Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-03-29

Washington, March 24.-presdent
Cleveland's private office was the cen
ter Of unusual activity today as the
leading silver men in congress came
before him to urge him to sign the
seigniorage bill.
AT one time there We're fifteen of
them ranged about the president, ear
nestly pleading with him. Representa-
tive McNlillin, of the ways and means
committee, was just back from visit
to his state which satisfied him, he
said, that Il veto would mean political
disaster. Every one of the callers was
an ardent silver man, except, pos
sibly, Representative Black, and he
too was there to urge for the people
Of Illinois the signing of the bill.
The president had cordial greeting
for the various silver men and showed
much interest in the various pleas pre-
scented to him.
Cleveland stated that he knew no
section and he had the deepest desire
to act for the welfare of the whole
people, east and west alike
Soon President Cleveland framed a
reply to the many pleas which had been
pouring in upon him and which he had
not attempted to answer or parry, eX-
cept by casual remarks. He stood be-
side his large desk and spoke to the
fifteen or twenty earnest men before
him. His words came slowly and with
deep earnestnesS.
He spoke of his anxiety to help con-
gressmen and their people by such ac-
ton as would be best for the whole
country. 1t was Il question above ma
| jorities in congress or any other per
sonal or selfish consideration.
He told them that they had his SYM
pathy and he earnestly wished he was
ut 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 turned it
over to him and upon him rested the
responsibility which he could not aud
would not evade.
The performance of his full duty
obliged him to consider not the inter
eSts of this or that section, but the wei
far of the whole people, and that duty
he should endeavor to discharge to the
best of his ability. TO that end he had
sought information from all sources
and had heard all interests. He in
tended to take all of the facts into con
sideration and base his decision upon
the conviction that he should reach as
to the interests of the whole people.
The president spoke feelingly of the
gravity of the responsibility thus i'm
posed upon him by the differences in
! the various localities. He pointed out
some of the features urged against the
b:ll. He did not say they were fatal
defects, yet the tendency of his state
mcntS was to show that he could l','t
yet reconcile himself to the views the
silver lucn had expressed
NIhcl the main body of congress
men retired others arrived and then
Il stream of silver pleas continued
Throughout the public hours of the
president.
To one of the congressman Cleveland
against the second section of the
Bland bill, which may cause run ON
the treasury for the redemption of
treasury notes in gold. Another i'm
potant criticism advanced by Cleve-
and was the wording of the section
directing the coinage of seigniorage
| While not stating that the defect Is
fatal, the president seemed to re-
gard it as serious matter in such a
measure.