Evening star., 1896-09-09
FREE SILVER OFFICIALS
Those in Subordinate Capacity May Not
Lose Their Places.
Mr.. HOkc Smiths Case Was DfRercnt-
With the President.

Some very well-informed politicians do
not credit the report that subordinate Off
GERS of the administration taking the side
Of free silver actively in this campaign
stand in danger of losing their places. The
order governing an officials conduct In
such circumstances provides only that he
shall not neglect his duties nor use his off,
cial influence in any part he may take in
political campaigns. But that he is en-
titled to his opinions about public issues
and measures. and to the right to express
them. could not 1t is insisted, for a mo-
ment be questioned. There are men In
office who champion sound money, just as
there are others who champion free silver.
Both sides are active. within the limits
prescribed. with the right of one side as
we'll established as that of the other.
Mr.. Hokc Smiths Case.
This story grows out of the retirement
of Mr.. Hoke Smith from the Interior De-
partment. But Mr.. Smiths position, it is
pointed out, was very different from that
of any official now referred to. In the first
place, Mr.. Smith was not asked to resign
So far as known, there was 60 difference
existing between him and the President on
the issues involved in this campaign. Mr.
Smith had supported the suppression of
the Debs strike, and still stood by that;
still stood by that: had as a member of the
cabinet indorsed the sale of bonds for the
procurement of gold, and still stood by
that. He left office. il was exulained for
him, only because he had pledged himself
months in advance to support the deliver
ahce Of the democratic party, whatever IL
might be.
Could Not Remain I'm Office
In the second place Mr.. Smith, unlike a
subordinate official. could not remain in
office after accepting the Chicago results
AS enc of those who had wrought what the
Chicago convention repudiated, he was
forced in bowling to that repudia ton to i'm
mediately disconnect himself from the thing
repudiated. These subordinate officials are
responsible only for the proper discharge of
the duties of their places. They have no
hand whatever in shaping policies. But Mr..
Smith had had, and had exercised, a hand
in shaping the work for which the admin
istration was placed on trial and condemned
at Chicago. There was some surprise that
he should be willing to leave his comrades
OF the cabinet at such a time and in such
circumstances, but the step became impera-
tive from the moment he decided to support
the Chicago ticket.
Would Like to See the Correspondcnce
There still exists, by the way, the liveliest
curiosity in political circles to see the cor
respondence which passed between Mr..
Smith and the President on the subject of
the formers retirement from the cabinet.
Usage called for its prompt publication. 1t
probably never happened before that the
severance Of such relations, when friendly,
this is known to have been. was con-
Quoted privately. Mr.. Smith, 1T is under
stood, withhoids the letters from the press.
What Rumor Says.
AS the story goes, Mr.. Smith I'm his letter
to the President presenting his resign alton
had in view only the regulation proceeding,
but improved the opportunity TO argue his
case somewhat. To his surprise the Presi-
dent took him up at this and argued the
other side Of the question in the 1rien,lliest
spirit, of course, but in a way, 1t is as
serted, that left the Secretary very much
disconnected. In word, 10 use the lam
guage Of the street, he put 1t all over"
MIR. Smith, and made publication of the
correspondence very undesirable for the
latter. Mr.. Clevcland's views about the
Chicago platform and democratic duty to-
ward it are expected shortly in "a letter
intended for the public, but those i'm posi-
lion TO know doubt if they are put then
more strongly or convincingly than they
were in his reply to his retiring cabinet
adviser.