The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-06-27

NE...SATURDAY MORN
anxious inquirer who interrupted the
explanation of his plans to ask what
would happen il a COW should get on the
crack.
1t would be bad for the cow" said
the inventor. and went on to elaborate
the general advantages of steam loco
motion. i
So. Mr.. Bland, absorbed with the ben
efits to be conferred upon humanity by
the acceptance of silver at l6 to l, can
see only "a temporary wrench" of the
monetary system if this country tries
to go 1t alone with free silver. That
temporary wrench is to his mind insig-
nificant as compared with what he con-
ceives to be the greatest good to the
greatest number. He says that the i'm
mediate effect might be to put gold at
premium and to stimulate the ex-
portation of It. But in few months.
perhaps in two or three only, the gold
would be coming back, the premium
would disappear the country would be-
gin to feel the benefits of an increased
volume of currency based on coin-gold
and silver. Mr.. Bland hasn't the
slightest idea that free coinage of silver
is going to drive gold out or Is going to
send this country to silver basis. He
believes that the double standard would
go into effect with the concurrence of
other nations, perhaps not Great Brit
ain at first: but certainly with that of
France and Germany. Should the 9TH
er nations hold back for time to let the
United States blaze the way he Is sure
the monetary disturbance In this coun-
try would be but a matter of a few
months.
AN HONEST MAN.
A good deal Of malice enters into the
motives which make some men advo-
Gates of free silver. The idea that the
wealthy may be made to suffer to some
extent is not altogether displeasing. En-
Wy is a strong argument. Mr.. Bland
was never heard to give expression to
such spirit. He is commoner by ma
ture. He thinks free coinage means the
betterment of the condition of the masse.
That is what moves him. He may be
all wrong in his premises and conclu-
sions, but he believes what he says and
his motives are pure.
When Mr.. Bland went to congress
twenty-four years ago he had a good
farm in the suburbs of Lebanon and he
had some thousands of dollars i'm money.
He has got the farm now, but the money
is gone. He Is poorer than on the day
he first went to Washington. The pa
ternfty of the silver dollar is his, but it
has not multiplied dollars in his pocket.
Not many people know that when
Mr.. Bland was serving his last three
months in congress there was delivered
! to him one day by the express company
| the finest silver service that sound
money could buy. 1t came as tribute
from the mountain states admirers OF
silver's champion. Mr.. Bland barely
looked into the box. saw what 1t con-
tanned, directed it back to the senders
and said nothing about it,
| The supporters of Mr.. Bland are figur-
Ing upon the necessity of some revolu-
tionary acts to insure his nomination.
They are misleading themselves: II
their candidate ever gets u majority In
the convention, even though it be by a
single vote, the requisite two-thirds will
be given to him. There hasn't been an
instance since 1860 when a Democrat
candidate for the presidency received a
majority and failed of the two-thirds
The two-thirds has come promptly on
the following ballots when the majority
point was passed When Tilden went by
the majority point at st. Louis in 1876
| delegates instructed for Hendricks, no.
tably those from Texas, changed to
Tilden on the next ballot and nominated
him.
Before Seymour and Blair were nomi-
mated In 1868, caucus for the Pendle-
ton men was held to consider the very
proposition Bland men are now agita.
ting-the abolition of the two-thrds
rule. They counted a majority of the
delegates with them, and a motion was
carried to push the repeal of the rule
at the next session of the convention
After this was done the New York dele.
cation met and sent Judge Green to the
Pendleton leaders to urge reconsidera-
tion Of the caucus action.
New York" said Judge Green
urges you not TO reverse party tradi-
ton, but to let the two-thirds rule
stand. ! am authorized by our delega-
ton to say to you that If on any ballot
Mr.. PendletOn shall receive a majority
of the convention, even though it be but
by half of one vote, New York will cast
her entire vote for your candidate"
The Pendleton caucus met again be-
fore the convention did. Judge GREEN'S
statement was repeated. The caucus
decided not to interfere with the two.
thirds rule.
FULL OF VIGOR.
Those who have heard Mr. Bland's
"Mr Speaker" or Mr.. Chairman!'
never forget it. That Is not because the
voice is raspng or melodious, high.
pitched or low-toned. The forceful per.
sonality is impaired to the first words
that issue when Mr.. Bland gets on his
feet. And, as Judge Culberson ex-
pressed it, from the opening sentence
he Is in the full vigor of delivery. His
speeches are without introductions
They wind lD as they begin, all earn
estness for silver, with small regard foi
choice OF words or polish of phrases
Mr.. Bland is always full of his subject
and yet he never slops over as some OF
these silver orators do. In the last ses
sion of the fifty-third congress, wher
the final efforts We're made to gel
through the house silver legislation il
the form Of coinage of the seigniorage
William l.. Bryan was dwelling on the
enormity of the offending against sill.
Yer. He pictured the evil consequences
which were to follow, and became sc
impassioned that, with tears in his
voice,he declared that,if he could there
by avert these evil consequences from
future generations, he would willing.
ly lay down his life" The house burst