Evening star., 1895-06-18
De MOCRATS EASY
Uncertain What the Cubs of Their PARTY
Will Do About Silver.
Watching the Republican Clubs at
Cleveland With Great Anxiety "A
Special Stumping Tour Arranged.

Sound money democrats will watch the
proceedings of the National League of Re
publican Clubs at Cleveland this week with
quite as much anxiety as will the sound
money republicans. There is national as
sociation of democratic clubs, and the
fear is that the possibilities developed at
the republican meeting may act as an in
centive to such agtators as may seek to
serve the silver cause through the agency
of the democratic organization.
The West Prominent Figure.
And here, again, the west cuts promi-
nent figure. The club movement among the
democrats has found its most energetic
expression in the newer states. In the
south there was little need for such work
The south has been soldly democratic for
years on presidential issues, without the
beating of a drum or the expenditure of
dollar. She has been accustomed to collect
her campaign funds to assist the party in
other sections. The west has had the beue-
mt OF the greater share of the money. 1t
was recognized that the party there had
an uphill task and was entitled to all the
assistance that could be rendered. The
democratic clubs in the west grew and were
encouraged and played "a notable part in
the campaigns of both 1890 and 1892. Spe-
cial trains bearing prominent eastern speak
ers were run through all of the western
states, and monster meetings held in the
interest of tariff reform.
Appeal of the Administration.
But another issue IS presented now The
democrats of the west are asked to go
with the democrats of the east on the
money question, and to put the party or
ganization there in lire with the admin
istration's policy. The appeal is of course
largely to the clubs, which are represented
still to be in a fourishing condition. What
the prevailing sentiment of their section
and declare for silver? VIII they refuse
the administrations hand? VIII they pro-
claim, as the western republican clubs are
threatening to do at Cleveland, that silver
must be recognized or trouble in the party
will follow?
Taking Time by the ForelOcIS.
The democratic managers, instructed by
the embarrassments of the republicans,
are taking time by the foreock They will
endeavor to reach and influence their west
ern clubs before any national meeting can
be held, and with this end in view are
preparing another special stumping tour of
the west. The ablest sound money speak
ers within reach are to be sent on the
journey, and instructed to present the mat
ter in it's most effective form. The neces-
sity of party union is to be the keynote of
every deliverance, and the clubs are to be
requested either to leave the whole finan-
cial question to the party to deal with in
national convention, or else, taking it up,
to handle 1t with due regard to existing
party divisions, and so as not to add
either to their present number or difficulty
This tour will shortly begin, and promises
to contribute a notable chapter to the his
tory of the western agitation of the silver
question.
Uneasiness Exists.
Fortunately for the democratic party and
for the cause of sound money, this demo-
cratic club work has been largely shaped
by Gov. Chauncey Black of Pennsylvania
and Gov. Flower of New York, both advo-
Gates of sound money, and both experienced
politicians. Both are expected, too, to ex-
ert themselves as much now as they did
two and four years ago, and to bring all
possible pressure to bear to prevent the sill
Yer champions from using the western
clubs as clubs of wood for mauling the ma
tional administration. But, notwithstand-
ing this, genuine uneasiness exists. Both
parties in the west are crying silver at the
top of their voices, and each is watching
the other closely. If the republican meet
ing at Cleveland, therefore, can be forced
to take up silver, it will be urged that the
democratic clubs ought to be brought to-
gether for the same purpose.