The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-02-19
COURAGE OF HIS CONVICTIONS.
Grover Cleveland Comes Out Squareiy
Against the Free Silver Coinage Bil
Now Before Congress.

NEW YORK, February ll.-Between
900 and 100 people attended Il mass
meeting at the Cooper Union tonight
to oppose the silver bill, IN response 10
the call of the Reform Club. Charles ;.
Fairchild, Ex-Secretary Of the Treasury,
nominated Z. Ellery Anderson, presi-
dent of the Reform Club, for chairman
of the meeting, and he was elected by
acclamation.
Mention of Grover Cleveland's name
was the signal for a prolonged burst of
applause, and when the secretary had
finished reading his letter the applause
was deafening. The EX-President wrote
as follows:
SIG MADISON AVENUE, Feb. 10, 1891.
e. Ellery Anderson--My Dear Sir: l
have this afternoon received your note
inviting me to attend tomorrow even
ing a meeting called for the purpose OF
voicing the opposition Of the business
men of our city to the free coinage or
silver in the United States. shall not
be able to attend and address the meet
ing as you request, but | am glad that
the business interests of New York are
at last to be heard on the subject.
1t surely cannot be necessary for me
to make formal expression OF my agree
| ment with those who believe that the
greatest perils would be initiated by the
adoption of the scheme embraced IN
the measure now pending III Congress
for an unlimited coinage of silver at
our mints. If we have developed an
unexpected capacity for the assimila..
ton Of a largely increased volume OF
currency, and even if We have demon
strated the usefulness Of such an in
crease, these conditions fall far short OF
insuring US against disaster if IN the
present situation we enter upon the
dangerous and reckless experiment OF
free, unlimited and independent silver
coinage. Yours very truly,
GROVER CLEVELAND.
WILL HE BE HURT By HAVING THE
COURAGE OF HIS CONVICTIONS?
SPECIAL to the News and Courier
WASHINGTON, February l2.-The
letter of eX-President Cleveland, COM
mitting himself against the free com
age of Silver policy, was the absorbing
tonic of discussion at the Capitol TO-
dav. It was lively day, too, for the
REPRESENTATIVES of the press, aud the
opinious Of the leading men from all
sections of the country were solicited,
the intention being to telegraph these
expressions to all news centres III the
United States.
A variety Of opinions were obtained
for while many of the leading Senators
and Representatives would not talk,
the average Democrat expressed de-
cided willingness to be interviewed on
so important subject: AS rule the
| Democrats from the Eastern and Mid
die States agreed with Mr.. Cleveland
| in his opposition to the free and un-
limited coinage Of silver. Senator Will
son. of Maryland, one Of the few Dem
ocrats who recently voted against the
| free coinage bill, expressed himself
cautiously and conservative ~: He said
| that Mr.. Cleveland had right TO nls
views on the question, and called atten-
| ton to the fact that the Democratic
| party had never yet in a national con-
yention declared for free coinage.
Senators German, Vest and many
| others, who were prominent IN putting
! through the bill that recently passed
the Senate, preferred not to be quoted.
| Other Southern Senators were, how
ever, not so cautious, and they freely
| expressed their opinions.
Senators Pugh, Reagan, Coke, Bar
bour, Vance and others declared enl-
phatically that Cleveland by his course
had not only alienated many OF his
| hitherto staunchest supporters, but his
views on this great question disposed Of
| his chances for the Presidential noml-
nation in 1892.
Quite a number, while not agreeing
| with Mi. Cleveland, could not help au-
| miring his boldness III coming out
| suuarely against policy that IS SO
generally popular in the West and
| South.
Among the members Of the House
there was likewise wide dl11erence OF
| opinion. The New York members
commended the eX-President tor his
course, and so did Mr.. Wilson, OF " est
| Virginia, Mr.. Dargan, of South Caro-
| lima. and few more from the South,
| but the great body of Democratic mem
| bers from the South and West eX-
nressed the opinion that Mr.. Cleveland
| had practically lost the nomination IN
| in 1892 by writing such (; letter.
Others took more modified view
and seemed to regret that the ex-Prcsl-
dent should have adopted this course
| when the overwhelming sentiment OF
the party is for free coinage.
| Among the prominent Democrats OF
the House who do not agree with Mr..
Cleveland may he mentioned: NessTs;;
Bland, Hatch, Dockery, Heard and
Tarsney, of Missouri; Crisp, Blount and
| Turner, of Georgia; Wheeler ana Oates'
of Alabama, Bynum and others.
GOVERNOR T11LMAS on FREE SILVER.
ESPECIAL to News and Courier.]
COLUMBIA, Feb. Ex-Governor Till
man received a telegram tonight from
the Cincinnati Enquirer asking nm
| for his views on President Clevelands IS
letter on the free coinage OF silver,
addressed to the Reform Club, OF New
York. He was also asked for an inter
view on the subject for the News ana
Courier. Referring to the inquiry OF the
Cincinnati paper, Governor Ililliiah
said:
II presume the Enquirer desires to
know what | have 10 say OH llilS pao9-
age in Mr.. Cleve!and's letter to the
Club.
at surely cannot be necessary for me
to make a formal expression OF my
agreement with those who believe that
the greatest perils would be initiated by
the adoption of the scheme embraced
in the measure pending in Congress TOR
unlimited coinage of silver at the
mints. five have developed unexpected
capacity for the assimilation OF largely
Increased volume ofcurrency, and even
if we have demonstrated the usefulness
of such an increase, these conditions
fall far short Of ensuring us against
disaster if in the present situation we
enter on the dangerous and reckless
experiment offree, unlimited ana lnde-
pendent silver coinage.
"Well, all need say Is that am DOT
surprised by this utterance OF Mr.. Cleve-
land, because his position IN regard to
silver is we'll known. This letter merely
demonstrates that his opinion has
undergone no change, and it does and