Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-01-03
SH K RMAN SHIF rs.
CAUTIOUS IN HIS CAMPAIGN
AGAINST SILVER.
His Endorsement of the Cleveland
Sound Money Policy Iii. First Public
slip-At Heart . Tool of he British
Gold Owners.

There in no man in the United States
whose financial ideas and policy have
been subjected to more adverse crit
| icism and bitter denunciation at the
hands OF the Democratic party. than
have those of the senior senator from
| Ohio. Not only have his monetary
views been assailed, but there has been
very little hesitation in impunging his
personal integrity.
This has bsen especially true in the
South, and his action in bringing about
| the decentralization OF silver in 1873 has
been condemned with unanimity sell
| dom witnessed.
Large numbers OF the so-calied
cuckoo Democrats were short time
ago absolutely furious in the character
| ization OF his ''treachery," "perfdy,"
and subserviency TO the interests of the
money powers.
Today, hundreds OF Democratic news
papers, and thousands OF Democratic
ofiice-holders are laud!ng Mr.. Sherman
to the skies Not directly. it is true,
| but none the less so in fact.
The sound ca money policy Of Cleve-
land and Carlisle Is receiving their most
enthusiastic endorsement. What Is
that but endorsing Sherman? The only
difference between Cleveland and Sher-
man upon the silver question is, that
the former is the more extreme and
unyielding OF the two. This probably
| comes from the difference in their men
oil oh apta rictt CLEVELAND
dogmatic, obstinate and outspoken.
Sherman is keen, smooth, cautious and
diplomatic. Cleveland takes position
and clings to it tenaciously. Sherman
can and does shift his attitude as pub
lie opinion changes.
But their views are essentially the
! same. Both are in accord with the
London. Both make the interests OF
Wall street paramount to the Interests
of the country as whole. Both be-
! lieve that the financial policy Of the
government should be so shaped as to
directly benefit the money centers, upon
the theory, perhaps, that il Wall street
can enjoy a superabundance OF pros
catch little Of the overflow.
1t never occurs TO either OF them that
the country could get along without
Wall street, but that Wall street could
not possibly get along without the coun-
try. Both seem to think that the
whole industrial system OF the United
States is merely an adjunct to the bust
ness of banking.
Mr.. Sherman is not in favor Of retir-
ing the greenbacks just now, but that Is
not because OF an indisposition to favor
the banks He is shrewd enough to see
that such a measure would not be pop
ular at this time. He is therefore will
ing enough to issue bonds to raise
money for the current expenses OF the
government but not for the withdrawal
OF the greenbacks. BY this course he
can reach practically the same result,
so far as the maintenance OF the gold re-
serve is concerned, and also cast little
odium upon the tariff policy Of the DEM
ocratic party
Upon the money question proper Mr..
Cleveland and Mr.. Sherman are as near
alike as "tweedledee and tweedledum."
So when the cuckoo" sings his praises
OF Cleveland, let it not be forgotten that
the financial virtues OF Sherman are in
cluded in the refrain.
The term Sherman Democrats" ex-
actly fits a very considerable number
OF people in the United States at this
| writing.