The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-01-04
Leaders Look TO Him for An Expression as
to the ESpedlenGy of a Third Term.
BUT THE PRESIDENT REMAINS DUMB.
Republicans Everywhere Are Jnbi-
iant-Thcir Cnndidntcs III the Field
-Finnnce the Source of Discord-
Tho Venezuelan Question,
Especial Correspondence)
Nirginian Bureau,
Washington, Jan. Bird, 1896

washington, Jan. Bird, 1896.
Less than two weeks now remain he
iore Tue meeting of the Democratic Ma
tiona! Committee in this city to arrange
the time and place of holding the next
convention for the nomination oc =
party candidate for the Presidency
II would be impossible to conjecture
anything OF the slightest importance
Whatever that does not create or at
tract more interest than the movements; $;
oi the Democrats this year. Not more,
lhah SIN months Intervene between this
and the time when we must at least rive
an imitation of the old time vigor. hut
there is no life, no enthusiasm no con,
tidcncc
This Is largely due to combination
pi TWO causes. First the absolute ST.
renee ol Mr.. Cleveland upon The sub.
Jcct. lie Is the recognized head of the.
party. and as such something from hin,
now would not be out of place He
Knows fun well how the party leaders
are talking ana wondering about the
eHpediency of the third term. and there
IS Il strong sentiment prevalent here
mat his silence is working positive mis-
chief 10 the party
,lf Mir. Cleveland does not think the
th1fd term idea polite" said n Demo.
cratic Congressman to-day ''hc should
come out ana say SO. and lie, us rally
about some other leader. but if he re-
mains in sullcn silence and allows the
convention to meet and possibly nolnl-
we Will be IN such n shape by that tim,
mat we could not elect anybody"
Thc Republicans everywhere are iubi-
liant and their candidates are already in
The Held. They have really stopped
talking about winning. they simply say
now which one Of our candidates will
be the next President. While all OF this
Is going on the Democrats are doing
nothing. The entire administration is as
silent on the subject as if they were
born deaf ana dumb. ami with all OF
the able men in the party we don't seem
TO nave anything more To offer in tho.
snaps of Il candidate than could be found
in 81 female orphan asylum.
Finance tie source OF Discord.
The very greatest element which en-
ters as factor now in the cou.idera.
1. II OF The next campaign is the subject
Of finance. This and this alone is going
90 be the rock upon which the Demo.
cratic ship VIII 80 to pieces. Who Knows
how Reed. Mckinley Harrison or ALL
son stands upon the ordinarily e:l~
pressed positions of silver or gold? Who
docs not know how every Democrat OF
any particular prominence stands?
The great difference between the two
old parties is only on what or how
much they Will lose by an adherence TO
sound money. AS the case stands nov
both parties are Spii, on the uu, StiOn or
free silver. NJ the National Couvcn-
tonS both Democrats and Republicans
Will attempt n plank declaring for a
maintenance OF both metals on Il parity
etc. etc, everybody will know that they
ar" both St:addlinS. and then the silver
men Will 20 off and flock by themselves
and who will lusc by,this? The Repubn-
cans may lose few OF the unimportant
western states. even without which
they can get along very we'll while The
Democrats will in their stronghold. the
heretofore invinciblc and indisSolubly
corrected South.
Ut Is not possible for any party to
win this year on Il free silver platform
ana set there are States in the South
which will not vote for Il single stand
ard man for the Presidency Texas and
Arkansas are mighty close to Populists :
this time; mississippi is for silver. Gcor
Ria would scarcely support gold man
even with llokc Smith 10 coax her.
South Carolina about needs n commits.
sion TO act on the question OF her sanity
'fillman says: II aint no Populist" " hut
he is looking about with his pitchforli
for new party Of some kind. North
Carolina is in sad prcdcament. Mary
land and Kentucky are tinGcd with
apoStasy, ana Virginia ;Lnd Flo:1la
alone are the only sure safe bulwarks
o; Democratic supremacy. They are
for the candidate OF the Dcmocra ic
National Convention, and the platform
the party adopts.
the Bond ELL gnrcported.
Ii Is reported thai Il number Nf
friends Of Mr.. ClevCiand's request cd
him To defer the issuance of the bonds
until Yesterday when the Senate com
mittcc ". ud probably take some action
upon the House hill. The PrcsiGcr,
waited. The Finance Committee met
hut IN, House bond bill still sleeps in
its care. II is practically true that the
Senate Committee viii not report tEc
bin a 4; is. ana 81 l.. sure that the
President does no; propose - waste
time IN waiting for what hc fully real
iZrs will never come II would, there
fore. be nothing OF a surprise to have
thc bonds issued by Secretary Carlisle
10 the Morgan syndicate III any time.
and then the Senate could spend the
balance Of the winter. If II 81 pleased
In dallying with he llnan"!al scheme. :.
There IL some talk of the Immediate
repeal Of the law of 1879, under which
the bonds are now issued by the Sec
rc:ary. but this could not now be done
In time to prevent the coming issue,
and the sum this time would be large
enough 10 last through the present adj
mirietration.
When the bonds are issued. ut is
said the Republicans in the Senate VIII
at once let the House bill rest. for they
do not care to agitate the financial