The Portland daily press., 1895-07-02
THEIR LAST STAND.
The Coming Conference in Washing-
ton Of the Free Silver Democrats.

Danger in the Program-Governor Alt
geld and Senator TilIman are Dreaded
So are the Populists.
The free silver Democrats will probably
make their last stand this year at the
meeting, that has been called for this city
in August Every effort is being put
forth to secure large and distinguished
attendance. The assurance is given that
nothing beyond an exchange of views is
contemplated. Nobody is to be committed
by the proceedings further than the ex-
preston of his opinions may commit him.
The meeting is to be conference and
nothing more.
This step was decided upon only after
careful survey of the whole field. The
record up to date was discouraigng for a
further continuation of the fight by states.
AS against the sound money winning
in Kentucky, with Blackburn beaten; in
Ohio, with Brice on top; in Missouri and
Indiana, with the declared sentiment in
opposition to the holding of regular party
conventions to consider the question, the
free silver men had only to offer the one
winning in Illinois, which, with it's
Altgeld flavor, was scarcely to be consid-
cred winning at ALL Something must
be done. And, therefore, as between a
proposition to let the whole matter go
over until next year, and proposition to
make one more effort to stem the rising
sound money tide, and this time by
means of national conference held at the
national capital, the latter was agreed to.
and the call issued.
The move, though informal is expected
to impress the country. The effect sought
to be produced attaches to the courage of
boarding the lion in his den The silver
Democrats will meet right in the shadow,
as it were, of the White House itself. Mr..
Cleveland, it is true, will not be at shome
at the time, but that, in the language of
the orator on the minstrel stage will be
neither here nor there. The silver men
of the party will have their say within
hearing distance of both the White House
and the Treasury Department., and will
throw down their gage within easy reach
of the administration leaders
But there is danger in the program for
the silver men themselves, and the more
conservative of their number realize it,
The case being desperate, and the rally
the final one of the year, the extremists
will all respond and there will be a proba-
bility of their capturing the conference
and imparting to it the tone and color of
their own views. The two men most
dreaded are Gov. Altgeld and Senator
Til1man. Both are for free coinage but
along with their criticism of the admins
tration on the money issue goes a torrent
of abuse on other scores. Gov. Altgeld
denounces the President for his action in
the matter of the Chicago riot last year,
and Senator Tillman invariably regales
his audiences with vigorously emphasized
charges that Wall street owns everything
and everybody outside of the silver camp
This sort of thing is regarded by CON
servative men as being bad enough in
dulged in at distance, but if it should
characterize the silver meeting here the
effect would be disastrous to all those
even remotely associated with it.
How shall this danger be avoided? The
invitation is general The extremists
seem to be especially relied upon. If any
thing is to be done for silver this year now
will be the time If this meeting fails of
results then nothing will remain but to
wait until next year and either bolt for
a new party or surrender to the inevitable
Another source of danger will be the
presence in town of the populist and the
Sibleyite leaders. They are not invited,
but they'll be here all the same. When
ever two or three are gathered together in
the name OF silver there they are certain
to be also. Mr.. Stewart, Gen. Warner,
even Mr.. Sibley himself will be close at
hand with encouragement and sugges-
tions. And this will have a bad effect in
certain quarters. Mr.. Stewards appear
ance on the stump in kentucky cost Mr..
Blackburn, in whose interests he was
speaking, many votes. The blue grass
Democrats were utterly unable to assimi-
late even oldtime doctrine from a popu-
listic source. Washington Star.