Evening star., 1896-11-17
THE SOUND MONEY MEN
Speculation as to the Permanence of the
Alliance.
Silver Men Think Gold Democrats
and Republican, VIII PART
MIR. Mckinley's Task.

1t Is the prediction Of some of the silver
men that the alliance between the sound
money democrats and the sound money re-
Publfcans cannot hold together much lon
ger; that 1t will go to pieces as soon as it
strikes the tariff question. How, the sill
yer men ask, can men like Mr.. Carlisle
and men like Mr.. Mckinley cooperate In
the matter of taxation. when on the one
side Is advocacy of free trade and on the
other advocacy of high protection? The
tarln Is likely to- be taken up ahead of the
currency question. and the hope of these
silver men is that by the time the tariff
Is disposed of so much bad feeling will
have been engendered between the free
traders and the protectionists that unioa
after that on anything will be impossible.
But there are some very observant and
experienced men who take no stock in
such talk. They are silver men, too. They
rather look for the other thing rheir fear
Is that the alliance for a long time will
hold good for everything. They are Icok-
ing for a compromise on the tariff uues-
ton. The bare fact. they think, that the
question of revenue will go ahead CT the
currency question insures moderation en-
the tariff. Men expecting to work together
so soon afterwards on the currency cues
ton will see the necessity of avoiding
too sharp aptagonism on the question CT
taxation.
1t Is likewise suggested that since the
campaign of 1892, wnen the Two parties
were at antipodes on the tariff question
some important history has been written
And that history, rather than past party
platforms. will be the basis of future nego-
tiations. Revenue reformers with the Viii
son bill charged up against them cannot
now stand out against protection as a
principle, while Mr.. Mckinley himself, 1t
Is recalled. stated several times during the
campaign that his party was committed
10 no particular schedules. AS this makes
1t certain that The Mckinley Dill will not
be offered again, and as both sides now
are In effect protectionists, the more anxi-
GUS OF the silver men see nothing that
promises disruption to the sound money
coalition. The revenue reformers NAV not
accept the tariff bill of the republicans,
but 1t is hardly likely to be of a character
to seriously offend them, prevent cordial
cooperation on other measures
1t Is conceded. too, that Mr.. Mckinley
will be powerful factor in the White
House In the interests of good feeling He
Is a promoter Of that article. He has
patience and tact and much good fellow
snip. He knows, personally and intimately
the leaders Of both parties, and even the
men who differ from him in opinion the
most radically hold him In very high re-
gard. He will take office with full erse
hard to Surmount them all. His PRIDE OF
course, will be fully aroused, and with the
prestige of his great office he ought to be
able to do great things IN the way of bring
ing and keeping men together. He knows
all about tariff bills and a good deal about
currency bills. and as President lie will
be consulted about every important move
made by his party friends in Congress.
Consultations, indeed, as the silver men
note, have already begun. That is to say.
Mr.. Mckinley is already receiving by mail
suggestions about the situation and as
surances of good wishes and supper: from
unexpected sources. People who voted
against him, now that he is to be President,
are rendering friendly sentiments. And
very naturally. Success for the new presi-
dent means prosperity for the country,
and only the most extreme of the silver
men appear to hope that so little can be
accomplished during the next four years
that free coinage will have an easy thing
! of 1t in 1900.