Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-22
Silver Democrats Have Hopes Of
Stevenson and Morrison.
EVENTS REGARDED As SIGNIFICANT
Senator Palmer Boldly Denounces
the Free Coinage Movement.
WHAT GOV. ALTGELD SAYS
snecial From a STAFF CORRESPONDENT.

| subject of considerable speculation at this
| time among the democrats of the state.
| It Is Mr.. Adlai Il. Stevenson, the Vice
| President of the United States, and the
secret hope of many a western democrat
whose thoughts wander to the next presi-
Dental convention. Any pleasant afternoon
| Mr. Stevenson's tail form may be seen
striding up and down the leaf-covered
| walks of Bloomington, his head bowed in
| thought, his hands crossed behind his back.
While no one has been able to get word
| out of Mr.. Stevenson upon the question
| which is agitating the democrats of ILL
| nois to the center, the free silver men are
not worrying about him, for the reason
that they believe their views will domi-
nate and that soon as this is demon
strated Mr.. Stevenson will come out and
| declare himself. Mr.. Thomas ]. Bum, enc
| Of Mr.. Stevensons closest henchmeu, and
man who, In some respects, Is regarded
| as reflective Of the Vice Presidents views,
few days ago came out boldly for free
silver. At this the knowing ones looked
wise and regarded it as a straw in the vice
presidential wind.
Bloomington is enthusiastically for free
| silver at 16 to /, and the sentiment is
growing daily in strength. The county
| will send fourteen delegates, and it is
thought they will be unanimous for silver.
William II. Morrison.
| now in Illinois who has become something
of all enigma to the general public, al
| though the inside politicians claim to I'M
derstand him and his plans. This is Mr..
William r. Morrison, also a presidential
possibility under certain circumstances.
When Mr.. Morrison left Washington a
Few weeks ago for Illinois it was the gen.
eral impression that he would take occa-
sion to endeavor to modify the free silver
stampede.
There are some reports, however, that
Mr.. Morrison, since he got around among
the people, while not coming out boldly has
| been casting an anchor to windward with
| the silver people by criticising the Presi-
| dents bond issues, his gold standard talk
| and the general financial policy of the ad-
ministration. 1t is reported he has been
| shaking his head and saying the President
| has gone a little too far with his gold ideas
| Granting the reports to be true. even Mr..
Morrison's critics are not prepared to say
| he Is going to desert sound money prin-
| ciples or to do more than try to carry an
even keel in the choppy sea of Illinois
politics for time at least.
Bonsts of Silver Men.
1t is openly declared that neither Mr..
Morrison. Mr. Stevenson, or, in sact any
other democrat will have influence enough
to prevent the convention of June 5 from
liking the ratio at 10 to l. 1t is realized
that strong effort will be made by the
little group of sound money delegates to
me convention to do this, but their effort
Is already discounted. It is the wish of
the radicals. Mr.. Altgeld and Mr. Hinrich-
sen, that the convention shall not stop
snort of a bold and outright, independent,
unlimited free coinage declaration, ratio
ana all, and this program will be carried
out to the letter, it is thought.
The sound money men have been droD-
ping few hints of warning to the free
SILVER advocates about the danger of the
present hasty movement resulting in a
lint Iar1
be no split, because the free silver men
will represent 95 per cent of the demo-
cratic vote of Illinois
Senator PaIIner's Bold Stand.
The course of Senator Palmer is in mark
ed contrast with that of his two fellow
democrats just as soon as the Altgeld
people raised their free silver flag Senator
Palmer opened fire with full vigor. Ever
since. when a stray free coinage scout
| takes shot at Senator Palmer he has
received a volley in return. The result has
been that the free silver people have mark
ed him with gold bug tag and set him
aside with Cleveland and the others for
slaughter.
The result of this free coinage conven-
ton will be very disastrous to the demo-
cratic party of Illinois, said Senator
Palmer to the writer today. with the
aid of what was really minority of the
state central committee they have given
their movement the Endorsement of the
L
convention Will declare for the free and
unlimited coinage of silver at 10 to 1, and
then they will claim it as the verdict of
the democracy Of Illinois. OF course, after
that there will be nothing left for us but
to try to scrape together the remains of
the old organization next year. 1 am very
much afraid, however, that the democracy
of this state will be put into eclipse.
L expect to see the republicans arouse
the people on the foreign policy. They
VIII nave the annexation of Hawaii, prob
ably of Cuba. and they will divert the at
tention Of the people on those issues, so
that their followers will lose sight of the
other things, and will surely not straggle
off after silver idols in the democratic
party"
How Gov. AltgcId Puts 1t.
The writer called on Governor Altgeld at
the state house.
This silver movement was not a sudden
thing" said Governor Altgeld, when he
was asked to give The Star a brief state
ment Of the reason for calling the con-
vention. ut was the spontaneous upris-
ing of the people against great wrong
and in behalf of their own interests They
have come to the conclusion that there
will never be a permanent change for the
better in the business affairs of this coun-
try until they have greater volume Of
purchasing power, and the only way to get
that is to restore silver to use as money
metal upon a basis with gold. They have
decided to take matters in their own hands
anu uOt permit THEIR interests TO De put
off upon one excuse and another, deferred
to the interests of another class.
There has been some complaint by dem
ocrats who were not consulted in the move
ment as to the calling of the convention
at this time, but it was the action of the
state central committee, the body author
lied to do SO. and it has received the
commentator of the people. The conven-
ton will declare for the free and unlimited
coinage of silver and in doing so will voice
the sentiments of the democrats of Illi-
noiS."
do you think this action will make a
split in your party?" he was asked.
Not at ALL for there will not be enough
democrats in the state of Illinois oppos-
ing silver to make a corporal's guard.
Who will there be TO split? 1t will not make
any trouble, and those people who may be
hating and hesitating now will come with
the party when it takes its stand"
Governor Altgeld's estimate of the
strength of the opposition is at variance
with figures obtained from the other side.
According to the statement made by the
president of the Honest Money League of
Chicago to the writer few days ago there
are 5000 enrolled democratic members of
the Honest Money League in Chicago, and
he ic bo 1oao will h,