Birmingham state herald., 1896-05-31
NOW, DON'T BE AN OSTRICH And Stick Your Head in the Sand SiIver'S Coming, THE PEOPLE WILL HAVE 1T It is Firmly Established in the South and West and Its Empire Is Extending to the
 East.
Staff Cor. Nov York World.

many people in this country who are hiding their eyes to great facts. They place themselves in the position of the ostrich pursued by an enemy. They do not wish to gaze on what they term the spectre of silver. So they hold their hands over their faces and cry out: I cannot see it comingr"
 The speaker was an especially distin- guished senator who expressed himself privately to the writer on the financial question. There is enough said in pri- Vate here in Washington at the present time on the silver question to cause a chill to pass over those whose convictions and interests are wrapped in the single gold standard side of the controversy.
 People in New York and in the east have scanty conceptions of the strength of the silver sentiment at the west 4Dd south. The press which enlightenS them on public affairs, is almost unit in favor of gold standard. The real situation throughout the length and breadth of the United States west of the middle states is not comprehended in New York or New England.
 If the private utterances of public men on the silver question could be published as formal interviews a portion of the country would receive a tremendous shock. I have conversed with numerous persons whose names, if were al liberty to give them, would be well known to every reader The burden of what was said was that the silver movement is gaining hand over fist throughout the country; that while there are diversified views as to the extent or the conditions under which silver is favored, there is determination on the part of a maior- 1ty of the politicians of the south and west to make silver and not gold, the dominant element in the national cur rency.
 A leading republican senator who is well known as an advocate of gold de- clared his belief to me that if the uues- ton of gold versus silver were to be sub mitted pure and simple to the people of the United States an overwhelming ma Jorty would be rolled up for the white money.
 T believe he explained, that the 16 to l standard might not prevail, but that bimetallism, under conditions that would not meet with the approval of us who favor the gold standard, would be favored. l believe that in more than one-half the states the vote for silver would average more than to 1.''
 This senator would not dare to express such an opinion for publication. Moth Ing would tempt me-" he said. Tt would be rulnous for me to do so" And this same fear of consequences deters many puOllc men from even whispering what they think
 Another wel-known politician inform ed me that Indiana would be carried by silver. Gov Claude Matthews, of that state, recently said to me that MT. Cleve- land could not carry a single Indiana county with his present views on finances. A leader of the Arkansas delegation here says that Cleveland, as a gold man, could not carry an Arkansas county. Governor Campbell in his recent interview in the World stated that silver is gaining throughout Ohio. Members of the Ohio delegation who are not welded to the sl yer belief tell me that the silver tide is swelling in the Buckeye State.
 Gen. Charles Grosvenor, a Mckinley manager, recently informed an acquaint- anee that the silver movement was gain ing in Ohio. He was merely narrating a fact. and not using 1t as an argument.
 Tie president of one of Chicago's great national banks recently stated that he had been studying the views of the 400 or more of his banker correspondents, and he has concluded that silver has got to come This bank president is very wealthy. He has begun to draw gold contracts and leases, and will put all of his affairs on a gold basis. There is no more ardent gold man in the country than he. A democratic sound-money senator, not Senator Brice, told me today that Ohio and Kentucky would be car red for silver.
 The convention at Chicago will be in the hands of the silver men," he said. q do not believe in silver except as subsidiary coinage, but my political fu- ture is uncertain unless my constituents change their views"
 | am assured by Pennsylvanians who know the situation thoroughly in that state that If the silver question were presented fairly and squarely to the peo- pie without bein mixed with politics, and rid of interference by capital or man ufacturers, it would receive an enormous vote.
 The people know that Senator Cam eron is a man of great wealth, who mas banking, real estate and railway inter- ests. That the Cameron family always love money is understood in Pennsyl- yania and people argue that Don Cam eron would not risk his property by a failure in silver, if there was any real danger from it.
 Senator Cameron has been in Mexico studying the condition of the country under silver. He returned more zealous than before. l am informed by good authority that at a recent meeting Of the democratic state committee or Yer mont the members wished to put soma kind of a recognition of silver in the platform of the convention just held. Bradley Smalley had to use his influence to muzzle the budding desire.
 A New Hampshire public man stated in this city that he feared to think what would occur if the question of free silver were to be submitted on its merits to the people of that state.
 II bellelve that 1t would command a heavy vote" he said, although the banks would threaten every one with mortgage on his home, and the great manufacturing corporation would in timidate their help, and probably would prevent any radical expression. Of course, am gold man."
 I talked with 0 New England manu- facturer today who employs many hun dred operatives and who has been par tlsan of the single standard. He told me that he has been shocked to hear of manufacturers about Boston who were willing to try silver in a greatly enlarged relation with gold. Few men would dare to come out openly in this way" he said. They would hear from their banks if they did"
 A Rhode Island manufacturer inform ed me that he would welcome silver to see if 1t would do something to end the awful depression that is weighing down the line of goods which he Is engaged in making.
 If 1 were to say this in Providence believe my paper would be held up in the banks. Al any rate. it would be treated