The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1896-06-06
A DEMOCRATIC VIEW.
OPINION OF A MEMBER OF THE PRESI-
DENTS CABINET.
He Says the Administration Democrats
Win Fight silver to the End and II
Necessary Put Up q Ticket Acceptable
to the Gold Standard Men.

to the Gold Standard Men.
"No compromise at Chicago-fght to
the bitter end," is the programme of
President Cleveland and the admins
tration There is talk of a compromise,
Of some sort of straddle like that of
both parties in 1892, but it does not
come from the administration Presi-
dent Cleveland's views were expressed
today by q member of the cabinet, who
said:
There can be no compromise On this
question. Either the silver men will
control the convention or we will con-
troll it. If they control it, hope they
will declare for free and unlimited coin
age at l6 to l. There is no sense in try
ing to patch up peace by which the peo-
pie can be fooled again. Only two things
are possible in our system. We must
have the gold standard, with as large a
use of silver as subsidiary money as we
can support, or we must have silver
monometallism without any gold in our
currency at all. If we and our friends
obtain control of the convention, we
will declare for the gold standard and
the use Of silver as subsidiary money
If the other fellows get control, we hope
they will go to the full length and de-
clare for silver monometallism.
"We want no compromise, no Jug
Cling, no straddle There is no use try
ing to keep the party together, as some
people are pleading, unless the party is
good for something after it is held to-
gether. The Democratic party can do
no good to the people of this country by
wabbling on the silver question. If a
party has no principle to fight for, it
had better disband or go out of business
till it gets a principle to stand ON.
! do not claim to, represent the views of
the president, but it is my opinion that
If the party cannot stand for the gold
standard it will be best for the party
and for the country to let it go over to
free and unlimited coinage. Let the ex-
tremists try the experiment before the
people. They will be so badly whipped
that we shall have an end of the silver
craze as dominating force in our poll
tics. II we give square test of the
strength Of silver in this year's cam
paign, an ultimate solution d the vex-
ing question will be expedited The
country can never have peace and con-
fidence until the silver goblin is laid
away in its grave, and the sooner the
better"
"Do you concede that the Chicago
convention is to be controlled by the
~ : 4
Of the cabinet
Il do not, was the reply. while
the outlook is not bright, the battle is
still on. Our reports from Kentucky,
Indiana and Ohio are not discouraging
We believe we are going to carry those
states, or two of them at least. Illinois
appears to be dominated by a local ma
chine. which suppresscs the voice of the
members Of the party. If the Democrats
Of Chicago stand on their rights and re-
fuse to submit to such outrageous impo-
sition as that put upon them by the ma
chine, they will do exactly right. If a
man proposes to hold primary with
me, he must give me a chance to vote.
If the Democrats Of Illinois stand on
their rights and appeal their case to the
national committee, believe the ma
tional committee will sustain them. II
they have Justice on their side, they
will be given seats in the temporary Or
ganization Of the convention, just as
the gold Democrats of Nebraska, Colo
RADIO and other states will be seated.
Suppose the silver men obtain con.
troll Of the convention Notwithstanding
the national committee and 60 for free
coinage at 16 to /, will there be anoth-
er Democratic ticket in the field?"
mo matter which side obtains con-
troll Of the convention I believe there
will be two Democratic tickets The
silver leaders have already threatened
to bolt if they cannot rule. We do not
make threats, but it is obvious that
Democrats who believe free coinage will
ruin the country cannot vote for free
silver candidate for president. Nor dc
we want to vote for Mckinley. There
seems nothing to do but to set up tick.
ct of our own and give sound money
Democrats place to stand on and some.
thing to rally around I have no idea
whom we would nominate in case we
find it necessary to put ticket in the
field If this were the presidents first
term, am satisfied he would be will.
ing to run again, deliberately sacrific.
ing himself for the good of the country
and the party. But the prejudice against
third term changes the case material.
ly, and doubt'if the president would
be willing to serve. He would care
nothing for defeat if he could be of any
real service to his party and the nation.
He is too big and courageous for that
But he would be accused of possessing
an ambition which stops at nothing,
while we, who know him well, know
his ambition is satisfied and that moth
ing but great sense Of duty could in.
duce him to have anything more to dc
with politics. "-Washingtor Special to
Chicago Times Herald.