The herald., 1894-03-02
A CHANGE OF HEART.

As the hours pass the feellng becomes
more general that the triumph of BIZ
metallism is near at hand. Perhaps the
most striking example OF the spread OF
this noble sentiment, which 10 in she
line of live and let live, is the attitude
of sx-Preeident Harrison. That Willy
and winsome ex-public functionsry pops
serenely up with the declaration that he
is and always has been in favor OF the
white metal. He is q private citizen
now. mark you, but, with view to
presidential eventualities, he desires to
be understood on this point. 1t may
have been assumed in certain quarters
that he was little other than goldbug,
and that with the goldbugs he had taken
his stand, but he repelled with indigna-
ton any such aspersion. To all OF
which it may be only necessary to re-
mark that if President Harrison, while
in the White House, had simply sum
moned his secretary Of the treasury to
his presence, and told him to carry out
in good faith the legislation of congress,
silver would now be nearer the parity OF
gold which is $l29 an ounce OF
silver-than 6015, the latest quotation OF
the white metal which has met our eye.
As we have had no reserve in criti-
cising the course of Grover Cleveland
a president of our own party-on this
silver question, we shall certainly make
no bones about laughing at an ex-pres-
ident's profession of eleventh-hour re-
pentance. While trying to curry favor
with the miners of Colorado, our dis
tinguished fellow citizen still finds time
to reiterate the old twaddle about the
United States being unable alone TO
protect silver. In other words, accord
ing to Benjamin f. Harrison, looking
forward to second term after an inter
regnum OF four yeRrs-a la Cleveland
it is impossible TO have a distinctive
American policy. In 1872, when thu
United States had population OF ONLY
three millions; in 1876, when our popb
lation was considerably larger, but stil
mere bagRtelle as compared With ou
present numbete, we could have An(
maintain distinctive American policy
which made gold and silver doubl
standard to be maintained at par bu
now that we can count up nearly seN
enty million souls we must wait upo
some other nation or nations to tell u
what we shall do. The servile action {
Presid ent Harrison when hs could haV
done silver some good, and permitted
his secretary OF the treasury to betra
the white metal, is re-echoed in his vi
terances Of day before yesterday in Col
ofado.
But straws elbow which way the win
blows. Although ne may not know i
Mr.. BENJAMIN F. Harrison is simply a
economic and political straw, He
weak enough TO still look upon himae
as presidential possibility. He ia 6
likely to be struck by the presidentii
lightning as the khedive of Egypt is
to be elected pope OF Rome. But he
not the only convert to bimetallisn
The betrayers of the white metal
congress are hunting their holes wi
gratifying precipitancy. For all tralto
TO the rights OF the masses in all qus
ters Of the world the dies ire, intoned
a magnificent diapAsoD, is at han
Those members of congress who ha
betrayed silver constituencies will til
out that they have been consigned
the Limbo OF things lost upon earth
Meanwhile, the cause of bimetallism