Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-23
whifney's Task.

Mr.. Whitney's Chicago task Is a fruitful
source of spec ulation. Its great difficulty
is generally recognized. 1t is conceded
that he is entirely in earnest. and that he
hopes to accomplish sonfet hing. But what
can he accomplish? Induce the silver men
to forego. or materially change, their pro-
gram? Induce them to write gold plat
form. or clever straddle. and put a clever
stradder up the candidate? No demo-
crat in Washington believes that it is with
In the power of any man to accomplish
that Is there anything short of that Mr..
Whitney win care to undertake. or that it
will be important for him to undertake?
The latest suggestion is that MIR. Whitney
Is going to Chicago not so much with the
hope of checking the silver tide as of pre-
venting far as possible any undue dam
age to the party. declaration in favor of
free coinage VIII be disastrous enough. but
If that should be accompanied by a de-
nunciatior of the administration. the effect
on the party organization would be felt fo-
good many years. There has been some
threat of this. Some OF the strongest of
the free oliver men-and they will sit as
delegates in the Chicago convention-are
most severe in their arraignment of both
he President and Mr.. Carlisle. Only Mr..
the stump. but much of what he has said
there has been said by others in conversa-
ion not 50 very private. The fear is. there
lore. that unless the best of diplomatic
good offices can ne commanded. the
vention, under the complete control OF
these men. may be induced to express itself
in a way to drive every friend of the Presi-
dent into open opposition to the ticket.
20 ha al
ent. He is a promoter of good feeling. He
has wide personal acquaintance with
public men. and his address is engaging.
Those who refuse 20 accept him as a finan-
cier readily accept him as a good party
man, and probably all will hear him with
respect on the subject of the partys pres
cnt embarrassments in the east. They will
likewise recognize his right to speak. More
than any other one man liz the party he is
responsible for the present administration
and if he wants TO put in d plea for it at
this time-a plea after the order of that
which saved the life of the pianist in the
western music hall-the feeling is that he
is entitled to a hearing.
Mr.. German. it is plain enough. could do
nothing in this line. He has not been on
visiting terms at the White House for two
years. Mr. Brice is almost as powerless
He visits the President occasionally, but
not on terms of great cCrdiality. Mr.. Hill
will defend the administration when he can
help the party. but his attitude is well I'M
derstood. He is not the Presidents friend
Mr.. Whitney Is. and If he were to IN
dertake to spread his wing over the Presi-
dent at Chicago the convention might re-
fuse to take the performance seriously.
For the reasons given. the job is thought
to he Mr.. Whitney's. and as the Presi-
dents personal friend he has undertaken
It. How well he acquits himself remains to
Re seen He will find the silver men In the
mood militant. with pugnacious fighters like
Mr.. Vest. Mr.. Jones. and Mr.. Harris in the
lead. and they may be little the harder to
approach because of the letter Mr.. Whit
hey has just put out That Is so strong
and sweeping Endorsement of the st.
Louis MONEY plank that Chairman Hanna
after the fight begins may well circulate
many thousand copies of it.