New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-06
WATCHERS IN WASHINGTON
THE PRESIDENTS GRIEvoUs cHAGRIN
AT THE PLIGHT OF HIS FACTION.
LIVING IN A FOOLS PARADISE TILL THE EiSA
ENTH HouR-HE HAD No IDEA OF THE


fey TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrprNE1
Washington. July 5-The reports from Chicaeo
these DAYS are not read with keener or more eager
interest or studied with more anxious ana undis'
gu!sed anxiety by anybody than by the Cabinet on''
GERS Assistant Secretaries and chiefs OF bureaus
whom circumstances have compelled TO remain IN
Washington. They all feel that the party to when
they as yet belong is facing a terrible Crisis ana
one that may be fatal TO it, as well as disastrous 70
them Most Of them loyal 20 the head of the
Administration. and II Is natural that they shouio
feel depressed and unhappy account OF The low
esteem to use no harsher phrase in which ootn the
President and the members Of his Administrator
appear to he held by the leaders as well as by the
rank and Ale OF the faction which Will controi inc
Chicago Convention There is reason to believe thss
President Cleveland himself. despite his apparent
Indifference to criticism and his nordinate self.
esteem keenly feels his situation But II need not
be inferred that hts course would he different no
could be placed where he stood three years ago ana
confronted by the same questions Nothine Snort
of a direct revelation from Heaven could convince
him that he f. not right and has not been right. o.
that a ma FORTY Of his party has not been wnons'
from the beginning OF this Administration
That the President and his Cabinet have oeen
rr4eyously disappointed on account Of the complete
and humiliating failure OF their herculean enorts
Co prevent declaration by the Democratic Ma
tonal Convention In favor OF the free ana unin'teo
silver coinage a ratio Of Is 10 !. regardless OF
the action Of other nations, everypohy reahS@''
but everybody does not know how late II was be-
fore the President and members OF his Adminirtra-
ton began 10 realize the true condition OF afairA
and how unexpected and crushing the revelation
was when II came. As matter or fac'' tney
actually believed Until the middle OF May. ana
some OF them until later date, that the SOUND
money faction would control the National Con-
venton and not only dictate the financial plank
OF the platform. but name the candidates on the
%t,koe "a
ce,ved by members OF the Cabinet from ONCE
holders and prominent eound-money Democrats
throughout the country. and the substance Of them
was communicated to the President. some OF them
late as June !.
II Is true that warnings OF the coming storm
were also received by the President and mefnoeFs
OF his Cabinet. but they made slight impression.
and for weeks the Administration seems to have
lived in a fools paradise. At last one Cabinet
officer in whose State delegates to the National
Convention soon to be chosen-a state In
which the free-eilver movement had not made
much noise or apparent headway-sent letters OK
inquiry 10 leading Democrats Throughout the STATE
in whose Judgment he placed confidence ana inc
replies he received astonished him. II was then
so late that virtually nothing could De Done 20
counteract the free-silver movement which swept
the State. -.
What took place there. occurred in number Of
other States waach until six weeks ago. the Ad-
mnistraton regarded as safe for SOUND mon .r
were clearly recognized by my other pol.tica!
observers The only crumb Of comfort II has fount
thus far is In the fact that, as rule, the to,at
number OF votes cast at the Democratic primaries
which elected free-sllver delegates who IN turn.
chose delegates to the National Convention. va
much smaller than usual II being, IN majority
Of the reported. not more than one-thiru q
one-haK the usual number. .
Why Administration Democrats snoun oef1vS
comfort or encoura cement from this fact - =
suppose that II they looked even hoped for 3
Democratic victory, With free-sver PLATFORM ana
frec-silver candidates. they would regard the tnin
attendance al Democratic primaries az discouIag-
ing Indication and fact 10 be regretted 10 tney
expect hope for a party victory under sicn CT
VIII Democrats whether on1ceho.1cN
or not, who agree with the financial views or tho
Administration who fall within the sphere OF
It's influence, contribute their Efforts In oena!t OF
such a victory? There Is good reason TO believe
and say that tho Administration answer to these
Bolt or no bolt. President Cleveland and the
members Of his Adm. nistration who agree with him
and are loyal TO him WIN neither openly con.
tribute their personal Official influence nor lend
passive ENCOURAGEMENT for the benefit OF Q free.
Silver candidate for the Presidency, nor to any
ca nddate who will consent TO stand on freealveP
l6 to / platform. unless their Views undergo com.
plete and radical change after the platform .
adopted and the nomination Is made. 1t u BE-
lieved, moreover. that some consideration even
more potent than the adoption by the Chicago
ton would be needed and required TO effect such
q change.
II the sree-stlver fanatics have their way at Chi.
cago some highly interestirg political Developments
may be hooked for In Administration circles within
the next sixty days