Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-17
Democrats Who Are Trying to
Reconcile Discordant Elements.
Mr.. BLAND At TIE WHITE HOUSE
Steps Towards Establishing Better
Relations.
THE PRESIDENTS ADVISERS

tion and the democracy of the west and
south.
With the reorganization of the congress
sional campaign committees and the begin
ming Of their work, there has suddenly de-
veloped great anxiety on the part of all
democrats to somehow adjust things so as
to settle their differences and give some
chance Of success in the congressional cam
paign this fall The anxiety to accomplish
this has become very apparent, and has es-
pecially disclosed itself in the transactions
relating to the passage of the seigniorage
bill through the Senate and the activity of
some of the anti-silver men in their solici-
tude for the signing of the bill. Since this
Congress opened the prospects of future
success for the democrats have been stead
lily on the decline, and for the past two
months they have been deep down In
dependency. They have not by any means
recovered from this dependency, but they
have now reached that point where in
desperation, they have resolved that some
thing must be done to save their bacon.
Each step in the course of this Congress-,
from the fight over the repeal of the Sher-
man law, the irritation of the Hawaiian
question and the wide disagreements as to
the tariff, the divisions in the party have
grown steadily wider and spread in many
directions. The long filibuster over the
seigniorage bill in the House did not mend
matters. and certain obligations alleged to
additional embarrassment.
Differences Among Leaders.
Underlying all these things and operating
upon them is the lack of friendly relations
between Cleveland and the members Of his
party in Congress, which has kept them
from comforting or making any effort to
compromise their differences. Cleveland has
shown no disposition to send for those men
In his party who do not agree with him, and
they on their part have beer unwilling to
go without invitation. The personal pique
has been almost as powerful the differ
ences Of policy in Increasing the irritation
between the factions. The election of
Faulkner as chairman Of the congressional
committee and of Lawrence Gardner as
secretary, was the first step toward an at
tempt at harmonizing. AS yet but little
beyond this first step has been accomplished,
and the anxiety on all sides to do some
thing for their mutual self-protection has
become great, and some very active work is
being done in that direction. The general
feeling among the democratic leaders is that
what has happened in the past cannot be
mended, and that the most that can be ac-
complished by the most skillful manipula-
ton will be to save the party from dis
astrous defeat. German and Hill have CIV
en- no evidence of interest in the movement
toward harmonizing, and they appear to be
in suspicion
Working for Harmony.
The men who are said to have come to a
belief that something must be done at most
any sacrifice are Faulkner, Voorhees,,
Palmer, Crisp, Catchings. Patterson ard
Secretaries Gresham and Hoke Smith.
These men have been laboring with a great
deal Of earnestness among the two factions
and apparently have met with more en-
couragement among those democrats who
are not friendly to the administration than
they have from the administration itself.
The fact of such earnestness to harmoniZe
the party being shown by Gresham and
Smith Is a considerable surprise to every
one. Yet those two men have suddenly
entered the field and are devoting them
selves assiduously to the TASK OF influenc-
ing Mr.. Cleveland to a realization Of the
fact that something beyond his own desires
must be taken into consideration and other
people in the party be consulted IL most
complete disaster, both at the coming con-
gressional election and in the presidential
election to follow, is to be averted. 1t is
being urged upon Mr.. Cleveland that, not
withstanding all the existing friction and
all that has gone before, there is still
great deal which he can do toward bringing
the party together. Gresham, especially, is
very earnest in his recommendation of
conciliatory course. 1t is in liIie with this
movement that Gresham and Smith and
Herbert have urged upon Cleveland the
signing of the Seigniorage bill. Faulkner,
Voorhees,, Catchings and Patterson, all of
whom stood by Cleveland in the fight for
the repeal of the Sherman law and Strauss
and number of other anti-silver men
urged upon Cleveland the signing of this
bill for the same reason that it would be
conciliatory toward the silver men and
would save the party from considerable
trouble In the south and west and would
relieve from great embarrassment those
friends Of the administration who, repre-
senting a silver constituency, Joined in the
fight for the repeal of the Sherman law.
The question of appointments has been
hrA sy,fr fIo ,.1- x.-.4l
recommendation that as many changes in
favor of democrats as possible be made
within short time. The active assistance
Of the administration in securing the pass
age of the tariff bill is another item in the
count, and another suggestion is that
meeting shall be brought about between
Mr.. Cleveland and a number of the most
radical silver men and others who have dis
agreed with the executive as to matters
of policy, with the hope of establishing
more friendly relations even though agree
ments as to policy cannot be secured. In
other words, these advisers OF Mr.. Cleve-
land desire that he should show a more
active interest in the welfare of the party.
according to their view of what is neces-
sary to promote that welfare. and impress
upon the men in Congress that his interest
is not confined to one faction.
Their Plan.
In a word. their plan of salvation is to
secure reconciliation, the speedy passage
of the tariff bill, the avoidance of further
bond issue, the passage of the appropria-
ton bills with a saving of about $4,000, 600
and the adjournment of Congress not later
than the middle of July. They trust to
the enactment of the income tax IN the
tariff bill to placate the dissatisfied ele-
ments in the south and west, causing them
to overlook the failure of Tree coinage of
silver and to maintai their loyalty to the
party. In the carrying out of this plan
they see their only hope Of holding the
House during the next Congress, and el en-
if from this time forward a policy of con-
cession and harmony Is followed they do
not hope for anything better than 10 be
able to hold the House by small majority
and even this hope is not sanguine. Gres-
ham in urging Mr.. Clevelan1 to sign the
Bland seigniorage bill, it is said, laid great
stress upon the argument that he owed II
to the men in Indiana and Illinois and
those from the south who 1T personal risk
helped secure the repeal Of the sherman
law that the small boon Of the coinage of
the seigniorage should be granted them.
The leaders in Congress are most thor
oughly alarmed over the situation as they
approach the next congressional election
and their anxiety for harmo1y is corre-
spondingly great. Cleveland himself is said
to be almost as anxious that some common
ground for the campaign should be taken.