The times., 1897-12-30
GAGE DID OFFER TO RESIGN.
1t Is Positively Known That th'
Tender Was Made

Much has been written and said con
cerning che resignation OF Secretary Gage
1t has been asserted on most excellent
authority that tfe tender OF the resignation
was made to the Presid ent, and on author
ity equal, as good the assertion has been
denied.
The Times is in a position to say in
the most positive terms, that the reSigna-
tion of Secretary Gage was offered Mr.
Mckinley, and that such offer was DE-
cIined by HIM
What Mr.. Gage said to the President
was this.
IF my financial policy does not meet
the approval OF the administration, l will
tender my resignation
Such an expression is actually a tender.
AS the President did not Insist on receiving
the resignation OF Mr. Gage, it is to be
assumed that the gold sta ndard financial
policy of the Secretary does meet Ex aca-
tive approval. Just how the President
reconciles his approval OF Mr. Cages gold
standard vi. ws, after he had irrevocably
committed himself to the bimetallic policy
represented by Senator Wolcott's COM
mission can best be explained by himself.
1t is conceded by all persons that the
gold standard supporters OF the Admins
stration are a minority in votes.
When NJ Mckinley was elected Presi
dent through their substantial support,
this pow erful moneyed inte rest wanted some
guarantee from him that the gold standard
policy they advocated would be continued
and demanded the Treasury portfolio. IL
was given them, and Lyman j. Gage, a
banker and well known believer in a gold
standard and limited circulating medium,
was, at their request. appointed. He was
to fill the part OF the watch dog for
Wall street.
With Secretary Gage in the Treasury
the gold meii felt easy until the Presi
dent announced to the people his in
tention of abiding by the platform of the
st. Louis convention, and sent the Vol
colt commission abroad To secure the con
sent of Europe to an international hi
metailism treaty. This action inter
fered with tteir speculative interests, and
rendered their schemes for increasing their
millions more difficult.
The appuiI tment of the Woicott COM
mission was accepted by the people as an
open avowal by the President that he
would favor with dill his power the eff
forts OF this commission to obtain an in
tcrnational agreement, and the gold inen
began to scheme for counteracting in
fuence.
Their first overt act was the submission
to the President of the plans of Secretary
Gage for q financial policy. The scheme
is such pronounced one in favor Of d
sis gle gold standard, requiring at the same
time a contraction OF two hundred mil
lion dollars of already limited cir
cUlatins medium that the President
hesitated 10 sanction it, but under pres Sife
he consented to the plan to the extent
outlined in his message to Congress.
The next overt act OF the scfemers
was made public when Secretary Gage
appeared before the House Committee on
Banking and Currency, and explain ID his
bonding plans and views for the CON
t. action of the currency as set forth in
a bin prepared by him, which he Unhesi
tatingly declared would make more certain
the gold standard of the country.
As had been anticipated by the gold
men, the country at large criticised Sc
vereiy the bill OF Mr Gage, which the
gold standard people wanted. The criti-
clsn.s forced an Issue between the two ex-
by the President, andeitheF to stand by the
Wo1cott couInission and himetaIIism or
to declare himself In favor Of Secretary
Cages policy OF a gold standard. The
first proposition he was openly and alb
sNlutely comnittf to before the people.
tile second proposition lie was secretly COM
uitted TO Witt the schemers behind Secre-
tary Gag.
himself from the dilemma the plOtters placed
him in, but they were too why for him.
They refused 10 have the secret assurance
Of The President that the gold standard
views of Secretary Gage would be carried
out, and insisted on some action that would
convince all PEOPLE, once and for all, that
the fiI.arcial policy of this 4 administration
will be the one designated By Secretary
Gage. While the President demurred the
sChemers played their last trump, and won
tic game
1t was the tender of the resignation OF
Secretary Gage. if his financial views were
not approved by the President. He re-
quested SIR. Gage to remain in the Cabinet
auC thereby conveyed TO all the world the
information that he would support the
theories Of Secretary Gage and Wall street
rpgar,ling contracted currency and gold
stare rdard.
The finishing touches TO this nationql
drama Were given by Assistant Secretary
Z vaudarlip. He stands closer to Secretary
Gage thar any other man On earth He is
the oniv absolute political confidant If the
Secretary. He is also Il great favorite OF
the President.
1t was Mr.. yanderlip who first made
known TO tie public the offer OF Secret lry
Gage TO tender his resignation Is il reason
able to suppose that a man 80 aStute as Mr..
Vanderlip has proved himself to be wuuld
have mGdc public such informationif me bad
not been instructed by the Secretary to
do so? Unless the fact that thc resignation
had been rendered and the reasons therefore
were made known, of what benefit woIld
it be tc the schemers behind Mr.. Gage
So it happened that SSistant Secretary
Y anderlip made public the information, aud
tie world at large became possessed of the
<nowle dce the gold standard men wanted
circulated.
How this story was given circulation is
interesting. 1t was first published in a
Boston newspaper, to whose correspondent
Mr. yanderiip had admitted the accuracy |
u IHt cttiy. hS W IL l
repeated back to Washington |
and a well-known correspondent Of one |
OF the New York afternoon papers called |
at the White House and asked Mr.. Porter |
about it The secretary to tie President
admitted the accuracy OF the report AMI |
said that Mr.. Gage had offered to re- |
sign If the President wished him to. That |
was all there was in the report, he said. |
and he added that it was in no way sig |
Upon the strength If this state
nent lurid dispatch was sent to the |