The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-04-17
SIGNIFICANT
CONFESSIONS.
A Railroad Man ON the Growth of the
Free silver Sentiment.
PlutOcracy Frightened-If the Elec-
ton Of President Is Thrown Into
the House the POpulfsts May
Control.

WASHINGTON, D. c., April 1.-THE
friends of silver in this city are congratu-
Iating themselves very much on the exist
ence of two letters now in the possession OF
the American Bimetallic League, which that
organization will, it is declared, give very
thorough circulation. One Is said to be
from no less a parsonage than Mr.. Norton
secretary of agriculture, who desiring offi-
cial information concerning the status OF
the free silver sentiment in the West, ad-
dressed private letter to General Passen-
ger Agent Buchanan, of the Fremont, Elk
horn and Missouri valley railroad, for an
expression of opinion of that gentleman's
views as to the free silver sentiment. The
reply of Mr.. Buchanan, which the league
regards important, as showing great in
crease of popular sentiment in favor of free
silver, is given out as containing these ex-
pressions.
II am able only to see and to an extent
appreciate, the very evil effect being exert
ed by so-called free silver interests in this
country, and l hardly think this is appre-
ciated in great centers. The wave of this
baneful idea has almost reached an cpl
demic condition, and unless fully answered
in kind, both great political parties will be
obliged to either incorporate substantial
free silver plank in their Platforms or else
a disgraceful stradde.
COINS School of Finance has reached
an edition of over 100000, and recently an
other book of the same kind has been
issued. They pretend to quote eminent
financiers Of Chicago and elsewhere-as, for
instance, Lyman J. Gage, Joseph Medill
and others-as interfering objections en-
bodying their most formidable arguments,
and then proceeds to answer them effective
ly. This book is sold 10 to of any other.
1t is an entertaining little volume. In my
opinion it should be answered by someone
who fully understands the iasubject. This
book has been purchased in large numbers
by silver people and distributed gratutous-
ly. The banking interests should take steps
to publish reply in equally attractive
form and put it on the market at the lowest
price.
ITO show the effect of this book, a rather
intelligent country banker called on me re-
Gently and asked me if l could answer it.
saying he was nearly convinced there was
hope in the policy suggested, and this
against his will. He said it making
votes more rapidly 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 outlook
is that Eastern conservatives of both par
ties are likely to unite and possibly renomi-
nate Mr.. Cleveland; who would carry the
East and South, no doubt-the East on his
able, honest conservatism, and the South
because they could never vote any other
than the Democratic ticket thus insuring
vote which would elect, and the West
would undoubtedly support Populist or
free slverite, unless there is a great
change. If this is not done feel the cleo
ton will be thrown into the house, as the
result of three tickets being in the field, in
which case the balance of power would be
with the free silverites. I believe vote
today on the naked question of a 16 to
silver platform in Nebraska would give it a
ma ioritv of 80 600 or near if