The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1894-03-31
Not signed as Yet.

WASHINGTON. March "a President
Clevelsnd's private Office at the execu-
tive mansion was center Of unusual ac-
tivity today. for the leading silver men
Of congress appeared before him to urge
that be sign the Bland bill. At the time
there were Is of them ranged about the
president and earnestly pleading With
him. They had come singlv- and IN state
delegations Representatives Williams,
Formsn and Mcdonald of Illinois, and
Martin, BrookshIre and McNagny of
Iowa were among those present. Accom-
panying them was a son of the ex-Secre-
tary of the Treasury McCulloch. who
came as western. banker to urge the
signing of the bill. Bryan was there to
urge the desire of the far Northwest that
the bill be signed.
SOME INDIVIDUAL ARGUMENTS
Mcmillan said no Democrat could he
elected to congress In bis state who
would endorse q silver veto. He was just
back from Mississippi, where. said,
the most intense feeling existed In oppo-
sition to veto. Bryan of Nebraska
took for his sext the significant fact that
the eepter of population in the United
States was 800 miles west of New York.
BE SAID the Worth western people, whether
night or wrong, feared the president bad
closed bis eyes to them aud thought only
of the east. Mr.. Cleveland interrupted
to say thar be knew no section, and that
he had the best desire TO act for the vel
iaIe of the whole people. east and west
alike. Mcdonald and Rrookshire voiced
the views of Illinois and Indiana, Then
occurred striking scene, which will be
long remembered by those present. Nc
Culloch. son of the ex-secretary and an.
Indiana banker. bad urged that the west
ern banks were not afraid Of an eyersup.
ply of silver. He instauced his OWE bank,
In winch he said there was constant call
for silver. The metal was never on hand
In quantities greater than the demand.
CLEvELAND's REPLY.
At this point Mr. Cleveland framed
bis reply to the many pleas. He stood
by the side of his large desk, enc hand
resting on it, and spoke to the Is or 30
earnest men before him. He spoke of his
anxiety TO help the congressman and their
people by such action as would be best
Tor the whels country. II was not ques-
lion about majorities in congress or OF any |
other nersonaf or self consideration. He
lold them they had bis sympathy, and he
,,,E, a h la hor i,n1
It the ms ter and act solely from th cir |
point of view. In fact. nothing would |
please him more than To leave the matter |
10 be settled by congress But congress |
bad turned it over TO him. and upon him |
rested the responsibility which be could |
nos and would not evsde. The perfer-
nance of his full duty obliged him to |
consider, not the interest of this or that |
section. but the welfare of the whole peo- |
Pile and that duty he shonld endeayor to |
discharge to the best OF bis abIiity. To
that end he had sought Information from
ail sources aud heard all interests. He
Intended to take all the facts into con-
,ideration and to base hie decision upnn
The conviction he should reach as to the |
interests of the whole people He spoke
of the gravity of the responsia
Dility thus imposed upon him, by the |
differences in various localities He
pointed out some of the features urged
against the bill. He did not say they
we're fatal defects, yet the tendency Of bis
'tatement was to show he could not yet |
himself to the views the silver |
men had expressed Mr.. Cleveland
spoke for fully 10 minutes.