The Press., 1896-08-06
washington Letter.
Washington, August 3, 1896.

Washington, August 3, 1896.
 If universal discussion will enable the people to vote intelligently on the money question, they will certainly do so this year. Never, during your correspond ent's twenty years experience in Wash ington newspaper work, have the people shown such intense interest in any ques- tion as they are now showing in silver. Ordinarily 1t is only the politicians who generally discuss the issues of the nation al campaign, but now literally everybody is discussing silver, and if the number of people who are still in doubt as to wheth- CT they oppose or favor the free coinage of silver, and are seeking information on the subject, is prOportiOnately as large all over the country as in Washington, it is perfectly clear that the decision is at the RSesent time hanging in the balance, as it
 re, and that the majority is yet to be convinced one way or the other. The committee headquarters of all the parties are constantly thronged with people who want copies of all the documents issued, both for and against free coinage. All the local papers are conducting open dis cussions on the subject, and even the bOotblacks are asking their patrons the meaning of free coinage of silver at the ratio of 16 to 1. In quiet family gather ings the same question is asked and dis cussed, and one is constantly surprised to learn how much the women have read on the subject. The reason for this great interest is not hard to get at. Other na- tional questions, however important they may be, do not personally appeal to the average man or woman, but when 1t comes to money everybody is at once interested, not only in how they are to get it, but in it's purchasing power after they get it. The term, "campaign of edncatlOn," has become somewhat hackneyed of late years, but it is certain that it is the only correct name for the present condition of affairs. Both gold and silver men profess to be- l lieve that this education of the masses on the money question is going to result in their winning. It will certainly result in | the people knowing more on the subject than they ever knew before.
 Acting Secretary Turner, who is in temporary charge of the national pOpulist headquarters, says the democratic and populist national committees will settle the Watson-Sewall business, and that il will be decided in the interest of the par ties, rather than of either of the men. He also said: "A division of the electors leaving both Watson and Sewall on theil respective tickets, will be a very easy matter in all the southern states, where the election laws are not so stringent as in some of the other states. No state in the south requires that the name of a candidate shall appear but once on the ticket, hence it will not create any con- fusion or injure Bryan if the electors be divided, and half of them presented un- der the caption of Bryan and Sewall and the other half standing for Bryan and Watson. The vote in each instance would be counted for Bryan" Secretary Mer- cer, of the republican congressional com mittee, takes a somewhat different view of the matter. He said: "The silver men are going to experience their first serious set back when they attempt to form their fusion with the pOpulists, es- pecially in the south. do not believe the pOpulists in that section will consent to vote for democratic electors unless they are promised share in the state of. fees, and this the democrats will not fec disposed to give. believe that several of the southern states will give republi. can majorities, and that the pOpulists will assist in bringing about that result. , Others are expressing the very positive opinion that the middle -Of-Ihe-rOad' populists will have a presidential ticket of their own before the campaign grows much older.
 The politicians are wondering whether that dry proclamation which President Cleveland issued last week. warnina Americans to strictly observe the neutral. | ity laws, is all he will have to say on Gu. ban affairs before congress meets. The necessity of this last proclamation was not really apparent to ordinary folk, as a similar proclamation had been issued last year. It is understood that the continu- Ous protests made by the Spanish minis ter against aid extended to Cuban fillibus- ters by American citizens was what brought out the proclamation.