Omaha daily bee., 1895-06-25
HOT FIGHT IN KENTUCKY
Democratic Party Badly Cut Up Over tho
Question ofFinance.
HARDIN LEADS FOR THE Gov;RNoRsHlP
Both Cold and silver Men Claim to Have a
Majority of the Delegates to the
State Convention Which VIII
Assemble Tomorrow.

the hottest contests in the history of the
commonwealth. Many delegates were here
over Sunday. All are here today for the pre-
liminary skirmlsh in the district meetings.
The polling Of all the Louisville papers shows
the gold delegates to be in a majority. The
silver men dispute their estimate and charge
that the Louisville papers claim most Of the
unnstructed delegates when those delegates
are equally divided. The lines are drawn on
the endorsement of the administration, with
Carlsle's friends leading for the administra-
tion and Blackburn's friends against its finan-
cial policy.
General Cassius NJ Clay is the admlnistra-
tion candidate for governor and General p.
w. Hardin is the anti administration candi-
date. The silver men will try to force noml
nations before the adoption of a platform.
The gold men are bitterly opposed to this
order Of business, they claim that Hardin
is stronger than the free silverites. Hardin
is pronounced free silver coinage man, as
much so as senator Blackburn, and if nomi
mated wants free silver plank.
The first test of strength will come tomor-
row on selection of a temporary chairman,
who has the appointment Of two members at
large on all the committees. There are eleven
congressional districts. 1t is estimated that
the gold men will have six and the silver men
five on the committee on resolutions from the
districts, but If tho silver men secure the tenn
porary organization the platform makers will
stand to 6. This is the fight that is being
made today.
POLL ON THE GOVERNORSHIP.
The Post which strongly supports the ad-
ministration's financial policy, today has
full poll of the delegates, showing 435 for
Hardin, 37S for Clay and IS doubtful The
Post says: There are S7S delegates, 44O
necessary to a choice and the poll indicates
that Hardin lacks only five votes. The
Hardin men say that they have the five votes.
This is not by any means certain. General
Gordo Williams was defeated sixteen years
ago by James b. McCreary when within five
votes Of the nomination"
Governor Buckner publishes a card today
saying that he will not accept the nomina-
tion for governor and insists that the sound
money democrats must select some other
man if they cannot nominate General Clay.
General Buckner says he is candidate for
senator on a sound money platform and will
have nothing else.
The all absorbing topic is the reso-
luton on the silver question. The com
mittee on resolutions will consist of one
member from each of the eleven congress
sional districts and two members at largs
appointed by the chairman Of the convention.
For this reason there is more contest than
ever for the temporary organization.
Carlise's private secretary and appoint
| ment clerk are here, and they were followed
| by ex-Congressman Phil B. Thompson, who is
enthusiastic for Senator Blackburn for chair
man of the committee on resolutions. Aside
| from the silver issue, there is a bitter fight
| between the friends of Secretary Carlisle and
Senator Blackburn, in which Senator Lind
| say, Ex-Governor Buckner, McCreary and
| other leaders are with Carlisle, while Gov
ernor Brown, Ex-Governor Proctor Knott and
| others.are with Blackburn.
There is an almost endless list of candi-
| dates for minor state offices and they have
| had their headquarters open several days, as
early birds In the early skirmishing the
| gold men claimed to have a majority of the
| delegates, but the arrival of Senator Black
| burn has inspired the silver men so that
| they are equally confident
! There are so many uninstructed delegates
| that it will be impossible to estimate the
strength Of the gold and silver men before
| the temporary organization is made and
| then it will be seen whether the resolutions
| are to be for free coinage or against 1t. The
| temporary organization will also indicate
| whether either Clay or Hardin controls the
| convention. The members of the committees
! will be selected at the delegation meeting
| Tuesday, 10 a. m, and reported to the con-
| ventton at p. m. All the delegates eX-
pected by this evening, when each one will
| be seen as to his preferences for members Of
| the committees, as well as for candidates.
| There is no doubt about the contest being
very vigorous. 1t is already warm
| CANDIDATES FOR CHAIRMAN.
Tonight the Sound money delegates an
| nounce ex-Congressman w. ]. Stone as their
candidate for temporary chairman. Judge
| Beckner is Blackburn's man. At the Win
| chester convention last week he opposed the
| endorsement Of Cleveland and Carlisle. They
will make test on the vote between Beck
ner and Stone, the latter being popular
| with some silverites and Hardin men. Mean
while the conservatives want both Beckner
| and Stone to promise to appoint one silver
| man and one gold man as members -at-large
of the committee on resolutions, and in fact
| to divide equally the members -at-large Of
| all the committees. Senator Blackburn who
| has more at stake at this convention than
| any of the state candidates, and more even
| than Secretary Carlisle, was disposed to
| cOncede to the conservative plan of an equal
| division of the members-at-large on each
| Of the committees, but the radical silver
| men opposed 1t, and a meeting of the silver
| men was accordingly called for II o'clock
| tonight. The silver men may be in confer
| ence all night preparatory to the fight, which
| begins in the congressional district meetings
| in the morning.
Tonight the contest between the admins
| tration delegates has been more bitter than
ever. The fight is for the temporary or
ganiZation with a view to securing the chair
man, two members-at-large of the committee
| on resolutions and controlling the rules end
| order of business, so that nominations shall
| be made before the platform is adopted AS
| General Hardin claims enough votes 10
nominate him, the 'honest money" delegates
| want the platform adopted first.
| General Hardin is reported to have said
| he would insist on a free silver platform,
and when seen he declined to deny it, His
| friends claim that he could not run on a
Carlisle or administration platform after the
canvass he has made with Blackburn and
| others on the free coinage issue. There is a
conservative element wanting the convention
to affirm the national platform Of 1892 and go
no further on the financial question but the
silverites say that would imply an endorse
ment of the administration.
Senator Blackburn favored the reaffirming
of the platform Of 1892. with an additional
| affirmation that the pledges OF 1892 have
not been fulfilled by President Cleveland and
| Secretary Carlisle. The conservatives argue
that II General Hardin is nominated and so
| controls the convention as to prevent the re-
| affirming Of the national declarations Of 1892
that the state ticket and platform would be
outside the party and that there might be
some justification in the threatened bolt of
the ultra gold men.
The state committee does not name the
temporary chairman Of this convention in
advance Mr., Carroll OF the state committee
holds the gayel until the convention elects
It's temporary chairman, and the first thing
in order is the selection Of temporary Off