The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-02-27

Congressman Working Up a Plan
to Unite the Silver Forces
AGAINST THE SINGLE STANDARD.

They May Issue an Address to Democrats
Warning Them Against the Election of
Gold Men as Delegates TO the Next Ma
tional Convention of the Party.
WASHINGTON, Feb 27.-Routine matters
on the floor Of the house are overshadowed
In interest by the initiation of a brisk
movement to secure a majority of the
Democratic membership in favor of a
financial policy having the free coinage of
silver for its keynote. For some time there
has been a discussion carried on by the
free silver leaders of the party over the
practicability of a plan to unite their
forces and to crystalline their ideas into
some sort of a platform or declaration.
The net result Of these deliberations
has been the draft of declaration ad-
dressed ITO the Democrats Of the United
States" and outlining a financial policy
for the Democratic party. This paper has
been circulated on the Democratic side of
the house. and is being vigorously dis
Cussed, with the object Of obtaining the
consensus Of opinion of silver Democrats
upon it's expressions,
The chief instlgators of the movement
are Messrs. Bland of Missouri, Bryan of
Nebraska, Sibley of Pennsylvania and
Coffeen of Wyoming. Their paper is at
present but a tentative expression, they
say and not yet in form for publication,
since none of it's details has been defln-
itely agreed upon. In substance it states
the financial policy Of the party to be for
the free coinage of gold and silver on
terms Of equality, at the ratio of 16 to l.
for the issue of all paper money by the
government without the intervention Of
banks, and opposition to any issue of in
terest bearing bonds without the author
ity Of a special act of congress
Attention is called to movement said
to be under way through the efforts of the
opponents of free silver in the party to Sc
cure the election of gold men as delegates
to party conventions, and particularly to
the next national cOnv sntiOn for the nom
ination of a single gold standard man for
the presidency. Democrats are urged to
oppose the movement and to see to it that
none but free silver men are elected to po-
sitions of influence in the party and to
represent them in all conventions.
If the support of a majority of the party
in congress can be pledged to a financial
platform it is intended to issue the mani
festo to the Democrats of the United States
within a few days. At present the decla-
ration ia in but n formative stare. Mr.
Bryan says, and it is intended to secure
the views of members and make such
changes in it as the majority of them may
dictate There is n nossihilitv that tbev
NAV NOT he able to agree upon anv form of
address bacansa considernbIe diversity of
oninion has developed anon tbe details of
tbe statements
But few eastern members have been ap-
nroacbed and fine Populists are entirely
ignored with the exnectation that they
will come into the Democratic marty if IT
declares for free silver How far tbis can
vass has been insnired nv tbe meeting of
the evecutive committed of tbe bimetalIic
Ienyue if is impossible to saw. for. while
tbe prime movers saw that their plan is
entirely indenendent of the leapue. if is
noticed that thew are men who have been
admitted to the councils of that bodv dur
| inr, its session