Smyrna times., 1891-02-18
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 1891

Senator Gorman's Presidential boom.
which has been carefully nursed for
some time by some of the Democrats
in Congress has grown wonderfully
since the publication of Mr.. Cleye-
lands anti-free coinage letter. Four
fifths of the democrats in both House
and Senate have stated their belief TO
be that Mr.. Cleveland's nomination is
now an impossibility and in looking
over the field tor a successor MANY Of
them think that German is the man.
Mr.. German voted for the Vest free
coinage bill, which recently passed the
Senate, but those who know him best
say that his object in doing so was not
to secure free coinage, to which he is
in reality opposed, but to put the re-
publicans in hole,
However that may be he Is now
counted as friend of free coinage and
it is among the democratic free coin
age men that he has his backing for
the Presidential nomination.
The silver men recognizing that it
will be now next to impossible to Sc
cure the passage of the Vest free coin
age bill in the House, even if the COM
mittee keeps its promise and reports it
back to the House this week, have had
new bill introduced in the House pro-
Viding for the free coinage of silver
from the American mines, but the ses-
sion is now so near its close that there
is little probability of this new bill get
ting acted upon.
Sympathizers with the Farmers
Alliance and kindred movements are
under the impression that Mr.. Cleve-
lands letter will be a powerful factor
in determining the fate of the Alliance
or third party movement. If Mr..
Cleveland can dominate the demo
cratic party and get himself nomina-
ted on platform with a gold financial
plank, as some of the longest headed
politicians here seem to believe he
can, aHd the republicans put similar
plank in their national platform, as
they are certain to do, it is believed
that third party favOring free silver
will be an inevitable result. The South
is unq nquestiOuably in favor of the free
coinage of silver, but the important
problem is, can it be depended upon,
in the face of the negro question, which
has heeR theruling onein thatsectiOn tor
twenty five years, to support a third
party. Take it all in all the present
political situation is 2 very interesting
one TO the thoughtful student, and
predictions AC this time are at best but
guesses.
Black, black everywhere. 1t seems
as though draped public buildings and
half-masted flags are becoming the nor
NAL condition of Washington. Before
the people had chance to recover
from the shock of Secretary WINDOWS
death, the announcement was ma le of
Admiral Porter, the last of the great
naval commanders of the civil war, and
before the mourning draperies were
put upon the public buildings in his
homer the news was flashed over the
wires that General Sherman, the last
of the great Army commanders, was
dead. Both men were we'll known
and greatly beloved in Washington,
and their deaths have cast a gloom
over the city that nothing but time can
dissipate.
Admiral POrter's funeral occurred
Tuesday, inferred at his own request
IL AIiiukbou O0ncJ6Tyi III CiOSe pTON-
unity to the grave of his friend Gen.
Sheridan. The President issued an
order closing all the Government de.
partments, and Congress adjourned.
The funeral was conducted with all
the military honOrs beGtting the rank
and career of the deceased, and
participated in by all of the available
United States military and naval for
oes, the g. A. r., and the National
Guard of the District of Columbia.
With Admiral Porter the rank of Ad.
miral of the Navy died.
Mr.. Harrison, ON the invitation of
Senator Stanford, who is to bear all the
expense, will visit the Pacific Coast
this spring, if there isn't an extra ses.
sion of Congress, and there isn't much
probability Of one now.