Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-17
FORAKER AND MILLS
Interest That Attaches to Their Deliver
ances Yesterday.
How Far the Republicans Will Co
The Democrats aud
Silver.

the speech of Senator-elect Foraker made at
Columbus Wednesday. and also to that
made by Mr.. Mills in the Senate. The one
man touched most significantly on the finan-
cial question while the other in a deliver
ance of nearly two hours dealt exclusively
with that question. The one is a represen-
tative republican, the other a representative
democrat Each claims to be a bimetallist,
and echoes Of the views expressed then are
likely to be heard all through the coming
rational campaign.
Private advfces received here about the
Foraker speech in advance of the full text
caused a small sensation. The new Senator
was represented as having made an out
and-out free silver speech. Poor McKin-
ley"' was the first exclamation heard. Il
was assumed at once that Mr.. Foraker had
Intentionally delivered fatal thrust to the
Mckinley boom. But as soon as the real
nature Of his silver utterances was known
the anxiety Of. the Mckinley people disap-
peared. 1t was seen that Mr.. Foraker
" lille paying his best respects to silver, had
rot committed either himself or his party
at home too far: that, on the contrary, he
had remained well within the limits of al
iowatle campaign coquetry, and that no
action would lie.
Significance of the Speech.
But the speech. for all that. is sincere and
Instructive. 1t is accepted as showing how
far the republicans may go. and are likely to
CO. on the silver question in the attempt to
hold their forces together. What Mr.. For
aker has said at Columbus Mr.. Reed could
say from his place in the House. Mr.. Allison
from his place in the Senate, Gov. Morton
from his Office at Albany General Harris on
from his quarters at Indianapolis or Mr.
Mckinley from his library at Canton, with
out causing the slightest injury to his
presidential prospects, or larm in business
nj &c In foot forD a14xr IL,
the rough, of what the republican party is
likely to say in its national platform. The
party Is, to the extent described by Mr.. For
aker, friendly to an enlarged use of silver
and 1T can say as much without peril 1t
has the confidence of the business world
and when 1t speaks for silver it does so with
all the reservations pertaining to sound
system of finance.
No Middle Ground for Democracy.
But the democracy, by reason of its his
tory and present divisions on the subject,
cannot successfully occupy this middle
ground Its record has been made in op-
position, and consequently it is an extreme
record. 1t has always clamored for a
change in existing policies-which have
been republican policies-until how it can
not copy those policies without surrender
Ing Its case. That Is the basis of the COM
plaint Of the southern men against Mr.
Cleveland. They accuse him of being mere
ly protege Of Mr.. Sherman. The Treas
ury Department they assert, has not had
a democratic Secretary since the days of
James Buchanan. And SO 1t Is that when
democratic leader speaks 1t is either in
terms or complete surrender to republican
precedents' like those employed by Mr.
Cleveland and Mr. Carlisle, or in the old
terms OF insistence on the free and un-
limited coinage of silver.
Against the National Banks.
Mr. hnu IN, h Late
has put the case in a new form. He turns
from the single gold standard, which for
long time he made the subject Of his criti-
cism, and directs his attack on the national
banks. The question of standards seems
to disappear altogether in his complaint
that Mr.. Cleveland's policy, If longer pur-
suedS will saddle the country with a crush
ing burden Of interest in behalf Of the banks.
He asserts that IL the democratic party
commits itself to that 1t will be swept out
Of existence. He lauds the greenbacks, and
seems to contend that conditions would
greatly improve If all the paper money in
circulation were of that description. So
extreme indeed, is the ground he takes that
the inquiry propounded to him by Senator
Gray during the delivery Of the speech
about fiat money is likely to be echoed from
many sources.
Possible Explanation.
What is the. explanation of this speech,
delivered on the eve Of the. calling of the
democratic national convention? Does it
foreshadow q change in the politics Of
Texas? Is Texas leaning toward populism
on the financial question? And will it be
likely to Lar in the populist camp IL the
democratic national platform is written on
Cleveland lines? Mr. Mills knows his state,
and he is a candidate for reelection. For
time he was accused of being a convert TO
the Cleveland policy, but however that may
have been while free silver was the cry,
there is no mistaking where he stands now
that he thinks the Presidents policy is lead
ing to the enlargement Of the powers and to
the perpetuation of the existence of the
national banks.
The first Senator to shake hands with Mr.,
Mills yesterday upon the conclusion of his
speech was Mr.. Kyle OF South Dakota.