The Indianapolis journal., 1891-02-20
NO GROUND FOR CONSOLATION,

While Democratic organs in the West
are laboring to make it appear that there
is difference between Cleveland the
individual and Cleveland the Democrat
when placed on free coinage platform,
the special organs of Mr.. Cleveland in
the East are laboring to find grounds of
consolation in the act of President Grant,
who vetoed the initiation bill of 1874,
which was supported by large, if not
the dominant, element of the Republic
an party in Congress, thereby incurring
their great displeasure. followed by
their general support of the resumption
act. They set forth the facts in the Re-
publican case and proceed to assume
that Mr.. Cleveland is the man to change
the Democratic party from the free
coinage heresy, as General Grant led the
Republicans in Congress to pass, and
the Republican party to support, the re-
sumption act. While it is admitted that
the Republicans in Congress were Sc
riously divided on the currency ques-
tion. and that many influential leaders
were in favor of initiation and opposed
to resumption, the majority stood with
General Grant. In fact, the Repub-
lican party at that time seemed to be
hopelessly divided on the main issue be-
fore the country, so much SO that many
predicted that it could never be united
to become a power in national affairs
and that it would be we'll for it to 60 to
pieces. 1t was the darkest period in the
life of the Republican party. But Gen.
Grant had the majority of his party in
Congress with him. 1t is different with
Mr.. Cleveland; SO far as his party has
votes in Congress, it may be said to be
nearly unanimous against him. General
Grant and his supporters were majority
of the Republicans in Congress. They
had only minority to win over or COM
promise with. The minority contained
men of brains and experience, and they
met Republicans of the majority, who
proposed concessions. In the case of
Mr.. Cleveland and all his official party,
it is different, for between those favor
ing the free coinage of silver and those
opposed to it there is no ground for COM
promise. In the case of the Republican
split over the currency question there
was q wide field for compromise. Be-
sides, the Republicans were beaten in
the election which followed General
Grants veto, in April, 1874, so that it be-
came a question, when Congress re-
op,hIad in tho socopd sacciop of do
ing something. The best men of the
party consulted, and the result was
Sherman's resumption act, to go into
effect in four years, with provisions
authorizing the expansion of bank circu-
lation and stopping the contrac-
ton of the volume of greenbacks.
Many members did not like the bill,
but it was enacted by the almost unani-
nous vote of Republican members and
became law and the Republican policy
on the subject. There is, as has been
said, no ground for compromise in Mr..
Cleveland's case. The Democratic party
in the South which elects Democrats,
and in the West, which is for free silver,
must either go to Mr.. Cleveland, or Mr..
Cleveland must go to them. Conse-
Quently, all the hopes which the mug
wumps are iDdulging in the expectation
that Mr.. Cleveland's letter against free
silver coinage will be to his party what
General Grants veto of the expansion
bill of 1874 became to his party will
not be realized.