Evening star., 1895-05-21
IN SILVER'S HOT BED
Strength of the Movement at Peoria,
ILL.,, and Vicinity.
STATEMENT BY JUDGE WORTHINGTON
Appealing to the Prejudices Of
Democrats.
A MAMIE ESTO ISSU UED

Special From n staff Correspondent
PEORIA, ILL.,, May 21.-One of the most
conservative sections of Illinois is Peoria
and vicinity. Here is a city of $1,000 in
habitants. a large proportion of the inhab-
itants belonging to the industrial class.
The immense distilleries located here the
glucose factories, the manufacturing con-
Germs of all kinds and the thirteen rail-
roads entering the city furnish this popu-
lation. All classes are well to do, and there
Is more wealth in proportion to the size
of the place than in probably any other
city in the state. During the business de-
preston of 1899 there was not a bank fail
ure here. The surrounding country is a
rich agricultural region, a garden spot,
and the farmers are unusually prosperous.
Peoria is a hot bed for free silver senti-
ment. The democratic leader of this sec
ton is Judge N. E. Worthington, ex-Con-
gressman, the man who nominated Adlai
+. Stevenson, and now on the bench. He
Is an out and out free silver man. and will
play an important part in the coming con-
vention. Judge Worthington said to the
writer that not more han 10 per cent of
the democrats of Peoria and the county
are opposed to silver, and even this figure
would be liberal allowance. At the meet
ing of the county committee to act upon
for primaries, there was only one vote op-
posing a free silver convention.
Ths writer talked with the sound money
democrats of the city, who admitted Judge
Worthington's estimate to be correct They
confessed they were SO greatly outnum-
bered that 1T was useless to hope for any
thing. Peoria's eighteen delegates to the
convention will undoubtedly wear silver
buttons.
Outside of the bankers and board of
trade people the only anti-silver sentiment
yicrC pny1Nr no
that their opposition is more a matter OF
sentiment and tradition than absolute con-
viction. A strong effort VIII be- made to
stiffen them up before next year. The edi-
tor of the German paper is a banker and
a sound money man, and Is making Wig
orouS fight.
The Silver Sentiment.
The explanation of the existence of free
silver ideas in this section is the same
from all sources. 1t is said that to begin
with there was the substratum of silver
sentiment, which underlies all Illinois. This
was increased rapidly after the failure of
Congress to take a definite stand upon
financial policy and especially after the
national administration began its dallying
with the gold standard idea and the idea
of Issuing of gold bonds. 1t is said the
people resented the effort of the President
to bend the democracy away from silver
and in the direction of gold monometallism.
With democrats out here veneratlon for
silver coinage is a matter of Uarty tradi-
tion; they feel it has been democratic
idea all along, and they looked upon the
administration trying to ALLEVIATE the
party from this principle.
Skiuful politicians at the state capital
have urged the matter along. They have
charged the administration with pander1ng
to Rothschilds, with yielding to Wall street,
the great bug-a-boo used for frightening
timid westerners. President Cleveland has
been held up as a renegade democrat or
no democrat at all. The idea has been pro-
mulgated that the interests of capital and
the rest of humanity are irreconcilably sep
arate All of the gold is to be cornered by
the money barons and the price of money
will go up.
Promises of Silver Men.
Blu, a bright picture is drawn of what is
to follow the adoption of free coinage at
16 to L. Here Is part of a manifesto is
sued by the chairman of the state central
commit zee:
This movement will spread from Illinois
to every state in the Union, and long be-
fore the election comes around it will be
evident that the Congress to be chosen in
1896 will pass 16 to l free coinage act
Now, when capitalists realize that on the
1st day of July, 1897, the government will
begin giving legal tender dollar for every
412 IL grains of standard silver presented
at the mint, they will begin to purchase
silver bullion, which can now be bought
for, say, 50 cents for Az IL grains. The
sure profit of 4J cents on each Az L.
grains will bring out all the gold from the
bank vaults and hiding places. The result
will be that the price of silver Will rise
steadily, and when the law goes into effect
the question of the parity will be settled.
THE bankers do not control all the mon
ey in the country, and the profits on silver
speculation will be sure, and the chance of
loss minute, that they will tumble over
each other in order to buy. Gold will roll
in from Europe to purchase silver, bullion
certificates will be in demand and trade
stimulated by the letting loose of boarded
millions, and the certainty of final set
tlement of the currer cy question will bring
most prosperous period, without the
danger of follC wing panics.
THE attempt to organize a separate Sill
yer party begins at the wrong end of the
question. A few men at Washington can
not control twelve million voters. The
county movement. grated into a strong
party Organization, is the only way in
which such political results can be pro-
duced The extreme gold men in party
will go over to the republicans. The free
silver men of all parties must come to the
democracy, and with our Questionable
statesmen eliminated, the confidence Of the
people IN the democratic party will be
strengthened and confirmed"
This is the kind of doctrine that is being
preached by the leaders of the free coinage
convention. 1t won't do to say that it is
accepted by every democrat who leans to-
ward free coinage, but 1t Is accepted by
many and at any rate serves purpose.
There is no one to controvert 1t. Possibly
no heed would be given 20 controversion.
and, the sound money people realizing it,
hold their peace. The man who takes the
opposite grouni is hooted at a gold bug,
and is discredited from the start
In the meantime. the little band of sound
money men are keeping up a brave front.
with their eyes cast on the future and their
hearts throbbing with the hope that year
from now will show an abatement ef the
silver fever. n. o. NJ.
Naval Cadets.