The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-07-04
DEMOCRATS ARE ANXIOUS
They Arc Puzzled by the Perplcxing
Silver Question.
NAY NEED THE POPULISTS' AID
Silver democrats DO Not Seem Incl ined tG
Keep tho Business Within the Party
Lines Many Object 10 Ar.
fiiiating with POpulists.

Washington, July 3.-,Silver Dem
ocrats are divided on the question: OF
the best means to pursue in forward
ing their theories on the financial ques-
tion The point most In dispute Is
whether the silver question should not
be fought out within the ranks Of the
Democracy rather than by joint con-
ventions made up of Democrats and
Populists. Among conservative DEM
ocrats, who favor free coinage. the I'LL
nois convention was far from receiving
their approval. because In its make up
there was too much Populistic element.
When Representative Bryan, Of Ne
braska. circulated his petition for sig
natures of representatives and senators
during the last hours Of congress he
endeavored to impress upon every one
the idea that he was carrying on the
fight strictly within partisan lines. de-
string signatures of Democrats only,
with view to carrying the national
Democratic convention when 1t should
meet for the nomination of national
ticket. Strong party men have favored
this idea. believing that If there Is to be
any combine on the silver question, 1t
should not take place in advance of the
campaign of 1896 But the silver Dem
ocrats have shown little inclination to
stay within party lines. and they have
welcomed Populists whenever they
cared to join them in their meetings for
the advancement of the cause of silver.
Representative Sibley. of pennsylva-
MIA, at the Memphis convention, went
to the extreme of declaring for inde-
pendent action on the silver question,
ard showed as little favor for the DEM
ocratic party as he did for the Republ-
cans. Notwithstanding the efforts
now and then made by Democrats to
carry on fight within their own party,
1t daily becomes more apparent that
silver Democrats care very little about
the party a1filiation Of the people who
Join them.
Democratic or Non. Partisan?
1t has now become n question
whether the silver convention to meet
In this city on Aug. II will be a Dem
ocratic or non-partisan affair." Dem
ocrats that believe In sticking to their
party at all odds and in conceding their
preference for silver If the national
convention shorld declare otherwise.
greatly disapprove of afflliating with
men of all parties. especially the Popu-
lists, in these advance conventions
which are being held to strengthen and
make apparent the resources of the sill
yer people. They argue that the weight
Of these conventions on the national
convention will be lost, because their
declarations cannot be said to have
been purely those of Democrats, and it
Is not likely that a Democratic-Popu-
listie convention can be regarded as an
expression Of Democratic sentiment
when the national convention meets.
In the west this joining OF forces by
Democrats and Populists on the silver
question does not greatly matter, but
in the south 1t becomes a serious ques-
tion. In most of the southern states
where the Populists have gained great
strength they have been in opposition
to the Democrats and have frequently
been Joined by Republicans in their
contests. Southern free silver Demo-
Gratis do not like the idea of coming to
Washington to attend a convention in
which they may find their old enemies
Of the Populist party. who also favor
free coinage.