The herald., 1895-03-30

brainiest men that ever sat in Congress.
With them on their holiday trip, are
their four children. They are all travel
ing in their private car and have lately
been staying in Mexico.
The visit I Senator Eltlns to Calltorn-
ia, the first he has ever made to this
state, is of conslderabl i'm portance to the
state. Besides being heavily interested IN
the Santa Fe road ne is interested in the
Terminal road to San Pedro. In the next
reached as to whether this port or Santa
Monica will be made the port of entry:
and whether the Government will spend
large sums Of money in the improvement
OF one or the other.
II went to San Pedro today" said Mr..
Elkins land looked over the ground very
carefully, but as yet [ have arrived at no
conclusion as to the merits of its claims.
like San Pedro. / think it has a great
many advantages, but | have not seen
Santa Monica yet. Those who are in
favor of this place make out very strong
case. The government engineers have, l.
believe, reported in favor OF San PeGor.
however, until | have carefully examined
the report of the committee which is now
making an vestgation. l believe this
matter should be determined by the eX-
perts | can go and look at the places,
and NAV think one of them is better than
L
ly that one would make better harbor.
So am waiting until hear what the ex-
perts will have to say
But your experience has made you
somewhat of an expert yourself, has 1t
not?"
We'll. know something about railroad
building and mining. But then l don t
know anything about the character of the
beach at either place, and | don't know
at which one of them the engineering
conditions are most favorable.
No do not care to make any political
prophecies. You newspaper men prob
ABLY follow the course of events as closely
as we do. i was going to add with more
interest. too, hut that is probably untrue.
You know about what is going on, and
you are just as good guessers as we are.
1t would be folly for me to say that such
a man would be elected President or even
nominated. So many things are likely TO
happen before the conventions. 1t is IA
possibility that candidate may be de-
veloped in the House during the coming
session. a wise man does not make
political predictions.
SILVER? Well, | want to have silver
made as free as possible, although | do
not favor absolute free coinage. This
question of money is one of the most i'm
portant that will be considered by the
next Congress. 1t will require Il great deal
of discussion and investigation. | have
lived in the West myself "a good deal of
the time, and | know the feeling of the
people OF the West regarding the white
metal. Besides, | own some silver mines
myself. After all. though. the determi-
nation of this great question does not de-
pend 50 much upon This country as upon
the action of European nations, and
things begin to look favorable to the
silver interests. 1t is quite probable that
Germany, the first country to demonetize
silver will soon restore it to a money
basis Several other European nations
are likely to do the same thing. Then |
INK we can establish a uniform ratio
without the help of Great Britain, which
is disposed to favor gold.
Il am not SO much worried about this
money question as are some, however. /
do not believe u nations $ wealth consists
of money alone. Countries do not trade
with each other for money. 1t is my idea
that nations wealth consists of its
natural resources. We have got lumber
iron, coal. wool, cereals and other agri-
cultural products that other countries
want and must pay for, if not with gold,
with other articles that we want. Suppose
that country with large population
had nothing but gold. How long do you
think the supply would last? 1t would be
drained by the other countries of the
globe in short time. What would that
.lation do then? | do not think that we
will get free coinage at this session of
.'orgress. but l do believe that some con-