New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-31
PF-FVTDlNCE or GEORGE FEED.

George Fred was in Washington last week.
An event Of considerable Importance. And yet
only one Ncw-York newspaper ." got on 10 H.
He was probably avoiding publicity. IL Is Il
harmless dcllsion cherished with sincere dcv"
ton. however. by George Fred that he can, II
he will. escape public notice. But of course he
cannot The time and talent and physical cf-
fort he has devoted to II have been plainly
wasted The reason is obvious. The public
anxiety for his views on current political qucS-
lions IS too intense and strenuous to be baked
The people will have them even If they have
10 be drawn out Of him 10y wild horses. ON
this visit he pretty nearly escaped observation,
but the Washington correspondent OF our enter
prsing contemporary The Ncw-iork Times,
was fortunate enough TO detect him and draw
out OF him n column Of views OF the greatest
possible interest. II seems that his reluctance
TO appear in public and shed light on the po-
litical situation was overcome by Senator Shcr
mans peculiar au1acity" In critlcislng the
condition Of the Treasury under Democratic
Administration. IL provoked him beyond en-
durance that "Scnator sherman or any other
Republican should open his mouth 10 criicisc
the Democratic management Of the Treasury
self TO the extent Of column. \ whole column
Of figures and facts Of the most startling char
acter showing that all the trouble we have
been having since Mr.. Carlisle tried his silver
paving experiment Is due 10 " Republican lcgis-
laton during Mr.. Reeds Congress Had Sen
ator Sherman known that George Fred was
liable to break out he never would have crit
lciscd the Treasury management
WELL it's hard on Senator Sherman, OF course
but he cannot complain 1t was n great over
sight on his part not TO make sure that George
Fred was in permanent retirement at Dciham,
Mass, before indulging in criticism Of a Demo
cratic Administration. lie will learn possibly
by this experience TO curb his audacty and not
take such risks hereafter. And yet, notwih-
standing the disaster to Senator Sherman and
the fearful showing up Of Republican lcgisla-
ton during Mr.. Reeds Congress" we cannot
help feeling that the ndiscrcton, or au1acty,
or whatever 1t was that drew George Fred
out Of his scclusion and put his wisdom on tap
for the enlightenment Of the American people,
was on the whole, Il good thing. For the people
had sorcly missed George Fred A little less
than two years ago. when he and his youthful
colleague, Sherman lloar, were moving on
Washington with the logic OF the situation !"
which was to elect Mr. Mills Of Texas. Speaker
Of the House. they attracted n great deal Of
attention Everybody said it was the beginning
Of a new era. Laboring men, who on ,hc scanty
pittance Of three or four dollars day were
crushed by being obliged TO pay 81 ~ II pair
for kid gloves under the odious Mckinley tariff,
began TO feel encouraged. Civil Service Re-
formers said the public service would presently
be so thoroughly purified. washed out and dis
infected that General Jackson If he should
come back, wouldn't be able 10 recognize IT,.
And rs for the currency, it was believed that
in short time everything would bc redeemed
| i'm gold including the issues Of the Continental
Congress and the notes Of the late Daniel
Webster But the country expected too much.
The logic Of the situation broke down. SO did
Sherman Uoar. The latter in tears. There was
not much zone In that Congress. The members
Of that body said to themselves: THE world
will little note nor long remember what we
do here; it can never forget what George Fred
Williams says here" 50 they did nothing and
| let bin talk.
Then George Fred went back TO Dedham and
| awaited reelection. During the summer of
| 1892 he was a frequent visitor at Gray Gables.
And when Mrs. Cleveland said 10 Grover,
What are the wild waves saying:" Growers
| answer was: 1T isn't the wild waves. my
dear; its George Fred on the pnzza talking
| about the tariff" For some reason known only
| to the voters In his district George Fred was
not returned to Congress. II Is supposed that
the voters wanted him for home consumption.
! Since then he has been ever ana ever so quiet.
Neither he nor Sherman lloar went back And
this Congress when ii came together in August
was lonesome without them. II had The most
remarkable and most varied assortment Of
statesmen on deck that ever burst out of the
woods or escaped from asyums. But not one
Of the George Fred class. Massachusetts came
to the rescue, and at special election sent on
DIR. William Everett TO complete the assert
| ment. lie 10 doing his best, but he hardly fills