Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-04
Supreme Court Justice and Univer-
sity Regents to Be Chosen.
POPULIST CONVENTION ON WEDNESDAY
Date of the Democratic Meeting
Not Selected.
REP UBIICAN WALK W A Y
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.

Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich, February A.
The populist state convention to nominate
candidates for justice Of the supreme court
end two regents of the state university
will be held Wednesday at Greenville, the
home of DR.. A. w. Nichols, who headed
the populist state ticket last fall as candi-
date for governor. The populist leaders
are holding out hopes Of large and en-
thusiastic attendance, and have advertised
James B. Weaver as a special attraction,
but 1t Is not at all probable that there will
be much of turnout. The party Is in
some disrepute in Michigan, and the small
showing made in the election in the face Of
the extravagant claims, combined with GER
tain shady transactions on the part Of a
few of those who were supposed to be at
the head of the movement, has had a ten
dency to ALLEVIATE the rank and file of the
party. The populists made the most en-
ergetic canvass in the history Of the party
last fall, and all the conditions were ia
vorable for a big vote, yet they polled only
about 21,OO0.
At the convention Wednesday the middle
of the road element will be there. insisting
as usual, that straight populist nominal
tons be made or none at all; but in all
prODa Dill the expectancy contingent Will
be out in greater force and endeaVor to
put through nominations which the dem
ocrats will indorse.
But it is pretty certain that the demo-
Gratis will do no indorsing this year. Inc
democratic managers want the populistS
to go 1t alone-in fact, will insist upon 1t.
This policy will be taken in view OF the
campaign next year. If the populists We're
admitted into fusion arrangement this
year their organization would be kept up,
and there would be no way Of telling eX-
actly how strong the party really was
This would be the source of much trouble
and possible anxiety next year, whereas
by letting the populiStS go 1t alone, there
will be SHOW down" on election day,
which will go far toward putting the pop
ulists on the shelf forever. At least that
Is the way the shrewd democratic man
ayers figure it.
Democrats Delaying.
The democratic convention has not been
called yet, though the central committee
will meet next Thursday to decide on a
day, and the party managers seem to be
delaying the call Just as late as possible
The hope that some order will be brought
out of the affairs at Washington is I'M
doubtedly one reason for the delay. An
other reason is the certainty that the con-
yantion will be heated affair. The state
organization at the present time is in the
hands of Don NJ. Dickinson. The chairman
of the state central committee is Mr.. DICK
inson's partner, and n large majority or
the committee will do as Mr.. DICKINSON di-
reefs. But the friends of MIR. Dickinson DO
not constitute the entire democratic party
in Michigan. There is a strong and lnllu-
entail element which favors free silver
Among the silver advocates may De men
toned Congressman j. r. Whiting, Con-
gresham George T. Richardson. spencer
o. Fisher, George 2. Hummer, G. P Black.
O'Bren ]. Atkinson and Others equally
prominent in the ranks of the democracy
This element will insist upon having a
plank in the platform favoring free silver
in terms which none can misunderstood.
Such a resolution would not pc very
warm Endorsement of the administration
financial policy, and, If 1T Is adopted, IT
will be only after a hard and bitter fight.
No candidates for any of the offices on
the democratic ticket have been mentioned,
as it is conceded that the republicans will
have a walk-away. 1t is probable that
John ". McGrath of Detroit. the retiring
justice. will he renominated. If he declines
the honor almost anybody who wants 1t
can have it for the asking.
The Republicans.
The republican convention will be held at
Detroit February 81, the day preceding the
annual banquet of the Michigan Club. In
the republican convention there will be no
scarcity of candidates for the supreme
court nomination. A seat on the bench is
one of the most desirable places in the
gift, of Michigan people. The election is
for ten years, with salary of $1,000
year.
There are about a dozen candidates in
the field for the place, among the most
prominent being Judge Moore of Lapeer,
Judge Van Zile of Detroit and Judge Hatch
of Bay City. The multiplicity of can,li-
dates for the judicial nomination will be
the only serious problem before the con-
vention.
Gov. Rich has called a special election in
the third congressional district to- elect a
successor to Mr. Burrows, promoted by the
present Legislature to a seat in the Senate.
The election will be held April l, the same
day as the judicial election. The district is
strongly republican,, even under the most
adverse circumstances. and there is
swarm Of candidates for the seat. Secre-
tary of State Washington Gardner seems
to be the most likely candidate. His cleo
ton would create vacancy in the state
house, which Gov. Rich would fill by ap-
pontment.