Evening journal., 1893-09-29
NEWSPAPER OPINION.
The oameronian Idea.

New York Times.
Senator Don" Cameron owes no obli-
CATION to his party in Pennsylvania or in
the nation. He owes none to the
people of the United States He may be
guided by a sense of gratitude to per.
sonal or political friends, as he Is be-
lieved to be by some observers in Wash
ington, but those who know him best do
not accord much strength to this senti-
ment or to any sentiment. They gener-
ally look. in Don" whatever he may
may be,occuped with, from politics up
to poker-from his kind OF politics the
grade is distinctly up TO poker for about
as undiluted quality of selhshness as
can be found in public or private life.
What must puzzle even his intimates,
we should say is what earthly interest
Mr.. Cameron can have in opposing the
repeal Of the Sherman bill. When he
voted for It he was known to be long
Of silver, and if he sold out In time, he
must have made pretty penny by the
operation Of the bill If now he is short
OF q shrewdly selected list of stocks, the
delay TO " hch he is contributing his in
huence would contribute TO his profit,
and a second time bis vote or voice in
the Senate would be- found TO benefit his
bank account But though this would
be an adequate explanation In the case
of some Senators, we hardly thiuk that
IL Is so In Camerons case He is not
above speculating on the result of legis-
lation in which-to the great loss and
shame Of Pennsylvania-he takes part,
but we do not believe ne would be con-
scionsly Influenced In his action by such
interest He is very rich and he would
re- ard this kind of business as beneath
him.
What is It, then, that guides himY
Strange as II may seem, we have notion
that Mr. Cameron really thinks tina he
is making show OF craftsmanship and
has a sort of pride in it. He has been
in the Senate long, an intolerably
long, time. He probably realizes that be
cannot come back when his term has eX-
pired. He has been a good deal cnti
cised and not little ridiculed as q
Senator We believe that he would like,
as he approaches the close Of his career,
10 distinguish himself in some way
Among the sound-money men he would
cut no q ure. Among the silver men be
is conspicuous for various reasons
because of his great wealth and exten-
sive business connections because of a
purely inherited standing in the Repub
lican party, because of the solid sound.
money sentiment of his state, and be
cause for the FIRST time in his silent and
obscure career he would have the ap
pearance of having convictions and Of
taking a stand These are conditions
which would enable him for while Ia
distinguish himself and to surround his
exit from public life with a pale sem
blanoe Of fame
It is hardly worth while to discuss the
hodge-podge Of imitation, silver lunacy,
protection, and demhgogy which be
brought forward in the Senate the other
day. II is not necessary to resort to the
theory accepted in Washington that
some one composed for him the little
speech he read II has the vicious
flow OF what serves him as thought
There is no connection between its
parts, and no part Of it is ineligible
Every principle involved in the various
propositions, If applied to concrete
business enterprise, would be rejected
by him with promptness. for IN the ac
tual u oney-making processes he is as
shrewd as in anything like generaliza
lion he is stupid The whole thing is,
Of course, an outrage on his state and q
cynical betrayal Of his party But it i.
doubtful II he even understands that
fact, and he is certainly Indifferent to it
His present attitude is chiefly interest
iug. we imagine, as the result Of th,
effort of an unprincipled and unen-
lightened mind to make a display o
craftsmanship, the frst elements o
which are AS unknown to him as the ar
Of navigation to an Arab of the desert.