Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-27
Profit to the Democracy From Free
Coinage Agitation.
OPINIONS OF REPUBLICAN, LEADERS
The Records Of the Two Parties to
Be Compared.
TEXT FOR NEXT YEAR

Comment is now heard on the views at
tributed to Mr.. Carlisle in a recent CONVEX
sation with visitor from Virginia respect
ing public questions. and party prospects
Mr.. Carlisle complains of the publication,
but only on the score that the conversation,
as he understood it. was private one. 1t
was not intended for the newspapers. But
he does not repudiate the sentiments as
cribed to him, and they are accepted, there
fore, as accurately portraying his estimate
of the situation.
The Silver Question.
The most important point of the whole
utterance is thought to relate to the silver
question. Mr.. Carlisle is of opinion that, all
things considered, the democracy will
greatly profit by the agitation of the free
coinage issue this year. At the outset 1t
seemed to be premature and unwise; but
different aspect has come over the face OF
things. The fighting, 1T is true is vigorous,
but 1t will serve in the end to educate the
party and give the two factions better
understanding of each other Mr.. Carlisle
seems to think that by next year matters,
by reason of the fighting now in progress,
will be easy Of adjustment, and the de-
mocracy will have little difficulty In march
ing into the presidential field in good order.
In much better order, he predicts, than the
republicans will be able to show. The
publicans, according to his view, will but
then have begun their factional contention,
with the time all too short for their salts
factory settlement.
Republican Opinions.
The republican leaders are a little sur
prised at all this. In their opinion. Mr..
Carlisle is reckoning without his host.
What, they ask, is the practical result up
to date of the democratic warfare over sill
yer? They answer, Nothing. What, they
further ask, is likely to be the practical 1e-
suit of all the warfare indulged in between
this time and the end of the year? And
they again answer Nothing. What are the
different democratic state conventions do
ing this year? Settling the silver question?
By no means. Those controlled by the adj
ministration are. the republicans charge,
simply lodging it. Unable to secure an un-
.equivocal Endorsement of its policy, the
administration asks, and gets, only an in
dorsement of the party's financial deliver
ance of 1892, in which the free silver men
profess to find full warrant for their free
coinage viaws. So the republicans are ask
irg, where will this land the democrats
next year? What advantage will they pos
sess over the republicans? Will not they,
as will the republicans. still have their
tional platform to make? The silver men
in both parties will be demanding recogni-
ton for silver, but with the difference that
they will be, numerically, infinitely stronger
in the one party than in the other. The
contest In the democratic party will be be-
tween eight-tenths for and two-tenths
against free coinage, while in the repub-
lican party bine-tenths against silver will
oppose one-tenth for silver.
Two Records Compared.
The republican leaders are hoping for
good returns next year from the compari-
son they will institute between their treat
ment of silver when they came into full
power in the spring of 1889 ana the record
made by the democracy when it succeeded
to full power in the spring of 1898. The
republicans in the campaign of 1883 prom
Used, If intrusted with control, to enact
legislation favorable to silver. This was in
compliance with the demands of the free
coinage members of the party in the west
The republicans won at the polls, and the
Sherman act of 1890 was the redemption of
that promise. 1t was not all that the sill
yer republicans desired, but they accepted
it as an evidence of good faith on the part
Of the gold faction<of the party. The DEM
ocrats In the campaign of 1892 promised, if
put into full control, to enact legislation
favorable to silver. The Sherman act had
disappointed everybody, its author included,
and the democrats not only denounced it
and demanded its repeal, but declared the
purpose, If the necessary legislative major
ity should be given them to put something
in its place that would be entirely accept
able to the friends of silver. They elected
both Congress and the executive, and yet
the net result to date is the repeal of the
Sherman act, large issuance of bonds for
current expenses a gold basis and the
setting of the Presidents face like flint
against all overtures of the free coinage
men for some help in the interests of their
cause.
Text of Next Years Stumping.
Such Is to be the text of much of next
years republican stumping on the silver
question. The free coinage men are to be
plainly told that they owe their existing
discontinue to the democratic trtmph of
1892. They are to be assured that had the
republican party been kept in power sill
vers interests would have been considered
and respected. The Sherman act would
probably have been repealed. was done
on Mr.. Cleveland's recommendation. but
that would have been followed by some
measure upon which both gold and silver
men could have Stood and which would
have insured silver a larger usefulness as
redeeming money in the currency of the
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