Evening star., 1896-08-14

The reported division in the silver camp
ove- the arrangements for conducting the
campaign should surprise no one who has
followed matters closely. The coalition is
composed of extremists and conservatives.
though IN what relative proportions does
not as yet appear. There are extremists
like Senator Tillman. who hold in genuine
distrust every man who does not thorough
ly subscribe to their Interpretation of the
whole free silver propaganda: and there
are conservatives Ike Chairman Jones.
who, though subscribing themselves freely
enough TO the whole Chicago platform are
yet willing TO work In conjunction with
men of sound money proclivit:es in order
TO win at the polls. 1t was inevitable from
the first that these men would in time dis
agree. and it may be fortunate for the
coalition that the disagreement should have
cropped out early in the action.
The clash is over the part Mr.. German
Is to take in the fight. The Star was the
first newspaper to record the maneuvers of
the willy Maryland Senator. A sound
money man. representing a sound money
state, Mr.. German goes over to the silver
men and puts his skill as a campaigner at
the service of silver. Chairman Jones' an
old friend and Senatorial associate, eager
ly accepts the offer, and is anxious even to
make Mr.. German chairman of the execu-
tive committee No recantations are pro-
fessed by Mr.. German, or required Of him.
He is still a sound money man who be-
leyes that free silver triumph would be
disastrous to the country. but he is willing
for Partisan reasons to help bring such d
triumph about.
The extremists object They are afraid
of this gift-bearing goldite. They in
sist that he ought not to be admit
ted to the condolences of a cause in
which he does not believe. They suspect
him of Interior motives. They recall his
record in the tariff fight. He was never a
free trader, but he supported Mr.. Cleve-
land for a second term on free trade
platform. And then? When what was
considered a free trade triumph was
achieved at the polls. Mr. German passed
over again to his protection associates. and
led the fight IN the Senate against a re-
demption, in the shape of a tariff bill. of the
party's platform and campaign promises.
He stuffed the measure presented full Of
protection. and in that condition forced It
as a law upon the country. So-called tariff
reform ended then in fiasco.
Is this Mr. Gorman's game IN the natter
of silver? The extremists believe that 1t IS.
They cannot otherwise account for his
course. If he Is sincere In his belief in
sound money. why should he assist in
clearing the way for silver? Or. on the
other hand. if he Is willing to abandon
sound money now, may he not abandon
silver later? May he not appear as the
leader of the anti-silver forces in the next
Congress and help complicate the situation
In a closely-divided Senate?
However this particular question may
In the end be settled. the extremists may
be said TO have on their side the logic of
the controversy The cause of silver should
be in the hands of the friends of silver.
The Chicago pla atform means something. or
il means nothing. If it means anything 1t
is that silver a the ratio of Ii to l should
be coined free at the miuts by the United
States alone and so coined circulate in its
own form or IN the form of certificates in
the channels Of business Mr. German Is
not In favor of that. but Mr.. Tillman, Gov.
Altgeld Mr. PETER, Mr.. Simpson, Mr..
Watson, and Mrs. Lease are.