The morning call., 1894-03-25
UPON THE SEIGNIORAGE BILL.
Their Reasons for Protesting
Against a Veto.
PLAIN VIEWS OF THE PRESIDENT
Grover Says He VIII Consider the
Welfare of the Whole People
and Do His Duty.

WASHINGTON, March 24-President
Cleveiand's private flee at the executive
mansion was a center OF unusual activity
to-day, as the leading silver men of Con-
greSs appeared before him tn urge that he
sign the Bland bill. at one time there
were fifteen Of them ranged about the
President and eagerly pleading with him.
They had come singly and in State dele
gatnns.
Representatives Williams, Forman and
Mcdonald of Illinois, with r. present tiyes
Martin, Brookshire and McNagny of Iowa,
were there. Accompanying them was a
son OF ex-Se Secretary of the Treasury Me-
Gu lloch. who came as a Western banker to
urge the signing of the bill
Represent tive Bryan was there to urge
the desire of the far Northwest that the bill
be signed.
Representative McMillin OF the Ways
and Means Commit ee was just back from
visit to his st te. which satisfied him. he
said, that silver veto meant political
disaster
Representatives Tucker and Wise of
Virginia were there with the Virginia
Senator. Mr.. Hunt n. on the same mission.
Representatives Patterson of Tennessee.
Wheeler of Alabama. Carruth of Ken
lucky, Black of Illinois and Sibley Of
Pennsylvania added to the gathering.
Every one of the callers was an ardent
silver man except possibly Mr.. Black, and
be, too. was there to urge that the people
of Illinois wanted the bill signed. The
President had cordial greeting for the
various Congressman, and showed much
interest in the various plans presented.
avid hoU hot he voh
worried and that the strain was telling on
him. One Congressman after another was
heard. Thev spoke with great earnest
ness. No effort was made to conceal the
feeling that the existence of the present
majority in Congress depended on tho
signing of the bill.
Representative McMillin said no Demo-
crat could be elected to Congress ln his
State VINO would indorse silver veto.
He was just back from Mississippi. where
| he said he most intense feeling existed in
| OPP osifion TO a veto.
Representative Bryan of Nebraska took
for his text the significant fact that the
| center of the reputation in the United
States was 500 miles west of New York.
He said the Northwestern people, whether
right or wrong, feared the President closed
East.
Mr.. Cleveland interrupted to say that he
knew no section and that be had the best
desire to act for the welfare Of the whole
people. E asst and West alike.
Representative Mcdonald and Brook
shire voiced the views of Illinois and In
diana.
Then occurred a striking scene which
Inn JNor bx,t
Mr.. McCulloch, son of the ex-Secretary.
| and now an Indiana banker. had urged
that the Western bankers were not afraid
of an oversupply of silver. He instaneed
his own bank. in which he said there was
constant demand for silver. The metal
was never on hand in quantities greater
than the demand.
At this punt President Cleveland framed
the reply to the many pleas. He stood by
the side of his large desk, one hand rest
ing on 1t. and spoke to the fifteen or twenty
earnest men before him. He spoke of his
anxiety TO help the Congressman and their
people by such action as would be best for
the whole country. 1t was not a question
about majorities in Congress or of any
other personal or self-consideration He
told them that they had his sympathy and
| nc cdEucotly WtSu6Q uo was aI IlO6TLy 20
look at the matter and act solely from their
point of view.
| In fact, nothing would please him more
than to leave the matter to be settled by
| Congress. But Congress had turned it
over to him and upon him rested the re-
possibility, which he could not and would
not evade. The performance Of his full
duty obliged him to consider not the inter-
| of - 81.
OF the whole people, and that duty he
| should endeavor to discharge to the best
| of bis ability. To that end he had sought
information from all sources md heard all
interests. He intended to take all of the
facts into consideration and TO base his
| decision upon the conviction that be