Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1896-10-06
CONSUL GENERAL THOMAS T. CRIT
TENDEN IS IN TROUBLE.
VIOLATED OFFICIAL ETIQUETTE.
PUBLISHED MEXICAN STATISTICS IN
NEW YORK PAPER.
Received Note From Secretary
OIney Informing Him That All
Official Information Should
Be to the State De-
partment.

Hon. Thomas L. Crittenden. consui gen.
eral to Mexico, is in tangle with the
state department of the government at
Washington and current information is TO
the effect that he has recently been called
down very emphatically by Hon. Richard
olney. secretary of state, for some politi-
cal action taken in furtherance of the FREE
silver views he recently ventilated. Consul
General Crittenden is visiting in Kansas
City now and the communication of re-
buke from the state department was for
wsrded to him from his official headquart-
ers a few days ago. He is said to be
highly offended at the note.
There is a story in the affair and it has
furnished the inspiration for some other
plans that the ambitious free silver consul
general is said to have hastily perfected.
AS is well known, Mr.. Crittsnden was
one of the Democratic officials who fol-
lowed the free silver wing away from the
old party traditions and has been advo-
eating that doctrine in limited way. Some
weeks since he furnished to a New York
free silver paper a page article full OF
statistical information relative to the busi
ness interests of that country, the condi-
tons Of the people and the success Of free
coinage as a means of raising the standard
Of civilization. The article contained much
matter that he had collected in his official
capacity and the statement was made in
the article that it was printed for the in-
formation and benefit of American people.
Mr.. Crittenden has deep interest in the
American people. He has long been in Of
fce and he wants to remain in Office and
so reminds the people frequently of that
interest.
The article has been taken by the silver
papers as a text for many long articles and
was sent out By the national committee
and has been given wide publicity as one
Of the official and consequently reliable
government reports from Mexico.
1t fell under the notice of the state de-
partment. The statement that Mr. Crit
tenden had so deep an interest in the
proper solution Of the silver question that
no felt it to be his duty to compile and
make to them a special sefni-official re-
port their Information struck the state
department. as being something quite new
In department ethics and in order that the
department might be able to keep In line
with Mr.. Crittenden, Secretary Olney ad-
dressed to him an official inquiry, asking
IT special and important reports for the
beEeft OF the people of the nation ought
not come through the regular channels xno
be made public through the Sc depart
ment instead of some newspaper selected
py the consul general. The note did not
reouke the zeal that actuated the consul
in preparing the special report but was
an emphatic criticism of the judgment d s.
played in making 1t public in the manner
chosen by him.
such a rebuke is usually taken as a DO
lite request to resign unless some full and
satisfactory explanation can be made
2he note may yet bring about that result,
for 1t is said to be the plan of Consul Cen
efai Crittenden to use the note as a pre-
text for making grand stand play to
caSture the admiration of the free silver
crowd If possible, he will cause the mat
tsS to become SO serious between himself
and the department that nat request for
his resignation will be made, and it will
then be complied with, and Consul General
Crittenden will go before the free silver
people as a martyr to his free silver views
The plan would be very nice if it makes
connection at all points. He will have no
show to remain where he is If Mckinley
is elected. and the Democrats are about
read: in secret to admit that fact, but if
free silver views triumph, and he was a
martyr, as he desires to be now he would
hn enc of the bright shining lights for ap-
pcintment. possibly TO cabinet portfolio.
A man who can make long official reports
so clearly in harmony with the views of
the administration would be an accom-
plished member of a free silver cabinet
1t Is well known that Mr.. Crittenden has
long cherished an ambition for a portfolio,
and was an active applicant for appoint
ment as secretary of the interior during
President Cieveland's first term, and was
fatty turned down when Senator Vest pro-
.csed him as the man. At that time Mr..
Cleveland gave a reason for ignoring
him that was very offensive. and Mr.. Crit
te-den broke with the president, and was
hostile to him for a long time He was
oEly reconciled after many months, when,
during the second term there was an op-
cortunity TO get an Office down in Mexico.
He attended to business there until he
espcused the cause of free silver and
rushed into print with statistics and infor-
nation calculated to enthuse and delude
the people as TO the conditions of the peo-
pie of Mexico.
Mr.. Crittenden has always been full of
political ambition term as governor
failed to satisfy it: it rather whetted it, so
thai he has desired greater honors, and has
been active in his efforts to secure them.
If he should be turned down now under cir
cumstances that would enable the free sill
yer people. with their wonderful fund Of
ingenious reasoning, to figure out that he
was a martyr to their cause he might be
elevated to great heights in the councils Of
the silverites, something that would fairly
dc-zle the eyes of one filled with ambition
that has been carefully nurtured for so
many years.
Mr.. Crittenden has been in Kansas City
several weeks He announced soon after
his arrival that he came to recuperate,
and was taking no interest in politics. A
lon. free silver interview with him. how
ever appeared in the free silver organ.
and he has been seen at some of the meet
ings held.
II is quite probable that the state depart
ment will be fully informed of the grand
stand play intended. and by ignoring the
whole matter shatter a beautiful castle in