The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-02-18
Two Letters.


the next presidential nomination dur
ing the past week. Two letters of I'M
usual significance have appeared, one
from the pen of the brilliant journalist,
Henry Watterson, and the other from
Mr.. Cleveland himself. 1t is difficult
to say which will have the greater in
fuence in advancing the cause of the
ex-president There had been wide
spread apprehension among eastern
democrats that Mr.. Cleveland would
favor free silver coinage. He had been
charged with writing letter to that
effect some months ago. If he had
thus placed himself in touch and SYM
pathy with the majority of his party,
he would of course have alienated the
mugwumps and the conservative demo-
Gratis of the Eastern States. Very
likely he could receive the no rination
on free coinage platform, but NOM
ination is not the height of his ambi-
ton. Mr. Cleveland is intensely
anxious to be president again. He has
set his sails for breezes that he thinks
will watt him Washingtonward. From
the day he left the White House, two
years ago, until now, he has timed his
speeches and acts with reference to
the next presidential election. When,
therefore, the free coinage men came
out of the West and asked him to
be one of them-asked him to lead
their forces in the coming battle-it
was poser for Mr.. Cleveland. and he
concluded to sit down and think it all
over. Doubtless he reasoned in this
wise: " If | declare for free coinage, /
can probably get the nomination. The
West is red hot for silver. There will
be lots of enthusiasm out there for me.
But what of that? Where are the
uotes coming from? These silver
states-Nevada, Colorado, Wyoming
and Montana-are republican states,
and they may vote against me anyway.
But suppose l get them. My own state
of New York, to say nothing of the
other close Eastern States, will surely
90 republican, and, for the sake of
few votes from the sparsely-settled sill
yer states, l will have sacrificed the
thirty-six votes of New York, as well
as the votes of such states as Massa-
chusetts, Connecticut and New Jer-
sey. 1t won't do. | am against free
silver coinage" Doubtless the eX-
president is counting on reaction from
silver enthusiasm in the course of the
next two years. Just now silver is
king in the West, but it may be an I'M
crowned king in the fall of 1892. But
whatever the process of reasoning en-
ployed by Mr.. Cleveland was, the con-
letter referred to. 1t was written for
the purpose of having it read at a meet
ing of the Reform Club in New York
on last week Wednesday evening. As it
is interesting to know just where the
man who will probably be the next
democratic candidate for president
stands on this question, we give this
letter in full
/ have this afternoon received your note
inviting me to attend tomorrow evening
the meeting called for the purpose of voic-
ing the position of the business men of our
city to " the free coinage of silver in the
United States.' | shall not be able to at
tend and address the meeting as you re-
quest, but | am glad that the business in
terests of New York are at last to be heard
on this subject. 1t surely cannot he neces-
sarg for me to make a formal expression of
my agreement with those who believe that
the greatest peril would be. invited by the
adoption of the scheme embraced in the
measures now pending in congress for the
unlimited coinage of silver at our minis. If
we have developed an unexpected capacity
for the assimilation of largely-increased
volume of this currency, and even if we
have demonstrated the usefulness of such
an increase, other conditions fall far short
OF insuring us against disaster if in its pres
ent situation we enter upon the dangerous,
the reckless experiment of free, unlimited
and independent silver coinage.
This is cold comfort for the silver
men, and it is possible that Mr.. Cleve-
land himself may not be very happy
in making his declaration of principle.
We have the word of Representative
Hooker of Mississippi that no man who
is against free coinage will be NOM
mated by the democratic party. Mr.,
Cleveland, however, seems to prefer to
take his chances with gold in the pres
ent crisis.
Having placed himself squarely
against free coinage, the ex-president
has won the cordial support of the great
body of democrats in the East outside
of New York. In fact, as far as the
East is concerned, he would have I'M
divided support were, it not for the