Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-13
THIRD TERM TALK
The Free Coinage Men Take Little
Stock in It.
WHY Mr.. CLEVELAND Is BARRED
Unavailable for His Own Party or
a New Ono.
A COMPLIMENTARY MOVE

The more uncompromsing CT the tree
coinage men take but little stock in the
talk of nominating MIR. Cleveland for a
third term. They do not regard the propo-
sition as laid down in the newspapers as
either prac cticable or sincere. The result is
that they are canvassing it more with the
view of ascertaining what it may conceal
than what 1t would appear to reveal. Their
discoveries so far are few and unimportant.
But they are cemforted by the belief that
the whole program must soon come out,
and they are confident that when 1T does
come out it will show for one thing merely
that the single gold standard men are very
badly frightened.
The Issue a Plain One.
The issue, as the free coinage men see 1t,
Is, and will be next year, a very plain one.
They believe also that 1t will have to be
squarely met. Both of the cid parties may
again try to straddle it. but, admitting the
possibility of certain degree of success in
that direction. the democracy cannot pos
1bly hope for the greater degree of sue
Aess The democracy'G record as to silver
b made up. both in Congress and out, ana
the party cannot get away from 1t. Ana
the same is true of the republican party.
Eine-tenths of the one party is for free
silver, while nine-tenths of the other Is
against free silver. How, then, the frse
coinage men ask, can this be concealed by
any juggle of words, either In party plat
forms or on the stump? The democracy, 1t
is held, would be at an especial disadvan-
tage in such a contest of phrase-mak1ng by
reason of it's past aggressiveness on the
subject. The great majority OF the republi-
cans have been willing to let the issue rest
from time to time, while the democracy. as
a party. has always insisted on action that
would restore silver as money metal to
the status 1t held prior to the passage OF
the demonetiZing act of 1913. This, then,
will be the record. whatever the party plat
forms next year may try to express, or TO
evade.
Why He is Barred.
Mr. Cleveland, in the opinion Of the ex-
treme free coinage men, Is barred from
next years race by every consideration or
party safety. The democracy, as at pres
ent organized, could not afford to take him
again. 1t took him in 1892 because the
tariff was the issue, and he was the most
eminent representative of the party's con-
tention on that subject. He had put that
contention in its most aggressive form.
His financial views did not enter into the
question. There was 10 thought then that
during the coming four years the money
question would be brought so conspicuously
to the front. But 1t has been, and now the
party, with its record. must meet that
question. Is Mr.. Cleveland representative
democrat on the money question? With
that question as the issue, could the party
nominate him again and keep straight
face before the country? The free coin
age men assert that he would be as con-
spicuously not the man for such race
next year as he was conspicuously the best
man for the race in 1892. On the one is
sue he had been leading his party; on the
other he has always opposed it, and twice
has baked it outright.
Could any situation arise which would
induce the republicans to turn to Mr..
Cleveland, or he to them? How could they
ever trust him? The most violent rupture
of both of the old parties would put any
new party formed on anti-free silver lines
under the control of those who are at pres
ent members of the republican party. Such
a party, it Is held, would simply be the
present republican party minus its western
contingent, and plus the eastern contingent
Of the present democratic party. Standing,
as 1t would, for the republican financial
policy, would the new party lack for lead
ership? Would 1t be likely, the free-coin-
age mes ask. to turn from John Sherman
or ThoERs B. Reed, to Grover Cleveland?
Why take the disciple, instead of one OF
the masters2 Why take the nominee from
what would be the small minority member
ship of the new party rather than from
the majority membership, and which be,
side had brought the issue along with II
into the new organizationf
Simply n Compliment.
nothing more than feint in all this ma
neuver. The purpose Is not, they insist. tc
put Mr.. Cleveland forward for President
again, but merely to compliment him and
surround his retirement from Office in 1881
with a circumstance of unusual glory. The
talk of third term, it is pointed out, Is
confined so far to Mr. Cleveland's warmest
personal friends-men who sincerely ad
mire him and believe him equal to any
emergency. But even they. 1t is held mus'
be able to see how unavailable on every
score their favorite will be for next years
race and how useless 1t would be seriously
to press him. The program Is to bring Out
fiatterng review of the Presidents ca
reer in office; to show how resolute he has
been at times and especially on the money
question; how it has never been possible tc
drive him or cajole him on that or any
other question against his convictions; how
well and thoroughly he would fill the pres
ent bill, and then have him write a letter
declining to permit the use of his name II
connection with third term, and express
cordial approval of the general sentiment
of the people against violation of the rule
governing the subject. 1t is not charged
that the movement is one of hocus-pocus
but rather one of those strokes that public
men now and then resort to in the effor
to provide once-popular leader with ar
Impressive and inspiring exit from the
stage