The Washington times., 1894-03-25
TWO HORNS OF A DILEMMA
President Cleyeland's Great Troubles
in Regard to the Seigniorage Bill.
AUDIENCE GIVEN BOTH SIDES
The Presidents Private Office Crowded Yes
terday by Congressmen and Senators, Most
Of Whom Predicted Political Disaster If
the Bill il vetoed-Business Men for Veto.

the Bill is vetoed-Business Men for Veto
| President Cleveland's private Office at thu
Executive Mansion was center OF unusua
activity yesterday, as the leading silver Iner
of Congress appeared before him to urge tha
he sign the Bland silver seigniorage bill. A
one time there were fifteen of them ranged
about the President and earnestly pleading
with him. They had come singly and ir
state delegations. Representatives Williams
Forman and Mcdonald, of Illinois, came with
Representatives Martin, Brookshire and Nc
Nagny, of Indiana. Accompanying the Indi
anians was a son;of ex-secretary of the Treas.
ury McCullocb, who came as western
banker to urge the signing of the bill. Rep
resentative Bryan, Of Nebraska, was there to
urge the desires of the far northwest that the
bill be signed. Representative McMillin, o.
the Ways and Means Committee, was just back
| from visit to his state, which satisfied him,
| he said, that silver veto meant political dis
aster. Representatives Tucker and Wise, OF
Virginia, were there with the junior Virginia
Senator, Mr.. Hunton, on the same mission.
Representatives Patterson, of Tennessee
Wheeler, OF Alabama; Caruth, of Kentucky
Black, of Illinois. and Sibley, OF Pennsyl-
vapia, added to the formidable gat herring Of
Congressional leaders.
Every one OF the callers was an ardent sill
yer man, except possibly Representative
Black, of Chicago, and he, too was there to
urge that the people of Illinois wanted the
Bland bill signed.
The President had a cordial greeting for the
various silver men, and showed much interest
in the various pleas presented. 1t was evil
dent, however. that he was much worried, and
that the strain was telling upon him. One
Congressman after another was heard. They
spoke with great earnestness. No effort was
made to conceal the feeling that the existence
of the present majority in Congress depended
on the signing OF the bill. Representative
McMillin, OF Tennessee, said that no Demo-
crat could be elected to Congress in his state
who would indorse silver veto. He was
just back from Tennessee. where he said the
most intense feeling existed in opposition to a
veto. Representative Bryan, OF Nebraska,
took for his text the significant fact that the
center Of population in the United States was
500 miles west OF New York. He said that the
northwestern people. whether right or wrong,
feared the President closed his eyes to
them and thought only Of the East.
Mr.. Cleveland interrupted to say that he
knew no section and that he had tine deepest
desire to act for the welfare of the whole peo-
pie. East and West alike.
Representatives Brookshire and Mcdonald
voiced the views of Indiana and Illinois re-
spectively.
Then occurred striking scene. which will
be long remembered by the Representatives
present. Mr.. McCulloch, son OF the eX-Sec-
v-asa ND fn1t han hal
urged that the western hanks were not
afraid of an oversupply of silver. He in
stanced his own bank. in which, he said
there was a constant call for silver. The
metal was never on hand in quantities greater
than the demand. The people appeared to
hoard it as much as any other class of money.
At this point President Cleveland framed
the reply TO the many pleas which had been
pouring in upon him. and which. up to this
point. he had net attempted to answer or
parry except by casual remarks. He stood
beside his large desk. with one hand resting
on it. and spoke to the fifteen or twenty earn
est men before him. His words came slowly
and with deep earnestness. 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 question above
majorities in Congress or of any other per-
sonal or selfish consideration. He told them
that they had his sympathy, and that he earn
estly wished he was at liberty to 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 responsibility which he could not and
would not evade. The performance of his
full duty obliged him to consider not the in
terests of this or that section, but the welfare
of the whole people. and that duty he should
To that end he had sought information from
all sources and heard all interests. He in
tended to take all Of the facts into considera-
tion and to base his decision upon the convic-
ton he should reach as to the interests of the
whole people.
The President spoke feelingly of the grav-
ity Of the responsibility 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 were
fatal defects, yet the tendency OF his state
ments was to show that he could not vet rec
oncile himself to the views the silver men
had expressed.
When the main body of Congressman had
retired, others followed, and thus stream of
silver pleas continued throughout the public
hours Of the President. To one of the Con-
gressmen Mr.. Cleveland pointed out that his
main fear was against the second section of
the Bland bill. which may cause a run on the
Treasury for the redemption of Treasury notes
in gold.
Another important criticism advanced by
Mr.. Cleveland was that the phraseoogy of
the Bland bill was defective. in the judgment
OF eminent legal authorities. The President
pointed out that the wording OF the section
directing the coinage of the seigniorage was
such that while il seemed to authorize
S55 ,000. 900. it was open the construction that
the amount should be S1l0,00O.0 200. While
not stating thar the defect was fatal. the
President seemed to regard it as a serious
matter in such measure
The South came strongly to the front again
to-day in the letters and telegrams filed upon
Mr.. Thurbers desk, nearly all praying for
veto.
The Fort Worth (Texas) Chamber OF Com
merce urged q veto in the interest of sound
money. Houston, Texas, warned the Presi-
dent that no party was of any use that i'm
paired the business interests and.credit of the
country. Like sentiments were expressed by
the Detroit Board of Trade, Chicago and
Philadelphia and Worcester, Mass, mer-
chants, and from Newberry. S. c., came a de
nunciation of the bill as a long and fatal step
in the direction of cheap and unsound
money. indianapolis and Norfolk merchants
were also of the same mind, and the
letters and kilograms on this side of the case
came so thick and fast as to leave little time
for Mr.. Thurber to do more than scan them
hastily and make brief notes oftheir contents
for exhibition to the President.
N
Allotments for the Indians
A possible solution OF the contest over the