Montgomery County sentinel., 1891-02-20
TIE CRITICISMS UPON MR.. CLEVE
LANDS SILVER LETTER.

Voluminous and uniform as the comments
by the politicians upon Mr.. Cleveland's sill
yer letter have been, we must confess that
we are unable to see the force or justice of
them. If we were at all inclined 10 differ
with him in the opinion which he expresses
so tersely, We should still, we hope, be able
to do justice to his sincerity aud freely ac.
cord him the merit of patriotic purpose
The character and quantity of the criti
cism which the letter has elected from men
in active political life-especially of his own
party-have surprised us not little. The
burden of it is, that inasmuch as the major
ity Of his party friends towards the close of
an expiring Congress had seen fit to cast
their votes for the free coinage bill, and Mr..
Cleveland was the most talked Of candidate
of his party in the next Presidential cam.
paign, he should have remained silent upon
that subject, If he differed with them, since
the expression of an antagonistic opinion
was calculated To destroy the apparent ex-
listing harmony of lis party, and compel its
leaders to look about for other candidate.
This criticism seems to have been based
upon two errors, namely, mistaken esti
mate of Mr.. Cleveland's character, and a
false view OF the duty Of the citizen. AS to
the first, Mr.. Clevelands public career is
dead failure If men have still to learn that
when he has thing to say he says it like a
man, in plain straightforward way that
leaves no doubt about his meaning. AS to
the second, it springs in part from the falacy
that man owes his first duty to his party,
and in part from the cowardice that takes
fright at each new political fad that happens
10 catch the popular fancy. Mr.. Cleveland,
fortunately for the country, is first of all Il
citizen AS such he watches with interest
the current legislative history of his coun.
try and when he sees an attempt is being
made to fasten upon 1t laws which he be-
lleves will inure to the disad advantage of the
people, he throws the weight of his influ-
ence against their enactment. Could he do
less? Ii he believes, as he says he does,
that the greatest perils would be initiated
by the adoption OF the scheme embraced in
the measure now pending in Congress for
an uIlilHliteu COlDaBe Oh silver at our mlntS,
would he not be recreant to his duty if he
failed TO obstruct its passage by every means
in his power? Nay, believing this, would
he not establish his unfitness for the presi-
dency, if he attained it by suppressing his
real sentiments upon Il subject of such vital
importance?
But the criticism is equally unjust from a
party standpoint. The Democratic party
has never declared for free coinage OF light
weight dollars, and if Mr.. Cleveland thinks
it would be wrong, and therefore unwse, to
commit it To that scheme, it is difficult 10 see
wherein he is a less loyal party man than
those who by their votes in Congress have
sought to establish free coinage as an arti
Gle oil Democratic faith, against the protest
of others whose opinions are entitled to con
sideration.
Men who believe first of all in success,
who play always for what is in sight, can
not, OF course. see these things in the clear
light which surrounds man like Clcve
land, who
Stands above the fog
In public duty and in private thinking"
but we shall be greatly surprised it, when
the time 10 name candidate arrives, and
characters are weighed, he is not found To
he stronger than ever in the affections OF the
people.