Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-24
COMPROMISE LIKELY
How the Fight on Silver Will Proba-
bly, Be Settled.
REPUBLICAN CONCESSIONS SUGGESTED
Propositions Which Southern Dem
ocrats Have Agreed to Accept.
TASK OF THE PARTIES S

During occasional lulls in the roar of the
two contendlng sides on the money ques-
tion there is heard at times the faint note
of compromise. 1t is very faint as yet, but
some men of skill and shrewdness in the
manipulation Of affairs are now sounding g
1t. And this leads to the predic ton that
1t will shortly begin to strengthen and to
increase in volume until, before the year
Is out, 1t will be heard far and near above
all the distractions of the hour.
1t is urged in conservative quarters that
this must inevitably result from condi-
tions so strained and extreme as those that
now exist. On the one hand are the men
who are all for gold. while on the other
the men all for silver. Each side Is
insisting having its own way, ard yet
each side. it Is contended, must in the end
be brought to see that by reason of the
strength and influence of the other side
concessions are absolutely essential to a
settlement of the question. These men
have met in conflict before, and over this
same issue, when charges and counter
charges were just as severe and when
threats of party disruption were freely
made as at present. But the bad feeling
subsidized, and the old parties held together;
and what was averted then by good man
agement can by good management be avert
ed now.
Republican Concessions Suggested.
That the republicans are preparing to
make concessions to the west on silver is
thought to be very plainly indicated by
several things that have happened of late.
Foremos, of all is the talk that Stephen
B. Elllins has been indulging in since his
return from the west He has made it
very plain that the silver question occu-
pied his thoughts a good deal during his
trip, and in general terms he has stated
his own views as influenced by the informa-
ton he gathered. Nobody is likely for the
present to travel outside of general terms.
But Mr.. Elkins, even in this cautious way,
has felt himself at liberty to say friend
ly word for silver. Something more. he de-
clares, must be done for the white metal.
He is opposed to going as far as free COIN
age, but he is equally opposed to leaving
silver where it now is. Mr.. Elkins is not,
of course, the republican party. Nor is he
assuming to speak for the party. But he is
very prominent member of the party, he
stands very near to all of the men equally
prominent with himself in the management
of party affairs, and there men who
believe that in the event of the return of
Gen. Harrison TO the White House he will
be the next Secretary of the Treasury. So
that this declaration of Mr.. Elkins, made
in New York under eastern lights and in
fuences, is construed a friendly over
ture to the western republicans, and
polite invitation to them to examine the
stock of republican concessions and COM
promises before going elsewhere And that
this invitation will be accepted, and when
accepted will result in the striking of a
bargain which will keep the republicans
united for next years campaign, is con-
fidently believed by some of the most prom
inent democrats in the country.
What Will the Democrats Do.
And now. the question is asked, what
are the democrats. taking their cue from
the other side, likely to do of such import
and with the view of keeping their party
tod Tn, hot, tl,n
considered, as in the case of the republi-
cans the west is. With what, in the shape
of concession, or compromise, will the
south be content? She has not formally
expressed herself in Congress on this sub
ject since the special session of the last
Congress Then, Is now recalled, after
protracted wrangle over the proposition
for the unconditional repeal of the pur-
chasing clause of the Sherman act. COM
promise was drafted, and every southern
Senator, with the exceptions of Mills and
Gallery, set his hand to it. That compro-
mise called for the coinage of all the silver
bullion then In the treasury, the purchase
and coinage of an amount equal to years
purchase under the old terms, and the re-
urement of all notes in circulation under
ten dollars. The southern silver men didn't
like the terms, but, under pressure, they
agreed to accept them. Would they ac-
cept them, or something like them, again
under pressure?
Then, there was the Faulkner amend
Iiehl III tiit oeHdle, WHICH dllIdCteu Hlucu
attention and at one time was promised
good deal of silver support. But it did
not come to a vote. The leading feature
Of that amendment fixed the limit of all
silver currency issued by the government,
including notes based upon silver, at eight
hundred million dollars. This it was
claimed, would satisfy the silver men, and
at the same time put no more silver into
circulation than the business of this coun-
try could easily use. Some eastern men
even approved of this proposition, and
leading New York bankers wrote letters
here declaring that it acceptable to
them One of them, very prominent
man, suggested that the limit might be
raised to nine hundred millions without
injury to business interests. Would the
terms of the Faulkner amendment be ac-
ceptable to the democrats a compro-
mise now? They are likely to be proposed
again and urged by men high up in con-
servative quarters.
Task of the Two Parties.
The republican task is thought to be
this: The west Is to be placated, and the
west wants provision made for the whole
silver output of the American mines. VIII
the republican party promise to go that far
for silver?
The democratic task is thought to be
this: The south is to be placated, and the
south wants material increase in the
circulating medium and wants it in silver.
How far short of free coinage will eastern
democrats to stop under teh high pressure
of the Importance OF a united front in a
presidential campaign?