The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-12
Abiding to Pernicious Activity, He
Asks, "Where In the Holy voices
Where IL the Great Prophetr
WHERE MIR. TELLER STANDS
READY TO DESERT HIS PARTY IF 1T
INDoRsEs SOUND MONEY.
Platform Of Montana Republicans
Demands Free sf1ver-Carter aud
Mantle Chosen Delegates.

CHICAGO, May n.-James II. Eckels. the
Controller OF the Treasury. who has come
to Illinois to look after the ''sound-money"
interests OF the Democratic party in this
State, said tonight, when asked what line
of action he intended to pursue: 81 am in
Chicago to-day simply on my way to Otta-
wa, where purpose spending few days at
my home. My stay IN this city has nothing
whatever to do with politics or the sound
money movement. / imagine those who
have that matter in charge here know local
conditions the best and will be able to de-
wise ways and means to show what the real
sentiment of Chicago Democracy Is on the
subject. 1 am free to confess that the
Democrats at Washington, and especially
those from Illinois, were disappointed ana
chagrined at the action of the Cook county
committee in refusing TO call primaries un-
der the Crawford law. They cannot under
stand why, If so large a majority OF Demo-
Gratis here, as is claimed by the silver peo-
pie, are for free silver, they should fear 10
have a fair test made at tho polls. freed
from every suspicion of fraud. In advising
and aiding in preventing such primary
elections Governor Aitgeld cannot but have
driven from him many who have hereto-
fore held that whatever may be his views
on the question. he honestly entertained
them and honestly believed a majority OF
the Democrats OF the State supported him
therein. The question is one that ought
to be decided on principle. and the attempt
here to make the question one OF whether
or not Governor Altgeld win run again for
| Governor introduces an element that gives
many the opportunity to shirk the real
| issue. So, too, does the making OF con-
| tinual attacks the federal administra-
| tion. The principle involved and the wis.
| dom or unwisdom OF free coinage Of silver
remains the same irrespective OF the atti-
tude of either President Cleveland or Gov.
Altgeld's views towards IT and the at
tempt to arouse passion and prejudice as
| determining factors Is confession or
weakness on the part Of those who resort
thereto. There is nothing to be gained by
abusing every one who disagrees with the
| administration on this purely ma
tional question, and the charges OF corrupt
| methods employed is, TO say the least. In
| very bad taste.
"I do not know whether those who are
| engineering the free-silver movement In u
Hnois consider the course they are pursuing
Is winning politics, but If so I am certain
! they will be disappointed in the results on
| election day. 1t means at the outset the
complete abandonment OF important states
like New York, New Jersey and connecti-
| aware and Kentucky. IL could not save In
diana. To make this loss good enough thor
| oughly silver states would have 10 oe won
Colorado. Montana, Utah. Nevada and Ida
| no would possibly go Democratic, but when
ed ated' Tn The % Electoral al vote % Of all would not
Iowa, iowa Kansas or Nebraska, and Sr. Bland
that any Democrat could be elected on any
platform, but am certain there Is an op-
portunity upon sound-money platform.
while there Is absolutely none on the free
silver one. The result IN Illinois would be
simply disastrous. If Mr.. Altgeld compels
nor the strength OF his State Issue COM
paign' cannot save him. II VIII not DO for
candidates for. county places to hatter
themselves with assurances that the Gov
ernor's candidacy will save them He can
knot carry his views to the extremes he does
oorruptionists corr T and mo-. not Ind md many seiSre-
specting Democrats resent such treatment
II Democrats are given fair opportunities to
express their convictions, unawed by threats
and free from machine abuses, they can
have little ground for complaint II beaten.
MED rights on the other. they are 1ustiisd
in going TO very great extremes IN pun1sh-
ing those who commit. authorize or ap-
What IS said at Washington concerning
Mr.. Cleveland and the third termr
Mr.. Cleveland will be a candidate or take
a nomination, and do not believe those IN
Illinois s, who are making Ties the statement that
it because they themselves believe d"
Gov. Altgeld's Reply.
SPRINGFIELD. Ill. May u.-Governor
Altgeld was shown Controller Eckeis's in
| fot,t ~
persistent and loud iterations about unfair
primaries is without any foundation and
every intelligent gold standard man in Chi
cago knows this. and the fact that they keep
1t up shows that they are trying TO mislead
the public and 20 divert attention from the
Ubiquitous character of their cause and the
unpopularity OF President Cleveland. whom
they are supporting The conduct Of tie
Cleveland gold standard men was extraordi-
nary. For, after the federal administration
had so ruined the Democratic party that IL
the national election were held tomorrow
we could not carry a single State in the
for the adherents OF this administration 10
attempt 10 dictate TO the Democras OF ILL.,
nois.
Mr.. Eckels says that a silver platform
means an abandonment OF New York. New
Jersey and Connecticut. and the loss OF
) Maryland. Delaware and Kentucky. Now he
. would have done US a service IL he would
have Indicated what there Is left for us 10
abandon In New York. New Jersey and Con-
neeticut- AS / remember, an election was
held there not long ago involving a gold
platform And when the fight was over We
had not men enough left 20 bury our dead.
| A similar fight on a similar platform was
made in Maryland and Kentucky, as Wen
|, as a number OF other States and II there
! Is anything left for us 20 lose in any of those
| States II certainly Is not visible. or else the
Republicans would have loaded Il into their
wagon. for when the fight was over they
found that the earth and the flslness
; thereof was theirs.
by the way. several years ago, this
| country heard much about civll-service re-
! form, and in voice OF holy conservation Il
|, was proclaimed 20 the world that for the
future federal Office holders would not be
perniciously active How comos NJ. EcGo1a