Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-01
He Declares Illinois Democrats Will
Stand for Sound Money.
SUBSIDENCE OF THE FREE SILVER tide
It Goes Down Before the Golden
Harvest of Corn.
SP LIT IN SILVER RANKS

Mr. James H. Eckels. controller of the
currency returned this morning from a
trip to Illinois. during which he gathered
some information as to the political situa-
tion In that state. In conversation this
afternoon with a Star reporter Mr. Eckela
gave summary of the result of his OBJ
servation.
The main feature of the outlook In Ili-
rcis from a democratic standpoint" said
Mr.. Eckels, lis that the state convention
which meets next year to select delegates
to the national convention will not adopt
a free silver platform and will not send
free silver delegates to the national con-
vention. This confident statement NAV
sound strange in view of the action of the
late Springfield convention, which declared
SO emphatically and apparently unani-
mously for the free and unlimited coinage
OF silver, giving the impression that it's
declaration was the voice of the democracy
Of the state. but even in the short space
of time which has elapsed since the action
Of that meeting there has been a remark
able change of sentiment in Illinois.
THE free silver tide has subsided with a
rapidity which has been appalling to those
politicians who expected to float into power
upon it's crest. There are many reasons
for the change of feeling, prominent among
them the return Of good times and a mag
nifcent crop. l never saw such corn
fields as those Aow hourishing in the state
of Illinois. The farmers are busy and feel
ing good over the prospect of a plentiful
harvest. They haven't time to keep up the
free silver agitation. and without constant
discussion and herd-times croaking the
sentiment for the white metal dies a nat
ural death.
Another significant fact is that the labor
classes are abandoning the cause of silver.
h nc ic tano hi s.
where majority of the Pre- minent labor
leaders are going over tc the side of sound
money as being for the best interests Of
labor. With the farmers abandoning them
and the labor organizations also, the free
silver politicians are rapidly finding them
selves without a following. The campaign
of education in behalf of an honest cur
rency is beginning to tell, and the heresies
Of the free silver argument are rapidly be-
ing repudiated by an intelligent people.
TT is evident that a number of peo-
pie who took part in the recent free
silver manifestation In Illinois already re-
gret their action. and are trying to get
away from the responsibility attaching
They are realizing their mistake, and feel
now that it was not the great public move
ment 1t was thought to be at the time Of
its occurrence. They overestimated the
significance of the temporary craze and
miscalculated its effect. Some people who
went into the movement in all sincerity
realize that they were led astray by the
politicians, and the large number whose
partisanship m pehalf of free silver was
due solely to political reasons are blaming
the lack of perception which caused them
to make such a mistake"
A Division of silver Force,
Advices from other sources received by
The Star tell Of another phase of the situa-
ton in Illin Dis, which is interesting at this
time. 1t is raid that the free silver wing
of the democratic party OF that state,
y-t iah
silver convention, has suffered a split.
There are now two factions in. that wing
of the party, headed. respectively, by Gov.
Altgeld and his secretary of state, Mr..
Hfnrfchsen. The division is credited to
personal differences between the two off,
ciais generated. 1t is alleged, by political
Jealousy. Immediately after the Springfield
convention there were Indicators of trou-
ble between Gov. Altgeld and his brainy
and ambitious lieutenant. While the free
SILVER movement in Illinois was supposed to
be headed by Gov. AltgeId, the events OF
the convention demonstrated that 1t was
a question whether Gov. Altgeld had more
influence than Mr.. Hinrichsen, with the
inGlcations somewhat In favor of Mr.. Hin
richsen This was especially the case with
the country delegates, who were conspic-
Consly -lukewarm toward the governor and
his Following Of Chicago ward heelers.
Hinrichscn and AItxeld.
1t is reported that Mr.. Hinrichsen was
surprised and delighted at the manifesto.
tion of his new-found influence, while the
governor was no less surprised, but also
very much alarmed at It, and this mutual
discovery was the cause of an Immediate
coolness. 1t is said the governor vetoed
a bill which was a pet measure with Mr.
Hinrichsen and this did not mend mat
ters. Then the governor called an extra
session of the legislature without consult
ing his secretary Of state and against his
Well-known wishes. The next move of az
gressfon was made by Mr.. Hinrichsen, who
sided with Governor Altgeld's opponents
In the matter of the selection of a speaker
OF the house after the death of Speaker
Meyers. Thus, in little ways, the breach
has been growing wider between the two
and the matter is being taken up by their
respective followers in partisan manner.
The prospects are said to be very favora-
BILE for wide division, resulting in a COM
plete dissolution of the Altgeld free silver
party, some of them going back into the
regular organization and others following
radical leaders and ultimately bringing up
In the populst party. The outlook, 1t Is
said is regarded with a great deal of COM
placency by the sound money democrats,
who see prospects of shattering the Alt
geld influence and reorganizing the badly
disrupted democracy upon old lines Of
strength.
NAV nnuNc AnnUr a r~vaSuu