The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-04-27
RANDOM rorarroAL NOTES.

ume OF Democratic protests against tho
proposition to hold a Democratic state
convention for the purpose Of "roorgau-
King tho party In tho state aud pledg.
Ing Il 10 advance to tho froo mud unlim-
tied coinage Of silver. It has developed.
among othcr things, that there 10 a con.
siderable number Of Democrats In tho
state, especially among tho editors and
party leaders, who arc not ready TO
commit themselves unqualinodly TO tho
FREQ silver policy, and that they arc do
Ing n powerful lot Of thinking in tho
othor direction. In fact, 1t 10 moro
than eve apparent that tho party /.
hopclessly split on tho proposition, and
u harmonious convention Is so com.
pletoly out OF tho question that tho pro.
ject will have to DO givon up. This Is
rcgrottablc, rs 1t was hoped tho encoun.
tor would DO pulled oil" as they say In
pugillsilc circles. IL would have atlord.
ed the peoplo In the grand-stand much
entertainment, aud tho monotony oil
tho oB.yoar would have boon broken.
However, with all tho biz leaders OF the
party In thi. state opposed to Ii, thoro
IL no possibility that the scheme will
matsrialire, at least not this year.
-.
Tho two most significant u~itcrdncos
on the subject are from Senator Faulk.
ner and ex-senator Camden. Tho for.
NOR, attor declaring himself n, antag-
unis,ic to silver recommendation, and as
an "honest bimetallisi," proceeds to
say that In his opinion no practical re-
sui. eau flow from the declaration oil a
state convention, except ito widen the
breach and l~isorcaniEe the party" Son.
ator Camden, while not making clear
his views on the money question. 10
equally emphatic In his declaration
against a convention when hc says: "I'
don't think tho Democrats OF any OF
tho states should in advance OF tho ma.
tional conventions action commit them.
selves in q way that might place them
out Of limo with the majority OF the
party In tho next campaign" These
are tho words OF 4 Caution, politician,
who desires to preserve his party integ-
rity, and, in order TO do so. is willing to
wait for the national platform TO shape
the party'a policy. A great many Dem
ocrais will adopt this course As the
easiest way TO find out "where they are
at on the silver question. II 1t proves
TO be q ~straddlc, all right; II il Is not a
straddIe, all right. As it was in the
matter OF the tariil. so will It be on the
money question with them. Tho plat.
form will count for nothing. Tho main
question with them will be 10 get iuio
power and bag tho offices. The bust.
ness interests Of the country will be
left to the theorists who have a liking
for such things and who have the time
to fool with the %intricacies OF inan-
cial and economic matters.
Not all the Democrats, are OF this
mind. Thousands OF them are sincere
in their desire to know exactly where
their party is going TO stand on this all
important question, aud that is just
where tho trouble comes in. There
seem TO be as many on one side rs on
the other and each faction is de.
term;ned that the party shall come 10
its way OF thinking. Each IS denounc.
in- the other. and so, wide is the breach
and so bitter is the feeling that a COM
promise is impossible, or, il anything
like L compromise lie reached. il will be.
as in the tariI matter, a policy that
will satisfy nobody and leave the Demo-
cratic party Tin the soup" In contrast
TO this condition OF affairs in tho Dem.
ocracv is the situation in which the Re-
publican party finds itself. There is no
indication tina, the Republican party is
going 10 split on the money question.
Whatever differences OF opinion eIi..
are not so wide that they cannot DO
brouRh. together on a platform pledg-
ing the party to honest money, based
on the largest use OF both gold and Sill
yer on al honest parity. The people OF
this country who believe in m honest
dollar will look TO tho Republican party.
whose financial system OF the past they
had faith in. TO handle tho question Of
the present.
In this connection, and touching the
position Of Yves: Virginia Republicans
on the silver question, a rcceu brief
dispatch from Lo, Angeles, California,
purporting 20 give Senator Elkins' posi-.
ton, is being published in all the state
papers Of both parties. This dispatch
made Mr.. Elkins appear as an advocate
OF tile free and unlimited coinage Of sill.
vcr, without qualification or reservation.
The dispatch thus quoting tho senator
looks u little suspicious to those who
know him and are familiar with his
views on the question. Shortly before
it appeared. readers OF the lS%rELLrGES-
GER will remember, al extensive inter-
view with MIR. Elkins was published in
these columns, in which he was quoted
rs -aying that "tho best solution OF the
the problem is the settlement By an in
ternational monetary conference" and
he continued: 'If all tho countries
could agree Oh 4 metal or monetary stand
ard, then the currency problem would
solve itself. iOr standards or values
would be iixcI. You may say | am Tor
the negative or opposite oil free silver
withou; being for gold alone" This |
take it j. the real position OF Mr.. FL
kins, as it is OF mani other hone3,
money men that the free aud unlImit-
ed coinage OF silver without m interna-
iionnl agreement. or regardless Of what
other countries may do, would 10 nm
wise. Oh course Mr.. EIkils is 4 friend
Of silver. ami SO ia tho Republican par
ty, bu, II does not appear that hc il OPP
poscd to gold az the proper and most
stable standard. or that he is for IN
limited silver coinage, and | Suspect
tha. the California dispatch has not
dono lin full justice. Tho interview
above quotoi WIS had in New Orleans
while no was cnrou!o to California, aud
.waa reproduced in tho iSrELLiGESCEg at