Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-06
The Ex-Senator's Views Upon Gen.
eral Political Subjects.
SILVER NOT 50 STRONG IN THE West
No Idea That Any VIII Bolt the
Republican Convention.
THE NEXT CON Ores S

bH-SGndlDT VIM 10 III "
ington to make argument before the con-
troller of the treasury in the sugar boun-
ty case, was seen by Star reporter at
the Arlington this morning. Mr.. Mander-
son is taking a rest from politics, lat he
is one of the best informed men in the
country on political matters. AS president
pro TEN. of the Senate he was leader of
his party in that body and his judgment
on political matters is highly valued ty
his old associates. He talked this niorlng
with great freedom almost over the whole
range OF topics of interest in the political
situation. There is not much activity
amongg silver men in the west of late he
said. 1.-The crops are good and the pros
poets Frightening and the people are think
ing mere of their own immediate affairs
than they are of problematical PROPOSE
tons in politics. OF course, the silver agi-
tation has not died out, but there IS not as
much red fire being burned. 1t is evident
however, that the people are thinking of
the question and are talking 1t over in a
social way during their leisure hours. This
is proven to me by the correspondence l
have. Though am no longer in Congress,
l get a great number of letters concern
ing political matters from people all over
the state, and great many of them are
asking questions and raising points rs to
the free coinage of silver. The quiet dis
cussion going on among the people who are
not professional politicians is not to the ad-
vantage of the advocates of free coinage
by the United States alone
Dime talIism by international Agree
ment.
ION which side do you think a majority
of the people of Nebraska stand?" was
asked
"A majority favor binetallism by inter
national agreement. They do not favor
our trying to carry free coinage of silver
by ourselves. There a few republic
probably majority of the democrats take
that view OF it, but they are not strong
enough to carry the state. The general
run of people have discovered that the
populists have been lying to them. Hav-
ing discovered hat sc ma of the things that
have been dinged into their ears by the
poFuliSt agitatorS are not true they have
begun an investigation into the truth or
falsity of the whole teaching. Tie result
is strengthening of the sound money
cause. l quote from sample letter of
the great number which l get from the
plain people ma king inquiry this ques-
ton. This letter, which l received a short
time ago from a man evidently Ger
man, who said that he was blacksmith.
1t was very intelligent letter, and the
questions which he submitted for my de-
cision were concisely stated. He said
that he was sound money man. but was
only a blacksmith. with not much time
to study the financial question. and that
he had to contend for his opinion against
the arguments of lawyers and merchants
and even some bankers in his town, who had
better opportunities than himself to ac
quire information, and that he wanted to
submit to me two questions, my decision
being acceptable to both sides of the diSr
pute.
4 Rlac&smith's Question.
First. he said that his silver opponents
1a raJ nd ha ia6 hot oil a
legal tender in amol FITS not above five dol
lars. He insisted that silver was a full le-
gal tender. Second. the silver men asserted
that abraded silver coin was not redeemed
by the government at itsc DIN value but was
taken at weight This he denied. OF
course l answered the question, ard it
seems to me that this is a fair example of
the reckless assertions made by some OF
the silver men where they do not expect TO
be disputed. They want those who do not
know the difference.to lelieve that silver is
not made legal tender, and that the GOV
eminent is discriminating against it in the
redemption of abraded coin, when. OF
course, the truth is that it is legal tender
and that abraded silver coin is taken at
it's coin value, while gold, if abraded be-
yond certain percentage of loss, Is
taken only by weight"
You think that silver is as strong in the
west generally as 1t was?' ~
.siIver Not ax Strong.
'1 don't think it is quite. l believe that
even in the silver-producing states a good
many of those who are interested in the
mines are beginning to feel that it will
not be to the advantage of the country ror
to their own personal interest for this
government alone to undertake to maintain
the free coinage. of silver. 1 think that
great many are beginning to understand
that there are two sides to the question,
even when applied to their own private
concern as silver producers"
DO you think that the Rocky mountain
states are going to cause much trouble in
the republican national convention!'
'Of course they are going to make a yery
determined effort to commit the convention
to silver. The delegations from these
states are going to be very firmly in favor
Of the free coinsge of silver and are going
to fight for it all they know how"
DO you think they will carry it to the
extent OF boiting the convention, if things
do not go as they want?'
No Idea of Amy Bolt.
mo, 1 have no idea that there will be
airy bolt from the convention. think that
they will see there Is nothing to be gained
by such course and that having done all
they can for the cause that they represent
they will reluctantly acquiesce to the &C.
ton of the convention. 1 do not for a mo.
ment think that they will be lacking in low.
atty to the republican party"
What do you think of the outlook for
presidential candidates."
That is very difficult question. I do
not think that it is possible to judge at
this time OF what the convention is liable
to do in the matter of the choice of a can
didate. Things have not yet sufficiently
developed to indicate the success of any
particular person. AS far as the democrats
are concerned, there does not seem to be
any particular anxiety on the part of
candidates. They don't appear to regard
the nomination as sufficiently valuable to
make fight for. There is not very much
to tempt man in a nomination which is
merely for defeat"
Cleveland Third Term Talk.
what do you think Of the third term
talk for Cleveland?'
II do not attach Importance to it. In the
first place, l do not believe that Mr.. Cleve-
land desires q third term I don't think
that his experience during this term has
been such as to render the prospect of an
other four years in the White House par
ticularly tempting to him. His first term
was very comfortable, and there was a
good deal of glory In being the first demo-
cratic President after long term Of years.
But his second term has not been bed of
roses for him. The roses. have faded away
and he is lying on the bare thorns. He Is
unpopular with his party; there are many
things to trouble him. There is discord
around him, and no hope Of harmony
In the second place, he and everybody else