The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-04-28

| Convention.
| WASHINGTON. April "a. Especial =
Whatever else may be said about President
Cleveland, he Is at the present moment tn,
only vitalizing force In the eastern wins
of his party. Until recently Mr.. Cleveland
has never been given credit for great abil
ity as n political leader, and most mer
have been inclined to ascribe his success
| 10 luck or To the work of others rather
| than TO himself But this opinion will
have TO be revised i'm the light of recent
occurrences. Two months ago the eastern
| or sound money wing of Democracy was
in "a state of collapse. 1t was without hop,
for the future and expected nothing else
| but that the free silyerites would capture
control of the national convention ut Chi
cago, make the platform and nominate the
| candidates. SO dark was the outlook that
most of the prominent men In that section
| of the party decided To stay out Of politics
| this year. German, Hill. Brice, Whitney
| and other powerful leaders were either
| sulkiug i'm their tents or were disposed To
| say that Mr.. Cleveland had brought the
| party 10 its present straits and that upon
Mr. Cleveland, and upon him alone, de-
volyed tho responsibility of lifting it out
| of the mire.
| MIR. Cleveland's Faith.
without stopping To discuss the ques-
ton of responsibility the president set to
work To see II he could organize tho party
i'm the eastern and middle states and pre-
sent bold front against the silver men,
who were boasting that they would carry
everything before them. In those dark
days, when every Democrat of prominence
was ready to admit the party had tempo
rarily gone To the dogs, Mr. Cleveland
alone kept up his courage. His faith mover
wavered. This / know to be true from
many conversations held by me with mem
bers OF the cabinet and Others who were in
the presidents confidence. All through
the winter these men said, they were
amazed at the presidents faith in the
vitality of the Democratic party. He kept
telling them that the clouds would pass
away and that In the end the old party
would be found In good fighting trim
Most of these mon were of little faith at
first. Amid all the gloom they could not
give credence to the confidence of their
chief But gradually his indomitable spirit
and his persistent advocacy of action and
his courageous mien made an impression
upon his followers.
A few weeks ago the campaign for con
troll OF the Chicago convention for sound
money, so called, which means against
free silver. was begun In earnest by the
president and his advisers They were
very quiet about 1t, but mono the less ef
fective. The president managed to hold
personal interviews with most of the lead
ers of his wing of tho party. Tho first sue
cess he met with was to induce Mr.. Whit
ney To take off his coat and go To work.
Mr. WhifnaN xxhila "A lion hal q.
naturally INDECENT and very loath to take
upon himself business or political tasks
which he can escape. But the president
won him over. The effect of Mr. Whit
Dey's influence was at once seen in various
parts of the country, but more noticeably
In Chicago, where the leader Of tho Demo
cratic machine, ex-Mayor Hopkins,
former silver manager, came out against
free coinage immediately after receiving
letter from Mr.. Whitney Mr.. whitney
has promised To attend tho Chicago con
vention, and every one who knows his
ability rs IA political manager, as u leader
OF men. knows that this promise means
much aid to the cause which the president
represents
Unique senator Hill.
Senator Hill has also promised to go to
the convention and 10 assist I'm keeping
the prov of tho Democratic ship pointed
IN what arc called safe waters by the pres
ident and his lieutenants Mr. Hill will
probably 20 as "a delegate at large from
New York and may be expected to take an
important part in the deliberations Of the
convention. 1t will be ain odd spectacle.
that n Hill at Chicago trying TO carry
through tho convention the policy of Mr..
Cleveland, his great rival of the past and
the man who stepped in and deprived him
of the ambition of his life Hill is "a curl
Gus man, and this will be one of the most
curious incidents of that queer game.
American politics At times Hill may be
almost said To be one Of tho spokesman of |
the administration. He rarely misses a
chance To say good words for tho president |
or for members Of the cabinet when they |
are assailod upon the floor OF the senate.
An instance of this was found in the sen.
ator's recent defense of Secretary Carlisle |
and the president when 1t was proposed to /
Investigate the bond contracts. Yet In |
private conversation Mr.. Hill Is as bitter /
against the president as he ever was. His /
of action appears To he loyalty.I
to the Democratic party and desire to re. |
habilitate that organization, For this /
reason he swallows his personal pique,
forgets his disappointments and enmities /
and stands by the party and the president |
who was elected 10y that party. Even the
men who do not like Hill or his party find
To admire In this gallant un
selfish devotion
The influence Of President Cleveland
has suiliced to enlist tho services of SEN
itor Bricc also. Mr.. Price has never been
= Cleveland man. Four years ago he
would have liked To defeat the nomination
IF Mr. Cleveland at Chicago but was
'hrewd enough to perceive the impossible
ty of doing 80 and was not foolish enough |
20 butt his head very hard against a stone
wall. Brioc Is more of "a German than a |
Cleveland man and has always been reck.
med as belonging To the antiadministra.
ION wing of the party. Some time ago |
Mr. Brice had made all his arrangements
or visiting Europe this summer, where |
his family already are. But President |
cleveland sent for him and asked him to |
AXE up the antisilver cause I'm Ohio and
% promise To go to the Chicago convention
% use his great influence and matchless
xiii In fighting the silver wing Mr. Brice
has already set the wheels In motion in
ohio and has promised to be on hand at
Chicago.
These arc only samples of what the pres
dent has been doing. What he has achieved
With prominent men he has done also in
almost countless number Of minor in
tances He has set every one at work. He
las succeeded In breathing into the eastern
wing Of the party something of his own
zeal and courage.
WALTER WELLMAN
~
Michigan Dye Works
q. Greek, proprietor OF the Michigan
I've works, wishes to thank the public OF
IouQhtOn countv for the In roe oh ra IF |