Evening star., 1895-05-25
P U B L &c PATRONAG
Mr.. Cleveland to Hold Up Illinois
Appointments
Senator Palmer Interested-NO More
vcntion-The Objects in View.

Although President Cleveland has no Con-
gress to handle with the aid of federal
patronage, yet he is said to be still regard
ing such subtle means of influencing mem-
bers of his party as results from the judi
cious distribution of offices as an important
factor in shaping public affairs. On the
authority of Senator Palmer Of Illinois it
can be stated that Mr.. Cleveland will make
no more appointments in Illinois until the
June convention in that state is over and
until he sees whether he is to be ruled out
Of the democratic party. The remarks of
Secretary of State Hinrichsen, who will
preside at the convention which is to sound
campaign bugle for silver, have been in
terpreted by Mr.. Cleveland as meaning that
If he does not embrace the silver cause he
is no longer a democrat and need not ex-
pect the support of his party in Illinois.
Senator Pnlmcr's Shnre.
Senator Palmer has been in Washing
ton for three days. and during that time
he has had very interesting conferences
with the President. He heartily supports
Mr.. Cleveland in his financial views and
proposes to do all in his power to antag-
cnize the free silver movement that has
gained such headway in a short time in
his state. Senator Palmer will in the fu-
ture, he has in the past, work steadily
in order to advance the cause of the ad-
ministration, and be will uphold by every
means in his power the cause of sound
money.
Administration democrats who believe
that a sound money policy should be the
shibboleth Of their party Will view as very
important this declaration that comes
from the White House that federal ap-
pointments will be manipulated by Presi-
dent Cleveland with view to keeping the
free silverites in check. Everyone knows
how potent was this influence in the re-
peal of the Sherman act, and in shaping
nearly all of the legislation of the Fifty
third. Congress. No democrat likes to feel
that his influence with the administration
is worth nothing. and it is safe to say that
any member of the party who antagoniZes
the policy of sound money at this time.
when that is the one great question before
the country, may hope to influence the
distribution of patronage.
AItgeld VIII Not Like 1t.
Governor Altgeld and his secretary Of
state Mr.. Hirrichsen, will doubtless have
something to say when they hear of this
course that will be pursued by the admin
istration. During the next few months
there are likely to be some very important
offices in Illinois to be filled by Mr.. Clete-
land The President will not name for
these places men who are antagonisuc to
the Hinrichsen convention, but he will hold
the places open so that the leaders In that
movement may uHueTStdnu IL uol too
late for them to repent and come into the
fold. The convention has been called with
the view of indorsing tn the strongest
manner the free silver movement. What
Mr.. Cleveland wishes to accomplish is
either to make the work of the convention
a fizzle, or to cause that body of men to
declare in favor of a policy Of recognizing
silver as a part of the monetary system of
the country rather than declaring in favor
of free and unlimited coinage of the white
metal at 16 to l.
President Cleveland has in the past
proven himself a powerful and sagacious
manipulation of his party, and he is taking
a most lively interest in the work of the
Illinois convention. Many democrats be-
lieve that if the President can so manipu-
late affairs as to nullify the acts of that
convention he will be looked upon as a safe
leader for the party in 1897, notwithstand-
ing the prejudice that such a candidacy
should have because Of the third termism
involved in it. Mr.. Cleveland is said to
consider that a great crisis for the demo-
cratic party is now at hand, and it is al
legged that he will spare no pains in order
to prevent the party from committing itself
to free silver.