Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-02-02
HtNNA'S LATEST SOP.

The c. lntry should not take too Sc
riously the action of the United States
Senate in passing the bill authorizing
the President, after March 4, 1887, TO APP
point commissioners to represent the
United States in any international BIZ
metallic conference that may be called
by this or any other country. Bimetal-
Iism by international agreement would
be a great thing for the United States,
and old Granny Hoar was not far wrong
in insisting that the movement for such
a contamination is gaining advocates
both here and abroad. But. aside from
the fact that the regnant powers In
finance and speculation in the United
States. as well as in Europe. are against
bimetaIism, the passage of the bill
would seem to hold out no hope 10 us.
The truth is. that so far as the Repubn-
cans are concerned. the measure is open
TO the suspicion of being huge bluff. 1t
was engineered through the Senate by
Mr.. Chandler, and some of the other Re-
publican senators who advocated it were
entirely too enthusiastic. They pro-
tested too much.
1t is well known that the course OF GER
tain Republican silver senators in bolt
ing the caucus upset Hanna and Nc
Kinley terribly. These senators hold now,
and will hold still more firmly in
the next Senate. the whip hand over
their party in the body. Indeed, they will
hold the key to legislation and they have
even threatened to block the way Of
the tariff bill if concessions are not
made TO them touching the silver ques-
ton. 1t is no secret that Mckinley and
Hanna have been working assidiously to-
win them back and get them committed
to strict party allegiance. To that end
were held the conferences in Canton be-
tween the President-elect and certain
friends of his of the silver persuasion,
which resulted in the Wolcott mission TO
Europe. The idea in sending Mr.. VOL
colt abroad was that his visit would be
accepted as an earnest of the intention
OF the new administration to do some
thing in respect of silver-exactly what.
however, has never been made clear.
Further, according 10 well-informed
Canton spondents. it was expected
that in the interval of hope and while
results were in allegiance. the obdurates
would be found much more amenable 10
other influences.
But the Wolcott mission practically
died a-bornin' Mr.. Wolcott had hardly
put foot upon British soil before he was
given the cold shoulder, and it became
known in this country that his visit had
proved a wild-goose chase. There was
no interim OF hope, and no stage Of
allegiance to buoy up Mckinley and his
man Friday. The mission was a dead
failure. 1t didn't get out of the budding
state before it was frost bitten.
Nevertheless, it was soon apparent that
Hanna was not cast down. On the con-
trary, right on the heels Of the bad news
from the Wolcott venture, he displayed a
jollity very suggestive of the normal
condition of another Mark. as well known
in fiction as he Is in politics. Indeed his
good humor was a puzzle until its eXu-
berance dubbed over in an intima-
tlon that he believed the recalcitrant
senators would become rcconciled. How,
he did not explain, but TO many minds
no explanation is needed after an ana
lysis OF the vote on the interna-
tional conference bill and a study OF the
remarks OF some of the Republican sena-
tors In advocacy of the measure. While
II Is true that the bill was not passed
by strict party vote, II was distinctly
"a Republfcan measure and on the mart
Of the Republicans, simply a time gamer.
behind which II is not difficult to dis
cover the hand of Hanna. Whether
either the public or the obdurate silver
senators will be caught by this new
sop 10 Cerberus." remains 10 be seen.