Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-23

ELECTED PRESIDENT AND THE CONDITIONS
cHANeED-HE DOES NOT DESIRE ANY DIVISION
OF HIS PARTY on THE TARIFF QUESTION.
The opinion is expressed BY some who think
they understand Mr.. Cleveland's attitude with
relation to his party and the silver quest On
that the trouble with the secondhand inter
view on the subject which has been published
and in part repudiated lies chiefly in the form
Of expression. 1t is well known BY all Of Mr..
Cieveland's intimates that one Of his
chief prides is in his frankness and
entire freedom from any disposition to trim"
for political advantage; he would rather
be bold than appear polite. He would rather
be misunderstood than to run the risk Of APP
pearing timid In an explanation. Some Of the
admirers Of Mr.. Cleveland believe that his at
htude on the silver question was very nearly
described In the New York interview with Mr.
stephens, but that'Mr Cleveland in giving ut
terance to substantially the same ideas would
SO express himself as to give no room for the
who have been offended by his former declara-
tions.
HIS REAL ATTITUDE.
The day the silver letter TO the Reform Club
OF New York was printed an interview with
Representative Tracey of New York, who is q
warm admirer Of Mr.. Cleveland. as well as a
personal friend, was printed in The STAR In
TINS interview Mr.. Tracey said: ''He (Mr.
Cleveland) has decided convictions in opposi-
tlon to trying the experiment of free coinage
az present. and II is better that he frankly made
them known when circumstances arose calling
Tor a statement of his views"
on reading this interview Mr.. Cleveland
wrote 10 Mr.. Tracey stating that the interview
correctly represented his attitude.
WOULD NOT VETO A FREE COINAGE Bill.
Democratic politicians who believe that Mr.
Cleveland LIS going to be the party nominee and
that his utterances on the silver question are
not going to hurt him in the least declare the
belief that if time should prove that free COIN
age were desirable, Cleveland. being President
wouid not veto free coinage bill. They
90 not for moment pretend to doubt the
sincerity OF Mr.. Clevelands opposition TO free
coinage at this time nor that that opposition
would continue the same If the conditions re-
mslned the same, but think that if, as they be-
iieve will be the case, the strength and stabil-
ity OF silver as a money metal should be DEM
onstrated within the next two or three wears
Mr. Cleveland would be free to recognize the
fact
HE IS AGAINST PARTY DIVISION.
The opinion is expressed that Mr.. Cleveland,
when he wrote his famous letter, had the aues-
ton OF party policy in mind as much as he had
the abstract question of coinage of silver. and
that even II he had been personally favorable
to the free coinage of silver as an ultimate re-
suit he would have as earnestly advised against
any committal of the party to a free-coinage
policy as long as u division on that question
threatened a division of the party and en-
dangered their chance of ever being in a po-
sition to handle that or any other question
successfully. Entirely aside from his
convictions on the silver question he is said to
be opposed to running the risk of party diyi-
sion on any question Of policy until they have
made the fight to a finish on the tariff issue. in
which he expects his party to win. Having
gone into power, SO that what they might do one
way or the other would be of some conse-
quence, then, 1t is said, he believes it would he
time enough to determine upon new issues and
to try to put their future policy into effect.
SENTIMENTAL POLITICS.
Many OF those who are in perfect sympathy
with him in all matters aside from the financial
question believe that it would be very unwise
to divide the party and probably defeat il by
loading themselves all at once with more than
they can carry. for il they Keep themselves
permanently out of power by sentimental
politics they will not be in position to secure
free coinage or anything else they may have
their hearts on. 1t is believed that Mr. Cleveland
would have worded his silver letter differently IL
he had had the chance a few hours after he
sent 1t to the Reform Club, but he would have
substantially the same sentiments
and that if he were placed in the same position
today he would occupy the same attitude and
he Will occupy the same attitude until the con-
ditlons are such as to warrant the belief that
free coinage Of silver would be safe. Whether
these conditions will come about between now
and 81 or "a is thing which time alone can
answer.