The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-03-18
KANSAS COALITION.
1t Arouses Interest Among the
~ Statesmen at Washington.
JOINT SILVER DEBATE PROPOSED.

rfessrs. Bartine and Harter May
Meet at Cooper Union, New York.
to Discuss the Relative Merit
of Silver and Anti-Siiver-PeTcr's
--latest Scheme. .".-.5
WASHINGTON, March 1s.-A dispatch
from Kansas announcing a coalition
between the Democrats and the Peoples
party in that state for the election next
fall has excited considerable interest at
the capital. The impression among
great many is that coalition between
the Democrats and the Peoples party in
those states where the Farmers Alliance
movement is strong might have very
important influence upon the presiden-
tial election. This afternoon Represen-
tative Jerry Simpson said that he did
not know whether or not the statements
in the dispatch were true, but if they
were the coalition would not be confined
to Kansas alone, but would extend to
Nebraska, the two Dakotas, Minnesota
and possibly Iowa.
There is some doubt about Iowa, it is
thought, chiefly because the Democrats
fought so strongly there that they might
not want to enter into the combination.
Mr.. Simpson said that he thought the
Peoples party and the Democrats to-
gether could carry Kansas by 60,000
and they could also carry Nebraska, the
two Dakotas and Minnesota. This, he
said, would throw the election of pres
ldent into the house of representatives.
He added that he thought the Demo-
Gratis might lose one or two OF the
southern states.
Silver and Auti-Silycr.
The suggestion, originally made as a
Joke, that Mr.. Harter, of Ohio, and Mr.,
Bland, of Missouri, the leaders in the
two extremes of the silver question,
should be brought together and allowed
TO fight it out has taken a practical
form, organizations in both Philadelphia
and New York having proposed joint
debate between the two gentlemen on
the silver question. Several days ago a
representative of one of the commercial
orgatlons of Philadelphia said to Messrs
Bland and Harter that they proposed
having joint debate with the silver
question as the topic, and asked theia if
they would consent to champion their
respective doctrines.
Mr.. Bland.s health had been very
poor for some time, keeping him away
from the house number of days lately,
and while agreeing with the suggestion
for a Joint debate he asked to be per-
- sonally excused and suggested Represen-
tative Bartine, of Nevada, as a member
well qualified to present the views of
the free coinage men. Mr.. Harter said
he was willing to be one of the debaters
and suggested to Mr.. Bartine that there
be ten men on each side. Mr. Birtine
did not concur with this suggestion,
saying it would not enable any one of
the debaters to do himself justice
Since then labor organization in
New York has written here suggesting
. joint silver debate and proposing
Cooper institute as the place. The pur-
pose was TO have the debate take place
an advance of action on the silver bill by
the house, but Mr.. Bartine said it would
not be convenient for him to leave
Washington until after the special order
of the house for next week is disposed
OF. Accordingly it was proposed that
the debate take place after action in the
house, prior to action in the senate on the
Bland bill. No conclusion has been
reached, but it is quite probable that a
joint debate could be arranged between
the friends and opponents of free coinage.
Peffer's latest Scheme.
Electricity for the farmer is Senator
PETERS latest legislative idea. Yester-
day the Kansan introduced bill which
requires the secretary of agriculture to
establish an electrical experiment sta
tion III which shall be determined tho
question whether electricity can be
profitably used and applied as motive
power in the propulsion of farm ma
chinory. Before the station is estab-
lished somebody has to donate to the
government the use Of the grounds and
buildings which may be necessary.
Without this individual or municipal
generosity there can be no station, and
the secretary of agriculture will have
no opportunity to spend the $4,000 APP
propriated by the bill.