Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-08
TO CAPTURE A PARTY
How Free Silver Men May Dominate
the Democracy.
IMPORT OF The ILLINOIS CONVENTION
A Movement That May Spread to
Other States.
TRYING TO TURN THE TIDE

The action of the democratic state COM
mittee of Illinois in calling a coinage con-
vention for June has caused a great fiut-
ter among administration democrats. 1t Is
even limited that the most interesting SUBJ
ject at a recent gathering of cabinet Off
GERS was this extraordinary call. There
Is no doubt of a general belief among the
friends Of the President that If the result
of the coming convention should be a decla-
ration for unlimited silver coinage at
ratio Of sixteen to one 1t would mean a
serious split In the party. There are a
large number of Illinois democrats who
could not stand upon a free coinage plat
form, and many of them are now con-
nected with the democratic administration
in Washington, and not few in Illinois.
1t Is not only what Illinois may do, but
the fear that the example of Illinois may
spread to other states, Missouri, Iowa, Kan
sas, Nebraska and the silver states in the
west, and probably nearly all Of the south
ern states, where the sentiment for free
coinage Is very strong, and possibly to
OHIO and Indiana. In fact, the action of
the Illinois committee is thought to be of
the widest significance Of any political
move since the Presidential election.
There Is apparently little hope among
the men opposed to free coinage that, with
in the two months between now and the
time of holding the convention, 1t will be
possible to overcome the free silver sent-
ment that pervades the democracy in I'LL
nois. The silver forces of Illinois are well
organized. Silver literature has been wide
ly circulated in the state and furnished the
corner grocery politician with plenty of
phrases and arguments with which to con-
vince his listeners.
Apathy of the Opposition.
Opposed to the silver men there is gen.
eral apathy. Every time a silver man has
advanced an argument in favor of the
white metal to an administration democrat.
or to man opposed to free coinage. the
reply of the latter has been. well. per-
haps you are right, these matters will adj
just themselves in time or, there Will be
time enough to consider these matters dur
ing the next campaign" No effort has been
until 1t was found that it had reached
enormous proportions. Then the anti-silver
men woke up. The first move was sending
the delegation to Washington to invite
President Cleveland to go to Chicago and
make a sound money address. The desire
of that committee and the men behind 1t.
it is stated, was to head off the silver men
If possible and to start the ball rolling the
other way: to get up counter movement
to the free coinage sentiment that has
been sweeping over the state.
1t is now felt to be too late to do very
much effective work. though from this time
Will be made to overcome the silver senti-
ment and defeat the purposes for which
the convention was called. But so strong
has the silver movement become that
there is little hope of doing this, and con-
sequertly there is great trouble in the anti
silver camp.
Eject on Presidential Candidates.
ut will probably prevent democratic
candidate for the presidency being taken
from Illinois, said one of the leaders of
that state. I'VE would have a very diff
cult time nominating man who was COM
mitted to free coinage by the party of our
state, and a much more difficult task in
electing him. This brings on the question
of the effect 1t will have on Illinois presi-
Dental candidates, and especially upon
Col. VIM. r. Morrison, whose friends have
been working to secure solid Illinois del
egation for him in the next convention.
Mr.. Morrison has not expressed his opinion
on the silver question for many years, but
his friends have always believed he has
been against free coinage under present
conditions. Vice President Stevenson has
not expressed himself on the subject, and
a great mary men profess to believe that
he is a silver man, or at least his views
are such that he would sign any kind
of a silver bill that might be presented to
him If he were President. 1t is possible
that the calling of the convention is a
movement in his behalf, in the hope of
making him the candidate of the silver
democracy of Illinois. Friends OF Col. Nor
rison say that he would go with the de-
mocracy of his state, and If that organiza-
ton should declare for free silver he would
accept it as instructions to him, and if the
candidate of the national democracy, the
platform of the party would be his guide.
A Possible Democratic Bolt.
But it is not believed that men that have
heretofore been outspoken against the free
coinage of silver, and have supported the
policy of the President at every step, will
accept platform made by the silver men.
1t is believed by many leading democrats
that in case the movement spreads to other
states and has strength enough to carry
the next convention there will be a con-
siderable bolt from the democratic party,
and either separate ticket nominated
the republican candidate openly supported
if the republicans should not be led into
making any mistake in their money plank.
of the Silver Movement.
Already speculation has been rife on the
possibilities of the silver movement, carried
cut the Illinois plan. The states, with
their representation in the national conven-
ton, where it is claimed that free silver can
be carried in the democratic party, are as
follows:
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Georgia OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. %
1ddho Observation-Disclosures.
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