The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-26
LATE POLITICAL EVENTS.
Specializing as to the Effect They
, Will Have on the Next
Election.
Harper's Weekly Says Pre- Caucus
Prophets Must Now Revise
Their Views.
DOgmatic Utterances of That JOurnal--Af-
fairs ON the Republican e--Einine
to "Accept Jan. Z.

to "Accept Jan. Z.
WAsUsGToN, Dec. 25.-The correspondent
of the New York World sends that paper
the following: That Speaker Crisp's da-
termination to place Mr.. Springer Mt the
head OF the ways and means committee
meant moro than the practical retirement
of Mr.. Mills was apparent to every political
student who read the announcement in tho
World. Just how much more WAS a ques-
ton until it became known that the
speaker would appoint coinage committee
favorable to free silver.
That was the one point needed to estab-
lish the fact that what is known as the
Cleveland element will play very minor
part in shaping the legislation of the Fifty
second congress.
The rejection OF Mr.. Mills tariff policy
| by the democratic cauous and the prompt
acquiescence Of Speaker Crisp in the judg-
ment of the majority, afforded strong in
dicetion of what might be expected. It
matters little whether the ex- president
directly aided the former exponent of his
tariff reform idea or not. Mr.. Mills posi-
! tion WAS Mr.. Cleveiand's position certainly
on the tariff, and, for the time being on
silver. The former obtained some votes
and lost others by announcing that, il he
were elected speaker. he would go construct
the coinage committee that silver would be
subordinated and no free-coinaGe measure
would be allowed to pass the house.
In view of Mr.. Cleveland's positive utter
ance on this subject, it goes without saying
l ~ rA
not surprising, therefore, that at tho mo-
ment when Mr.. Mills chance seemed best,
Mr.. Cleveland's friends focked to his stan
| dard.
| Had Mr.. Mills been elected Mr.. Cleve-
lands friends would surely have claimed
the credit therefor and would have her.
aided the fact as proof conclusive of the
ex-president's nomination next wear.
Mr.. Mills was defeated and Harper's
Weekly. one Of the few Cleveland journals
which manifest either political intelligence
or candor, admits that the result shows
indisputably that those who supposed the
result in New York to show the certainty OF
Mr.. Cleveland's nomination were pro-
| foundly mistaken
It goes yet further with the statement
that even those who thought with the
| Weekly that the general result of the elec-
|
of his party, are probably disposed to revise
their views after the result OF the demo-
cratic caucus"
| OF cou'se, somebody must be blamed for
a result so distasteful, and the Weekly un-
| hesitatingly fixes it partly ON Mr.. Cleve-
land himself when it adds hat None who
! in the late election aided in strengthening
and confirming the Hill-Tammany power
can complain OF the first logical result of
| their efforts"
This is only an odd mugwump conceit,
but it indicates the growth of a distinct
impression, viz, that whateve ver setback Mr..
Cleveland may have suffered is due less to
| the skill of his enemies than to the
blunders Of his friends, perhaps-but this
is digression. @@
The real question is this:
Will Mr.. Ceveland's nomination be
made impossible BY the passage of free
coinage measure?
Here is opportunity for speculation. In
the first place, free-coinage measure,
such as WAS outlined in the World, will
| surely receive the endorsement Of the
Democratic party rs represented in con-
gress. Only one man could possibly pre-
vent il, and it would be no easy task for
him. That man is Speaker Crisp. He de-
cided not to make the attempt. Why?
Because, by so doing. he would act con-
victions of the majority for the sole pur-
pose OF accommodating Mr.. Cleveland.
That is the exact truth put rather bluntly.
Had there been special reason why he
should have obliged so distinguished a
member of the party as the ex- president,
the speaker would have lacked neither i'm
clination or courage. But there was none.
Mr.. Mills is not the only man who has
drawn into his she'll True he has not
spoken to the speaker since the caucus. But
neither have the Breckinridges. nor any
other conspicuous members of the Cleve,
land coterie. The OK x-president himself has
been too busy to send Mr.. Crisp a coneratu-
latory message. So have Col. Lamont and
Mr.. Dickinson and Mr.. Villas and Mr..
Viii tney and the others.
Under the circumstances, while quite full
of friendliness for Mr.. Cleveland, the
speaker does not feel all overpoweriug serse
of duty to sacrifice his own interests in his
behalf.
None of the powers that be here, has yet
sought Mr.. Cleveland's advice regarding
good grace now. The policy has been de-
termined on both tariff and silver.
Not many knew what the plan was until |
they discovered it in the World, but a few
seem to have stumbled upon tho idea. No
body, for instance, who read Gov. Hills
Elmira speech can fail to notice that great
minds do so ometimes run in the same chan
mel. 40, too, of anyone who has talked
recently with Senator German or Gov. Alb
bett.
New YORK. New Jersey, observation-disclosures
ty~tive for Crisp. nno for Mills.
"fhe representatives. of the party" saws
Harper's Weekly, have repudiated the
views ot Mr.. Cleveland"
Taking one consideration with another.
the Weeklv's opinion does seem to linger i'll
the Immediate vicinity of incontrovertible
fact.
But, even granting its accuracy, may not
the rank and file of the democracy. in turn.
repudiate the views of the representatives
next June?
That is the real question, after all.
BLAINE TO ACCEPT