Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-07-21
THEY ARE HEDGING.
THE POLITICIANS OF THE c. o. p.
SOUND WARNING NOTES.

SOUND WARNING NOTES.
They Will ignore the Currency Issue if Possible
Ex-senator Push's Opinion Of Bryan and
the Political Situation Coaching Popular
Sentiment to Favor Large Standing Army -
The 6. A. R. Investigating the Pension OF.
fice-AIscr Says Next Year He will Resign.
From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, July II, 1899.
Democrats have good reason to re-
greet the fright in the ranks OF the sim
gle gold standard Republicans because
of the warnings uttered by such Re-
publicans as Senators Thurston, OF
Nebraska, and Chandler, of New
Hampshire. Ever since the Eastern
Republicans began the movement to
try to put through single gold stand
ard legislation at the coming session
OF Congress, Democrats have been
heartily wishing that they would sue
coed in doing so, because OF the
marked advantage it would be to the
Democratic candidate for President.
Senator Chandler was the first to tell
his party associates that they were
playing with political dynamite
Then came Senator ThurstOn, who
has presided over two Republican ma
tional conventions and who is much
more influential, if not so talkative,
than Chandler. Thurston makes it
very plain that Mr.. Mckinley never
would have been elected if that inter.
national bimetallism bluff had not
been put in the Republican platform
and worked for all it was worth by the
Mckinley stumpers in the West and
Middle West. He also intimated that
he didn't care a continental about sill
yer himself, but would take no part in
helping his party to invite defeat.
He expressed the belief that the effort
would not succeed in Congress, al
though he was not so confident about
the national convention of his party,
of which he said: "The Eastern
States have large representation in
the convention, aud we know the col.
ored delegates can be won over" OF
the probabilities in Congress Mr..
Thurston said: with the narrow
Republican majority in the House
and the moderate views of q good
many Republican Senators, l really
do not look for very much in the way
of financial legislation between now
and the Presidential campaign"
Next to putting it into law, Demo-
Gratis would like to see the Rspubli.
cans put the single gold standard into
their national platform.
Ex-senator Pugh, of Alabama, now
in Washington. doesn't wear any
cushions on his political views, nor
does he believe in trying to win by
pussy.foot methods. He said of the
next candidate and platform of the
Democratic party: az believe that
William ]. Bryan is the wisest and
most reliable Democratic statesmen
living and that he is now better estab-
lished in the confidence of the Ameri-
can people and stronger than he ever
was, and can be elected after he is
nominated, as he will surely be, by
the next Democratics national conven-
ton. As to the Democratic platform,
let it be the Chicago platform, with
additional declarations against the
manifold trusts growing out of the ex-
istence OF the gold standard and pro.
hibitory tariff duties; also in favor OF a
vigorous prosecution of the existing
war in the Philippines, until peace
and order is established and the gov.
erning power OF the United States is
fully recognized; also that peace and
order is to be established, not for terri
torial expansionsor dominion of the
United States, but for the sole pur-
pose OF securing TO the people of those
islands better and more stable govern
ment, with all the rights, liberty and
privileges they show themselves by
trial TO be capable Of exercising and
enjoying in condition OF independent
self-government."
Although the scheme to give this
country a standing army OF 100000
men was defeated in the last Congress,
the idea has not been abandoned by
Mr.. Mckinley. The word has been
passed among the Republican leaders
to try to work up public opinion In
the vicinity of their homes, in favor of
a large standing Amy. go that when
Mr.. Mckinley repeats his recommen-
dalton to Congress for larger stand
ing army it will seem to be backed by
the sentiment of the country. A
large standing army will be as danger
Gus next winter as it was last. and for
that reason will be opposed by the
Democrats. Whenever this govern.
ment has any real need for fighting
men it is easy enough to get as many
volunteers as may be asked for. Con-
sequently there cannot be any good
reason for maintaining a large stand
ing army while there are numerous
reasons-all good-for not placing
such q temptation before an unscrup-
ulous administration.
The presence OF . G. A. r. commit
tee composed Of big guns of the organ.
ization, in Washington, for the pur-
pose of investigating the Pension Of
fee, has naturally been the subject of
much gossip and speculation, as to
whether the committee really intend
ed to investigate or WAS merely en-
gagged in preparing a coat of white
wash to prevent the threatened defec.
ton of G. A. R. men in Kansas, and
other States, because of their dislike to
the way Commissioner Evans has
managed the Office. OF course, every
l.