The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-08-24
OPINION.

The tendency of the silver democrats
and populists to break asunder this
ear a become very noticeable. In
Mr.. Bryan's own state the fusion has
been kept up, but in Virginia, Ohio, and
Kentucky the two organizations are
now opposing ZACH other. 1t should be
observed, however. that the pOpulist
voters who now decline to go with the
democrats are the extremists of the
Watson n Coxey type, and their vOt-
ing strength is not supposed to be so
large as thai of the pOpulist faction
represented by Senators Allen, of Ne
braska, Harris of Kansas, and Butler
of North Carolina, which will continue
probably to cast their votes, where
needed for the silver democratic can
didates Yet, with the gold democrats
hauling one way and the 'middle-of-
the-road" populists in another the sill
yer democrats ave considerable to
overcome in the fall elections in such
states as Ohio and Kentucky. Yet the
election in the old Holman district in
Indiana the other day resulted in an
increase Of the democratic majority,
although 600 populist votes, cast for
Holman in $50, were then detached and
cast for a straightout populist.-
Springfield CMass.) Republican.
One of the most amusing episodes of
modern politics is the recent preten-
tious effort of Senator Don Caffery, of
Louisiana, to read Senator McEnery
out of the democratic party on account
of his tariff views. 1t is unnecessary to
enter into the merits of the point made
against McEnery until it shall be
made by some one who is really a dem
ocrat. What is amusing is the fact
that Caffery himself is conspicuous
only because he is one of the most
subservient cuckoOs of the whole brood
that f1uttered around Cleveland's feet.
He was one Of the earliest deserters
from the party, and went around the
country shouting for Clevelandism,
free trade and the gold standard. He
not only deserted the democratic party
at the command Of Cleveland, but ac-
tually assisted to place h Mckinley
party in power, thus making is posi-
BILE for the Dingley monstrosity to be-
some a law. While we do not believe
it is possible for Senator McEnery as
a democrat to justify his support of
that measure, yet it is only air to him
to say hat what he did in a direct and
manly way, Caffery did indirectly. He
sneaked off with the gold crowd, and,
under the p%retence Of supporting Pal
mer and Buckner, gave active aid and
support to the Hanna crOwd.-Atlan-
ia Constitution.
That the president and his cOnstitu-
tional advisers have not been unmind-
full or neglectful Of the public interest
in this regard will, we think, be gener-
ally conceded. But can so much be
said of all their subordinates? Is there
not some-is there not too much-truth
in the statement Of Wharton Barker,
in The Philadelphia American, that
Mint Director Preston has helped along
the slump in silver? Mr.. Barker says
the decline is due to two causes. The
first is 1.-The ~postponement of the Brit
ish government Of all hopes, now slim
enough, for the restoration of bimet-
allism by internatinal agreement" The
second is 1.-The effort of Mr.. Preston,
out director of the mint, to still furth-
err discredit silver by asserting that
sooner or later the United States will
have to dispose of the silver it pur-
chased under the Bland and Sherman
acts and pocket the loss, and that, in
his opinion, silver will fall to 40 cents
The remark credited to Mr.. Preston,
and many similar remarks from that
official, have undoubtedly had a tend
ency to bear the silver market and,
therefore, to cheaper u currency and
inflict loss on the nation. No public
duty has called for such expressions
from any public servant, nor can any
possible Interpretation Of any statute,
rule, or regulation make it the duty
Of a public servant to damage the prop
erty or credit of his employer.-Wash-
ington Post.