The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-02-21
Cleveland Sees SO Many Silver
Democrats,
That He is Now Trying to
Hedge,
THO STILLITs ENEMY.
Senators Are Wrestling With
the Tariff.


Another silver insurrec6ion has developed in
congress. The president and the secretary
Of the treasury both realize this. MT
Cleveland was the first to see the danger
GUS reefs over which the silver waters DASH
ed. anG he at once took steps to avoid what
he considered q hidden reef
So far the plans Of the administration
have not worked we'll If the truth were
known, there is no more pronounced gold
basis adherent ia the country than the pres
en6 occupant of the White House. But
Mr.. Cleveland is wise even beyond his day
and generation. He has an almost unlim-
tied quantity of 'ssand" ia his makeup. and
with it is such q generous sprinkling of
judgment as to result in his sticking to amy
enterprise lac embarks ia until ST has met
with success
The Presidents Fears.
But the president is not the man to run
his legislative head against a stone wall.
Not he Instead he viii content himself
with it within the bounds of possibility.
That is why he has had Secretary Carlisle
at the capitol so many times endeavoring
TO bring about compromise with the silver
men. The president realizes only TOO Well
chat majority of the Democrats Of both
houses are silver men. He knows THAT un-
hampered and unsought but left to follow
its own inclination- congress would pass
a bin to remonetize silver This he wishes
to prevent, and before even 2 discussion of
the question has begun lie has set TO work
TO bring about compromise.
The president evidently understands the
situation thoroughly. The silver question
IS by no means dead Its fires are burning
slowly it is true. but nevertheless surely.
like those Of q charcoal pit. and they are
burning In many places only needing
breath of popular approval to fam them
into flame That would sweep everything
before it. When 1T does burst forth it viii
stsr6le the country, and then perhaps for
the first time the country VIII learn the
true inyvardness of the long drawn out and
bitterly contested fight for the repeal of
the purchasing clause Of the Sherman sill
yer law
There are many contradictory stories told
about that memorable struggle for single
STANDARD. Leading Democrats of silver pro-
clivities have told the writer that they
agreed to vote for silver repeal only upon
the assurance of tile president THAT this
repeal was only a preliminary step to d
general revision of the financial laws. He
wanted to clear the ground before he went
ahead During the silver agitation the
president used the executive whip freely
But liz order to make it effective ib is prob
ably true han Mr.. Cleveland did give some
assurances to members and senators whose
votes he was anxious to secure They say
he did The intimate friends of the presi-
dent say he did not. Right here is where
the trouble comes in. The silver men are
now posing in the garb Of injured inno-
cence. They say they were tric1cd- But
that is very much to be doubted. Even
Mr.. Cleveland's enemies admit him to be
an honest man.
Congressman IIandss Courage
But any argument that can be brought
forward cannot disguise the situation 1T is
dangerous to those who believe in q single
gold standard and extremely hopeful for
those who favor bimetallism- Secretary
Carlisle, acting under instructions from the
president, has already offered q compromise
to the silver men. This MIR. Bland-"S Silver