The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-09-14
AT THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
sEyAr0R JONES' FLOP AND WIT
 HE DID TT. .a.r

The Talk of the week-its Eneet on "s
 popuIist Party -senator fiatfs Ni1w o'
 inc T.rifr Biii-Trsassrer Morgan's he'
 turn. co ..,
 From our Washington correspondentl
 washington, Sept. iis.-The action oi Senator John P. Jones of Nevada, In deserting the republican ranks and talk ing up with the populistie element, has been the talk of the week here. sena' tor Jones has been considered for years one of the ablest men on the republi- can side of the senate chamber. and he has been a moving spirit in the coun- cils of the party. He is regarded as the best posted man in the country on the silver question, and his fealty to the republican party has never been doubted. In a stirring letter Senator Jones sets forth his reasons for resign ing, and states that 1t is based entirely on the silver question. and that In his opinion the only hope for silver lies in the populist party. and that nothing can be expected from either the repup- lican or democratic party. In every thing else Senator Jones says he is still a republican.
 While the reasons given by Senator Jones are very plausible. well known poIiticians here smile and shake their heads, and are able to give several reasons which seem plausible to them and which are not set forth by Senator Jones.
 Said a republican of national prom thence to me yesterday: The real cause of Senator Jones' flop has not yet been explained to the public, and the true explanation I think to be this: Senator Jones as you know will De con- fronted two years hence by a very 1or- midable opponent when he comes up for reelection to the senate, Tn the person of Congressman Newlands, the millionaire son-in-law of ex-Senator Sharon. MT. Newlands wants to be senator, and at the time of Jones' flop, Newlands was closer in line for the sen- atorship than Jones, as will explain. On a distinctive silver party platform Newlands was elected to congress re- ceiving 7,171 votes, against 2,295 for the straight republican and 345 for the democratic party, clearly showing that he is the strongest man in the state and a populist. What was there left for Senator Jones to do then, but to desert the ranks of the minority and get into the populist party as soon as possible, where he might be on an equal footing with Senator Stewart and his rival Newlands, and be reelected as he could not be if he remained in the republican files.
 Another story concerning his flop and which is rapidly gaining favor here, Is that he has gone into the new party to urge its influence, to promote the alleged presidential aspirations of Sen- ator Don Cameron of Pennsylvania.
 What the effect of Senator Jones' flop will have on the republican and populist parties is hard to foresee, and the prophets in this direction are as numerous as policemen after a fight is over.
 All, however, acknowledge that the accession of Senator Jones to the ranks of the populists will place a dangerous weapon in their hands. .,E-t.
 Senator Jones is acknowledged to be the peer on the silver question: and his leadership will give it a power it kould never otherwise acquire, and supply it with arguments it could never before command. Evidently the silver question must be decided upon some basis satisfactory to the country, in order that it may cease to be dis turbing element of finance, and should this not be done in the near future it may be that the new party under such able leadership as Senator Jones ob- tain the balance of power, by bringing into the fold the other silver senators.
 If Senator Jones should succeed in making a new silver party and bring in the populists, there is no doubt but what the insane ideas at present urged by the populists will be wiped out, and the new party proceed upon the basis of effecting a financial reform solely, and by this means attract to their side a class of voters who would not join the populists of to-day, but who would go in for change in the financial system.
  paign committee is doing a good deal of hard work during this hot weather encouraged as they are by the results ! of the elections in Vermont and Oregon | and the heavy republican gains in those l states. Upon these gains the commit l tee form the basis of an estimate which, if consistently maintained in | subsequent elections, holds out bright l promises to the party. The republi- l cans, needing only to make an average gain of six per cent. to carry the next | house, which Is explained in this way: | Over 100 democrats were elected to the 1 house on majorities of less than 300, | while some had less than 100, but 800 ! Is taken to form an average. If in a | district where there are 25,000 voters, for instance, the majority of the demo- cratic representatives was 800, the re- publicans would have to gain but two | per cent. to eliminate the majority. From rough calculations already made 1t IS estimated, therefore, that a gen. eral gain of six per cent. would carry the house.
 The same feeling of success this fall permeates the democratic committee and all the people at the committee rooms are doing little talking but great deal of work.
 Senator Faulkner is said to be in favor of an aggressive campaign, and as chairman of the committee will have considerable to say in the matter
 The Post in page of interviews l