Evening star., 1895-04-16
A SINGLE STANDARD
The Battle May Be Fought Under
That Flag.
GOLD AGAINST SILVER MONOMETALLISM
The Breach Between the Two
Democratic Wings Widening.
A WESTERN BANKERS VIEWS

A WESTERN BANKERS VIEWS
Will the eastern democrats. under the
leadership of President Cleveland. be forced
to finally declare outright for gold mono
metallism against silver monometallism
by the western wing of the party! VIII
both wings lay aside all talk of interna-
tional bimetallism and fight the battle on
straightout, single standard lines?
These are two questions which are be-
ing propounded and discussed with fire.
quency among politicians during the last
day or two. The smooth takers the paci-
ffers, the compromisers, on both sides re-
fute the idea that it Is to finally become a
question of single standard, clinging to the
plea for international bimetallism. but a
large element of frank and outspoken men
among both the free silver people and the
sound money men are beginning to throw
overheard the bimetallic ballast and de-
clare for clearing the decks for action un-
der the single standard flag.
Each Side Blames the Other.
Curiously enough, each side blames the
other for the necessity of this course. The
sound money men say they are willing to
jog along under present conditions until an
international agreement for the use of sill
yer and gold together can be reached, but
that the silverites are pressing for national
free coinage, and that rather than nave
such thing come to pass 1t would be pet
ter for the United States to go on gold
basis at once. On the other hand. the sill
yer people say the other side is gradually
edging toward gold basis; that the pros
pect Of an acceptable international agree
ment for silver is very slim, and that II
single standard is to obtain, let 1t be silver
by all means rather than gold.
Tfere is no doubt that the western demo-
Gratis are becoming very suspicious OF the
so-called sound money" wing OF the party
in the east. under the leadership of Mr..
Cleveland, to its leaning toward gold
moncmetallism. They say IL Mr.. Cleve-
land and his advisers are not out-and-out
mcnometallists, they are cOnSorting very
boldly with that class, and that men are
often known by their associates. The ad-
ministration's alleged leaning toward the
Reform Club and its work is cited as
ccEspicuous instance.
Mr.. Trenholm ON Sound Money.
Mr.. w. L. Trenholm, who was controller
of the currency during President Cleve-
Ii Ed's first term, is now on the committee
of the Reform Club, with ex-Secretary
Fairchild, who held the treasury portfolio
during the latter portion of Mr.. Cleveland 8
incumbency. Mr.. Trenholm closes a recent
sound money paper as follows: Gold mono
nletallism is the unavoidable destiny of
this country; the sooner We recognize this
and fix 1t in our laws the sooner will We
reap the fruits; the longer we defer the
recognition, the more We impede and post
pcne its establishment by law-the longer
will our Industries be hampered and all
Cur business deranged by financial unrest
and commercial apprehension. Should we
unfortunately let go the single gold stand
ard, there will be nothing to take hold of
but silver monometallism, for bimetallism
for us is snare and a deluSiOn."
The Breach Widening.
1t is Just such utterances as this, 1t is
claimed, that serve to convince the western
democrats that the breach between them
and their eastern brethren, which up to
this time has been bridged by the rain
bow of bimetallism. is now widening to an
extent which will effectually prevent their
meeting on common ground again.
1t Is a matter of comment that all of the
talk of divisions between the east and the
west upon the financial question seems for
the present to be confined to the demo-
cratic party, the republicans remaining in
the background and thereby lending color
to the impression that the fight over the
financial question is outside of their own
lines. The calling of the Illinois free silver
convention, the PRONUNCIATION of the Presi-
dents letter and the talk of the administra-
ton taking active part in the campaign
against the free silver movement has in
tensified this impression.
lating themselves upon the fact that moth
ing is happening to precipitate an issue on
silver in their ranks or to call undue at
tention to any differences that may already
exist. Their opponents say, however, that
this will not continue to be the case al
ways, but that the meeting of the Fifty
fourth Congress will Immediately present
an opportunity for chalking out the line of
financial demarkation in the republican
party. The thought that their ancient en-
emy may soon be in the same dilemma with
themselves on the silver question is consol-
Ing great many grieving democrats at
'his time.
A Western Bankers Views.
Mr.. George Moore, banker Of Jackson
Mimi, is in the city today. He reports that
the free silver sentiment in his state is
largely in the air, and seems to attract
principally the restless and improvident
classes. He says the rural districts furnish
the largest quota of free silver believers
but that even in these sections the farmers
of substance, the men who own their prop
erty and perhaps have been enabled to
lay by little money for lending or invest
ment, are opposed to free silver. and may
be counted among the adherents of sound
money policy.
Reports from different sections of the
country indicate that the Bi.metallic
League is waging vigorous campaign in
every portion of the Mississippi valley, not
only through the dissemination of free sill
yer literature. but by the establishment
of branches Of the league. 1t is said the
Presidents letter will be Immediately util-
lied by the league to accentuate the i'm
preston intended to be conveyed that the
President is arraying himself with the
moneyed interests of the country and
against the masses" The claim that the
bankers and the capitalists are the in
herent enemies of the other classes Of the
people forms one of the stock phrases Of
the silver propogandists, and as the mata-
dor waves the red flag in the face Of the
bull to infuriate him, so they taunt the
people with the oppression Of Wall street"
to work them I'D to the proper pitch before