Evening star., 1895-10-28
TELLER AND VEST
The Deliverances of Two Prominent
Silver Men.
NO SOUTH AND WEST ALLIANCE
The South Will Cling to the
Democratic Party.
AN IAIPOTENT THIRD PARTY
NO SOUTH AND WEST ALLIANCE
AN IA1POTENT THIRD PARTY

Two very recent deliverances-one from a
republican, the other from a democratic
source-are attracting attention in political
circles, and are thought to point to a deli
mite conclusion about one important feature
of the next presidential campaign. Senator
Teller has spoken in the one case. and Sem
ator Vest in the other. Both are extreme
and aggressive silver men, and both have
been counted in that program which has
been held out as the only possible hope OF
the full triumph Of the silver cause.
Dream of the Free Coinage Men.
The dream of the advanced free coinage
advocates has been the establishment of a
union between the south and west, with
the rehabilitation of silver the one object
in view. Some very prominent men have
not only urged that but have worked for
it, and have thought that they saw the
cause making progress. Here and there
has been break from one and then the
other of the old parties, and these have
been hailed as signs of the desired new
times and new political order of things.
The prediction has followed that by next
year these seceders from the old parties
would become SO numerous that stampede
to the new alignment would set in and
sweep everything before it.
The South the Weak Spot.
The south, from the first, has been the
weak spot in this calculation. Her devo-
tion to silver seemed to be as ardent as that
of the west. but it could be seen that when
the finish came she could not and would
not abandon everything else and strike
hands with the west for silver alone. The
west has no race problem. She has only
the money problem, and, what makes that
of even more than the ordinary conse-
hCr hA all nff fh., iIx-ay.
mines. In a very definite sense therefore,
she has two strings to her silver bow. The
south has race problem on her hands-in
an advanced stage of settlement, it is true
but still in a condition fraught with mo-
ment to her. and calling for sEeat care on
her part in all of her political movements
All of benefit that has been done has been
done in the name Of the democratic party,
and that is still the party with which her
leaders feel that they are safest in con-
jGring. They hesitate to leave it on any
account and cast their fortunes with a
new combination under new name.
Two Delivcrances.
This difference in the conditions of the
two sections has just been illustrated by
Messrs. Teller and Vest. The Colorado
Senator, in an authorized interview. de-
clares that rather than support a republi-
can candidate for President on geld
standard platform he would resign his Of
Hlce ara retlre 10 private life. IhfS is ex
plicit. and shows the great length he is
willing to go in silver's interests. Greater
love hath nc silverite than this. that lie
give up his political life for the cause.
But such is not the measure of Mr.. Vests
devotion. In his latest speech to Mis-
souri, audience he pledged himself anew to
silver. brought forward all of his old ar
guments in favor of free coinage and roast
ed Wall street in the most approved STYLE
but at the close he stated that he was first
OF all democrat, and that If his party
next year in national convention should
write gold standard platform and put its
candidates on 1t he would feel obliged TO
support the ticket.
South VIII Stay Democratic.
That these two men are entitled to speak
for their respective sections is not doubted,
ana that the views of Mr.. Vest arc the
views also of men like Morgan of Alabama,
Jones Of Arkansas, Harris of Tennessee
and George of Mississippi equally with
himself advocates of free coinage. is re-
gsrced as being beyond question. 1t seems
to be the safest of assumptions, therefore,
that next years battle will be fought as the
last presidential battle was, between the
two old parties, upon platforms construct
ed to meet the existing emergencies of
every kind, and with the third party, what
ever it's cry may be, an impotent spectator
of the proceedings. The south loves silver
but she loves old party traditions and white
supremacy more, and until she feels that
she can get them all through one ard the
same agency there will be small room to
expect her to break away from the demo-
cratic party.