The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-06-24
LETTER COMES TOO LATE.

The letter of eN-Secretary Whitney,
printed in the morning Times to-day. is
regarded by Democrats here as being in
the nature of II compromise rendered the
free silver wing of the Democratic party.
Mr.. Whitney is understood as recediug
from the single gold standard attitude
assumed by President Cleveland in his
recent interview and favoring a strnddlc
on international bimctallism "such as
was contemplated by Mr.. Mckinley and
his managers.
For weeks il has been conceded that
the free silver element will control the
Chicago convention not only by II major
ity. but by more than IL two-thirls vote.
thus insuring the naming of an out-nnd
out free silver candidate to stand upon II
free coinage platform.
At the eleventh hour, after three
fourths of the delegates to the approach
ing convention had been selected and after
MIR. cleveland had issued Il proclamation
declaring in favor of gold monometalism
without IL single redeeming sop To the dis
affected AUCTIONS of the party. Mr.. Whit
ncy is persuaded to forcgo an European
trip and step into the breach with an
olive branch of peace
The olive branch extended by Mr.
Whitney is the same old declaration re
gir,ling international bimctallism that
has appeared in the platform of the dom
inant political parties for many national
campaigns. II means nothing, it is said.
ami Is ON the alleged principle of homoco-
pathic remedies which are said to do
no harm. even if they do no good
In short, Mr.. Whitney has been Sc
lccted To head il movement intended to
prevent silver supremacy at the Chicago
convention. and, failing in the attempt
to oiler hmctalliSm a. a harmoniZing
compromise. This is regarded as the
meat in the cOaconut so far ~ Mr. Whit
ncy' : letter i concerned.
Mr.. Whitney will receive the earnest
support fcvcry prominent Federal Office
holder beginning with the President
The first practical move in that dircc-
tion made here has been to secure Il list
of all the delegate. elect To the Chicago
convention. More than two-thirds of
these have been chosen. All the dele
gates chosen who are either instructed
Tor silver or are believed To incline to
silver, Will at once he communicated
with personally.
The delegations for weeks past have
been receiving sound money literature
from the New York and Boston Reform
Clubs. but they will now. it i asserted.
be solicited by letter Efforts will also
he made to ascertain their standing in
their communities, and what influence.
II any, of II local nature. can he brought
10 bear upon them. To change their views
on the money question.
To this end prominent bankers and
merchants in the communities in which
the delegates reside will be written to for
Information, and when in hand this in
formation, with any political pressure
that can he brought from their fellow
Democrats. locally or nationally. will he
utilized in their section of the we'll
known views of the administration
General comment continues to the same
effect as heretofore. that the President
and eN-Sccrctary Whitney have begun
their campaign too late. They are lock
ing the stable door after the horse has
been stolen.
The influence of the administration i
figured at the next thing 10 nothing. 1t
i pointed out that those standing for
the views OF the administration have been
beaten at every turn Secretary Carlisle
tried To save Kentucky, but only one dis
| trict in the State pronounced for gold.
Senator Bricc has been completely
routed in Ohio, and the state convention.
which meets tomorrow. will he almost
unanimous for free silver
Secretary Smith took the stump in
:
Speaker Crisp lost his voice: but the re
suit was AN rwhclming administril-
ton defeat.
Secretary Hcrher, could not control his
own State of Alabama. Nebraska Slipped
away from Secretary Morton. Attorney
General Harmon Will not even try to
stem the tide in Ohio.
Altogether. the efforts of the admins
tration looking to the continued anchor
ing of the Democratic party on Il sound
money basis has had about the same
effect "a turning bellows loose in Il bunch
of feathers. Ii has seemingly become a
mania with almost every Democrat 10
distinguish himself by getting on the
Observation-Disclosures side of the financial
fence.
Ii therefore stands to reason that the
continued efforts Of the party leaders will
be productive Of increased strife rather
than harmIny.
\ few DcnlocraIa in thi, city affect to
seq IN NJ. WlIitney'- di~Avowi!i ot Pref
dcntal aspirations az irtinatiom ,hat by
Gec.ar.u" in favor oi himctaiism he may
lind himself in the line for the nomination
four or cigh; years hence. when the
clamce- for election may bc far greater
than they appear ut the present moment.
MI Whitney j. too ,hrewd politician
to even offer himself for slaughter in a
convention that * certain to bc controlled
by straight silvcrtes. He will wait until
himctali>m becomes more popular. x IL
SPEAKS IT'S MIND.
The day after the Kentucky primaries
the Louisville Courier Journal said edi-
toriully:
''Thry (thc nemocrat-) have repudiated