The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-07
ONE QUESTION, SILVER.
SO Says Ex-senator Martin of
Kansas About the Coming
Campaign.
SOUTH AND WEST TO UNITE.
The Choice of a President VIII
Probably Go to the
House..

John Martin of Topeka, who has been
for many years an interesting figure in
Kansas politics, arrived in this City yester-
day. Mr.. Martin is the only Democrat
who has represented Kansas in the United
States Senate and was elected in 1888 to
serve out the unexpired term caused by
the death of Senator Plumb. His term ex-
pired on the 4th of last March. Senator
Martin has come out here in the interest
of the Hudson Reservoir and Canal Com
pany of Arizona, of which he is president,
and of the Central Arizona Railway. 81
am here" he said, "to get the railway
built and to get established that greatest
enterprise of the age-the Hudson Reser-
voir and Canal Company. The enterprise
is well under way and on solid founda-
ton"
The Senator speaks in no uncertain way
on the silver question. Asked yesterday
what part silver would play in the next
National campaign he said: "There can
not be the slightest doubt about silver
being the Leading question in the next
question of importance? The tariff is out
OF the way. If the Republicans get con-
troll of the next administration there may
be a little revision of the tariff, but moth
ing essential. They can t fight a campaign
on the foreign policy. That is question
that could not become of importance
except in time of war. Having these
questions out of the way and having no
local issues that can divide the parties.
there is no question left except the silver
question"
What do you expect the National con-
ventions to do with the subject" was
asked.
The Republican party will do as it
always has done, adopt a platform which
can be read both ways and nominate a man
to fit it." replied the Senator. IN the
Democratic convention they are going to
have row. The party is now practically,
in regard to the silver question, Just in the
position it was in 1850 in regard to slavery,
Two-thirds of the members of the conven-
tion or more will be comprised of silver
men, and it will adopt a platform in favor
of 16 to l and viii nominate a man in
sympathies with that platform"
/ mot Mr.. Cleyeland?' was asked.
"No, not Mr.. Cleveland. But l don't
blame Cleveland and have never joined in
this hue and cry against him. He has been
preaching. He never was silver man."
Suppose. Senator, that neither of the
two old parties adopt strong silver plat
| forms?" was suggested.
1.-The chances are that the Republicans
will elect the President. But in this way:
A third party will carry enough States TO
prevent an election in the electoral college
and so throw the choice of President into
the House OF Representatives.
The present political organizations are
! illogical and unnatural. Neither party
| represents anything more than its name.
/ Go East, and any man you will find, Re-
publican or Democrat, represents the same
thing on this question of gold and silver.
/ While the Democrats OF the East pretend
to be great tariff reformers, they are really
for incidental protection. The Repubh-
cans in the New England and Middle
States are for high protection, but outside
of these States and West they are only for
incidental protection. Then the Demo-
Gratis of the West and South do not agree
with their Eastern brethren, but are the
( genuine tariff reformers. In the West and
South the Democrats are nearly a unit as
lar as the financial and tariff questions are
concerned, and the Republicans are practi-
| cally with them. 1t is the East against the
West and South.
eff the Democratic party should meet and
nominate a single-standard man l should
not support him, and yet have been radi-
cal and extreme Democrat all nv life. In
that case if the Republicans should nomi-
nate Teller of Colorado or Don Cameron of
Pennsylvania on a fairly reasonable plat
form would support them. | am for sill
yer first, last and all the time.
"In case the Democrats and Republicans
both adopt platforms and make nomina-
tons in favor of gold there will be some
sort of independent movement-some-
thing like this Sibley movement-for sill