counsel and
the opinions of Senator Carlisle will re-
ceive the consideration from his party
representatives In congress which they
merit? Will Mr.. Bland. chairman of the
coinage committee, or any of the other
four or five democratic members of that
committee who were placed on it because
of their known devotion to the policy of
free silver coinage, pay any attention to
the advice of tie Kentucky senator? Will
Speaker Crisp, who in making up the
coinage committee clearly Indicated
his sympathies with the free coinage
advocates and his willingness to have
this policy made an issue, give heed to
the admonitlon of Senator Carlisle?
Probably not. All the Indications are
that Il bill providing for the free coin
age OF silver will be introduced, with
the chances favorable to its success, in
the house. This would be the logical
result of the election OF Mr.. Crisp. 1t
is manifestly a prominent feature in the
program of the faction which made him
speaker, and it cannot be abandoned
without seriously impairing the prestige
of that factions success and reducing
its chances of accomplishing the princi-
pal object it has in view-to defeat the
nomination of Grover Cleveland for the
presidency. The good counsel of SEN
ator Carlisle will be wasted upon a ma-
| iority OF the representatives OF his party