Evening star., 1895-06-12
POPULISTS MAY GAIN
Many Free Silver Men May Join
Their Ranks.
WHAT IT MEANS TO REPUBLICANS
A Tbree-Comered Fight Would Be
to Their Advantage.
RECENT DEVELOP MENTS

Populists and free silver democrats show
a decided inclination to come together.
When Mr. Taubeneck claimed at the
Springfield silver convention that the Sill
yer democrats of Illinois were stealing
populistic thunder it was pointed out in
The Star that this action might be follow
ed by very important developments. 1t
was an acknowled2 2ment on the part of
the representative of the populists that the
free silver democrats and the populists had
a cause in common. and that so far as
principles were concerned, they had moth
ing to fight about Since that convention
was held there have been Instances of
futtering straws that show the way the
political wind is blowing. Some days ago
a meeting was held at Raleigh, y. c., in
the interest of bimetallism and to select
delegates to the Memphis bimetalic con-
vention On that occasion democrats be-
Teving in free coinage of silver ard pop
uists united which was the first time In
the history of the state that such coali-
tior has been formed. The resolutions
then offered and adopted were drawn by
an ex-chairman of the democratic state
executive committee, and demanded free
and unlimited coinage of silver at ratio OF
16 to 1.
Louisiana Populists.
From New Orleans comes the informa-
ton that while the sound money men are
hoping to check the silver wave. and while
the republican and democratic organiza-
tions are fighting to prevent the free silver
people from controlling them, there is one
party that has declared urequivocally for
free coinage That party Is the populst
organization. The situation in Louisiana
was su,h that the silver people demanded
a declaration in favor of their plan by a
party, and the populists were the only ones
Gov hot rt,ea
result has been that the populists of Lou
isiana have received accessions to their
ranks from the democratic fold
1t will be remembered that in the south
most Of the coalitions on important occa-
sions have been between republicans and
popusts against the democrats. 1t ap-
pears that to some extent the leaders of
the silver movement In Illinois have
brought about a change in this condition
for they have thrown off all allegiance to
the democratic party unless that party
should adopt their free silver ideas.
Silver Men In Doubt.
The most sanguine leaders of the silver
movement look with great doubt on their
ability to control either of the national
conventions. The great power yielded by
the administration and the sound money
democrats have materially changed the
outlook for silver men in that party dur
ing the last two months. In the last Con-
gress it was generally believed that with
out the Influence of the administration the
free silver sentiment could have domi-
mated that body. This fact was recognized
by Mr.. Bryan of Nebraska, and other free
silver men chafe under the necessity of
being defeated when they felt that within
Congress the predo!ninating sentiment was
for the white metal. 1t was thought that
when the silver people of the democratic
party should get before the country they
would have great difficulty in framing
the platform of the democratic party. 1t
was for that purpose that Mr.. Bryan cir
culated his declaration in favor of free
coinage, to which he received several dozen
signatures of members of Congress. This
declaration was for the purpose of show
Ing the strong free silver sentiment of his
party, and it was circulated with view
to dominate the party and prevent a slough
ing off of the silver element into new
party. Since that time there has been a
change in the feeling of the rank and file
of democracy in all cases where the free
silver issue was deemed the one important
question to be considered in the coming
campaign. They have daily become less
and less inclined to think that there could
be harmony within the party on the silver
issue.
In this dilemma there have been many
instances of the silver people turning to
the populists. Notwithstanding that party
might hold various theories that they
would look upon as impracticable In no
other party have they been able to find a
oneness of sentiment on the silver question.
The Republican Platform.
Within the republican ranks there have
been ominous forebodings coming from
western members of the party. No one
who understands the sentiment of the great
body of republicans believes for an instant
that that party will stand on any other
platform than the one adopted in 1892. Yet
Senatcr-elect Carter, chairman of the re-
publican national committee, is still en-
tertaining hopes that the republican party
may nominate a man who at least viii
pledge himself not to veto any silver legis-
lation that may be enacted by Congress.
There are republicans who think that long
before the next national convention is held
the silver republicans of the west not al
lied to their party by unusual ties will be-
come discouraged, and begin to look about
for means of voting within some party
that, If victorious, will unquestionably be
for free coinage of silver at the ratio of 10
to /, without waiting for an agreement
with other nations.
Populists are being encouraged over this
outlook and think that a great deal Of
strength is drifting their way. Should the
popuist party be placed in a position to
play an important part in the next election
there is a general belief that it will call off
nany times much strength from the
democrats it will from the republicans
and that such a three-cornered fight would
result in republican walkover