People's voice., 1895-05-09
VIEWS OF THE WEST.
Mr.. MORTON GETS A START
LING REPORT.
Sentiment Appears to Be Strongly in
Favor Of White Me;al-Congressma
Hepburn Tells What lie Learned While
IN Iowa.


extremely important and which will be
printed with appropriate comments and
sent broadcast throughout the coun-
try. The silver people are jubilant and
believe they have discovered a straw
indicating that the free coinage wind
is rapidly increasing in velocity. From
the correspondence in the hands Of the
committee it appears that Secretary of
Agriculture Morton desired to ascertain
the growth decline of free silver
sentiment in the west, and wrote a pri-
vate letter to ]. R. Buchanan, passen-
ger agent at Omaha of the Fremont,
Elkhorn and Missouri Valley railroad,
who travels over large area of ter
ritory, to obtain an expression Of his
views. The committee states that this
information was desired especially for
the Reform Club or Sound Currency as
sociation of New York, of which ex-
Congressman John Dewitt Warner is
executive committee chairman, to the
end that this club might take steps to
counteract, if possible, the apparent up
rising Of the people in favor Of silver.
This association has been sending out
many thousands of circulars, especially
to editors of country papers in the west,
Offering to furnish and urging them to
publish anti-silver literature, hoping
thereby to Offset the growth of silver
sentiment Mr.. Buchanan's reply is
considered important, as showing the
immense augmentation in the silver
sentiment of the people.
1t is substantially as follows:
/ am able only to see and to an extent
appreciate the very evil effect being
exerted by the so-called free silver in
terests in this country, and l hardly
think this is appreciated in great CEN
tiers. The wave Of this baueful idea
has almost reached an epidemic cOndi-
tion, and unless fully answered in kind
both great political parties will be
obliged to either incorporate substan-
tial free silver plank in their platform
or else a disgraceful straddle. Coins
School of Finance" has reached an edi-
ton Of over 100000, and recently an
other book of the same kind has been
issued. They pretend to quote eminent
fnanciers of Chicago and elsewhere
as, for instance, Lyman ]. Gage, Joseph
Medill and others-as injecting OBJ
jections embodying their most formi-
dable arguments, and then proceed to
answer them effectively. This book is
sold ten to one of any other. 1t is an
entertaining little volume. In my opin-
ion it should be answered by someone
who fully understands the subject. This
book has been purchased in large num-
bers by silver people and distributed
gratuitously. The banking interests
should take steps to publish a reply in
equally effective form and pu: it on the
market at the lowest price.
To show the effect of this book, a
rather intelligent country banker
called on me recently and asked me il
l could answer it, saying he was nearly
convinced there was hope in the policy
suggested, and this against his will
he said it was making votes more rap
idly than anything he had ever known
l referred him to our bankers here. He
said later he had talked with some
who had passed it over lightly, and did
not reply.
My judgment from the present out.
look is that eastern conservatives oi
both parties are likely to unite anG
possibly renOminate Mr.. Cleveland
who would carry the east and south
no doubt-the east on his able, hones
conservatism, and the south because
they would never vote other than thu
democratic ticket, thus insuring a vott
which would elect, and the west woult
undoubtedly support populist or fret
silverite unless there is a great change
II this is not done | feel the election
will be thrown into the house as thu
result of three tickets being in tn,
field, in which case the balance of pow
er would be with the free silver in
terest. l believe. vote to-day on tn,
naked question Of a 16 to l silver plat
form in Nebraska would give it a ma
jority of $4,000 or near It.
In his letter to Mr.. Warner Secre
tary Morton said:
My object in sending you this lette
of Mr.. Buchanan is to give you thor
oughgoing business mans views of tn,
situation. The letter shows how fal
lacies flourish among the farmers o
the west and south. The letter ais,
points out the necessity of immediat
coherent and organized action in be
half of sound money.
This correspondence was widely dis
cussed to-day at the headquarters o
the American Bimetallic league and tn
opinion was generally expressed tha
the friends Of sound money in New
York will probably arrange to begil
the dissemination of literature to coun
teract that now being distributed b,
the active advocates of free silver.
Representative Hepburn Of Iowa ha
returned from trip to the west, where
during the past month, he has visiteu
every county in his district. Mr.. Hep
burn will be recalled as one Of tn