The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1894-03-29
THE BLAND SILVER BILL.
lie Presidents Altitude Gil Signing OF
|etuins the Measure.

gree, and who himself is a sturdy OPP
Donent OF the bill, stated this afternoon
that there was no doubt OF the Presl-
dent's action in the matter. This gentle
man saw the President early in the day.
Mr.. Cleveland gave no lntlmatlon OF
what his purposes We're, but he SAID he
was considering the bill calmly and dis
passiOnatelv and without regard to any
other considerable except its effect upon
! the country. ii that effect would be good,
| in his Judgment, he would sign it. Ii it
would be in furious, he would veto 1t.
| There could be no middle course. 1t was
not a question OF courage, he said, but
whether the bill was right or wrong, and
his actions regarding the measure would
| be based wholly upon the conclusions to
! be drawn from the present conditions.
| The Presidents visitor stated that Mr..
| Cleveland was showing the effect OF the
| terrible pressure which had been brought
to bear upon him for and against the
| bill He looked wears older than he did
when he returned from his hunting trip Il
few weeks ago. More than Il dozen
members OF Congress called upon him to-
| dav and urged him to sign the bill. They
were all Southern and Western men and
one OF the number, it is reported, took it
on himself to read the President a lecture
regarding his disposition Of the bill and
the effect of a veto in the South. This
| gentleman stated that under these cir
cumstances it would be impossible to
elect a Democrat from the State which
he represented, and that Populists and
Republicans would be substituted in the
next House for the present Democratic
delegation.
The President is said to have been visi-
bly, annoyed at this partisan appeal, and
expressed himself in sharp terms in re-
ply, stating, in effect, that the subject
was one which required consideration
from higher standpoint than that OF
political eXpedency.
From what the President is quoted as
saying to-day, it is obvious that he will
avail himself OF the full limit of time
afforded him in which to dispose of the
bill. Whether he signs it or vetOes it
his action will not he taken in all proba-
bility before Thursday of next week.
At one time fifteen friends of the seign-
forage bill We're gathered about the
President and earnestly pleading with
him. They had come singly and in State
delegations Representatives Williams,
Forman and Mcdonald, of Illinois, came
with Representatives. Martin, BroOkshlre
and McNagny, of Indiana. Accompany
ing the Indianians was a son OF the
Secretary of the Treasury, Hugh Nc
CullOch, who came as a Western banker
to urge the signing of the bill. Repre-
sentative Bryan, OF Nebraska, was there
to urge the desires of the far Northwest
that the bill be signed. Representative
McMllin. of the Ways and Means com
mittee, was Just back from visit to his
State which satisfied him, he said, that a
or
Representatives, Tucker and Wise, OF
Virginia, were there with the junior
Virginia Senator, Mr.. Hunton, on the
, same mission. Representatives. Patter-
son, of Tennessee; Wheeler, of Alabama
Caruth, OF Kentucky; Black, OF Illinois,
and Sibley, of Pennsylvania, added tO
, theformidableg gathering of congressional
leaders. Every one OF the callers was
an ardent silver man, except possibly
! Representative Black, of Chicago, and he
too, was there to urge that the people OF
Illinois wanted the Bland seigniorage
+ bill signed.
The President had cordial greeting
for the various pleaders presented. One
Congressman after another was heard.
They spoke with great earnestness. No
effort was made to conceal the feeling
that the existence of the present majority
the bill. Mr. McMillin, of Tennessee said
that 10 Democrat could be elected to
Congress in his State who would endorse
silver veto. He was Just back from
Tennessee where, he said the most
5 intense feeling existed in opposition to a
veto.
Mr.. Bryan, of Nebraska, took for his
text the significant fact that the centre
OF population in the nited States was
5 800 miles West of New York. He said
that the Northwestern people, whether
right or wrong, feared that the President
= had closed his eyes to them and thought
only OF the East.
5 Mr.. Cleveland interrupted to say that
, he knew no section and that he had the
deepest desire to act for the welfare of the
whole people East and West alike.
Representatives Brookshire and Me
/ Donald voiced the views of Indiana anC
f Illinois respectively.
Then occurred striking scene which
, will be long remembered by the Repre-
sentatives present. Mr.. McCulloch, sol
: of the ex-Secretary, and now an Indiana
5 banker, had urged that the Western
, banks were not afraid Of an over supply
of silver. The metal was never on hanC
} in quantities greater than the demand
The people appeared to hoardit as mucl
as any other class OF money.
8 At this point President Cleveland
, framed the reply to the many pleas which
had been pouring in upon him and which
: up to this point, he had not attempted
, to answer or parry except by casua
, remarks. He stood behind his large
desk, with one hand resting on it anC
spoke to the 15 or 90 earnest men before
! him. His words came slowly and Will
$ deep earnestness. He spoke of his
anxiety to help the Congressman an(
their people by such action as would b,
best for the whole country. 1t was {
r question above ma orities in Congress OF
of any other personal or selfish consider
=, alton. He said that they had his sym
pathy and that he earnestly wished thai
&. he was at liberty to look at the matter
2 and act solely from that point of view
, In fact, nothing would please him NOR,
, than to leave the matter to be settled
i by Congress. But Congress had turned
a it over to him and upon him rested tn
S responsibility which he could not anC
s would not evade. The performance O
. his full duty obliged him to consider no
the interests of this or that section. bu
: the welfare OF the whole people and tina
j duty he should endeavor to discharge t.
r the best of his ability. To that end h
had sought information from all sources
l. and heard all interests. He intended tt
S take all OF the facts into consideration
: and to base his decision upon the convic
e ton he should reach as to the interest
OF the whole people.
The President spoke feelingly of tn
e gravity OF the responsibility thus impose,
: upon him by the differences in various
v localities. He pointed out some of tn
:, features urged against the bill He d.,
{ not say they were fatal defects, vet tn
II tendency OF his statements was to Shoy
e that he could not Vet reconcile himsel
# to the view the silver men had expressed
Mr.. Cleveland spoke for fully fiv
minutes. When the main body OF Con
e gressmen had retired Others followed
e and thus stream OF silver pleaders con
: tinued throughout the public hours @
the President. TO one of the Congress
. men Mr.. Cleveland pointed out that hi
h main fear was against section of tn
a Bland bill, which may cause a run on tn
Treasury for the redemption of Treasur,