The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-02-27
SILVERTTES AT WORK.
Congressman Working Up a Plan
to Unite the Silver Forces
AGAINST TIE SINGLE STANDARD.


They May Issue an Address to Democrats
Warming Them Against the Election of
Gold Men as Delegates to the Next Ma.
tional Convention of the Plrty.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.-Routine matters
on the floor of the house are overshadowcd
In interest by the initiation OF brisk
movement to secure q 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 discussion carried on by the
free silver leaders of the party over the
practicability of plan to unite their
forces and to crystalline their ideas into
some sort of q platform or declaration.
The net result of these deliberations
mas been the draft of a declaration adj
dressed To tho Democrats OF the United
states, and outlining a financial policy
Tor 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 its expressions.
The chief instlgators of the movement
arc Messrs. Bland of Missouri Bryan of
Nebraska, Sibley of Pennsylvania and
Coneen OF wyoming. Their paper is at
present but tentative expression, they
say, and not yet in form for publication,
since none of its 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 IS to l,
Tor 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 special act of congress.
Attention is called to movement said
TO DC under way through the efforts of tho
opponents of free silver in the party to So
cure the election Of gold men as delegates
TO party conventions, and particularly to
the next national cow ntion 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 no.
sltions OF influence in the party and to
represent them in all conventions.
III the support of "a ma ority of the party
In congress can BIO pledged to financial
platform it is intended to issue the mani.
iesto TO the Democrats of the United States
within few days. AT present the decla-
ration is in but formative stage. Mr..
Bryan says, and it is intended to secure
the views of members and make such
changes in 1t as the majority of them may
dictate There Is possibility that they
may not be able to agree upon any form Of
address, because considerable diversity Of
opinion has developed apon the details Of
the statement.
But few eastern members have been ap-
preached, and the Populists are entirely
ignored, with the expectation that thew
Will come into the Democratic party if it
declares for free silver. How far this can
yass has been inspired by the meeting Of
the executive committee of the bimetallio |
league 1t Is impossible to say, for, while
the prime movers say that their plan is
entirely independent of the league, it ia
noticed that they are men who have been |
to the councils of that body dur
ing its session.
Representative Davis, of Kansas, who Ia
a prominent Populist, says that the moro
conservative third party man could accept
o platform for national currency of gold,
silver and greenbacks, with the single ad-
titional plank of government control Of
public works
Most of the Democrats who have been
presented with the first draft of tho man
Ifesto are more or less reluctant to discuss
the movement, because secrecy has been
snJoined upon them until definite agree
ment shall have been cemented
MIR. Bryan also made an incomplete can
Vass of the silver Democrats in tho senate.
He did not present any prepared DECLARE
lion, such as he thought it would DO wise
% make, but merely submitted to them
he question of the edvisability of such u
movement and suggested among other
Kings that joint meeting of the silver
Democrats in the two houses be held be-
ore adjournment for the consideration of
he matter. 1t is understood that while
many of the Democratic senator's expressed
mt est in the question, and stated that it
truck them favorably upon first thought,
hey should prefer to have time to think it
'ver In all It's bearings before finally com.
hitting themselves to the project