Evening star., 1895-06-11
Free Coinage Men in Alabama Losing
Ground.
REPRESENTATIVE CLARKES VIEWS
The Republican Policy in the
State.
DEMOCRATS WILL UNITE

bile, Ala, has arrived in the city, in order
to accompany his family to some resort for
the summer months. Mr.. Clarke Is a sound
money man. He was seen by a Star re-
porter today, and, referring to Alabama
politics, said:
"If 1t had not been for the silver question
this would be very quiet year politically
in Alabama. The silver people. however,
have succeeded In reaching that state with
their tidal wave, and silver Is receiving a
great deal of attention.
"It seems to me that the silver people
made a mistake in springing upon the
country at SO early day the discussion of
free coinage. The silver campaign has al
ready reached its height and there are now
In Alabama, as believe there are all over
the country, evidences of a reaction. By
next summer, when our conventions will
be held, think this reaction will have been
SO great that the silver people will be seen
to be very weak But, on the other hand.
the silverites could do nothing else They
saw that business was reviving, and that
their only hope for enlisting the interests
Of the people was in beginning their cam
paign during the worst of the hard times
If they had waited until business had re-
vived the public mind would have been in
no condition to have received their argu-
mentS with favor.
Encouraging State Progress.
'It seems to me that as business contin-
ues to improve there will be less and less
chance for a further spread Of Independent
free coinage Of silver doctrines, and. as
have said the reaction has already set in.
While the last year was a hard one In
Alabama in some respects, there were
features OF the states progress that were
very encouraging. To be sure, prices of
commodities were very low and men who
were in Cebt had no opportunity 10 make
headway in paying off their obligations.
But, on the other hand, there has been 10
time in the history of Alabama, surely
no time since the war, when the state came
so near supplying all that she nesded. The
corn, wheat and other crops were good and
ed by the people were never more plentiful.
II feel quite sure that there is no danger
of the silver people in Alabama dominat-
ing the democratic party there. The demo-
Gratis Of Alabama are sound money men,
The popuhsts are not gaining headway nor
are the republicans.
Republican Policy.
IT think it reasonable to expect that the
republican party in Alabama will also fav-
or sound money by indorsing the platform
of the party. This means very little when
the makeup of the republican party in
Alabama Is understood. Not more than
one-tenth of the white people of the state
are republicans, and l could count On the
fingers of my hands the leaders of the
party, who are the only men who shape the
policy of that party in the state. A speak
er addressing a republican assemblage in
Alabama would get the loudest of applause
upon uttering some gold standard senti-
ment, and if he should Immediately there
after make strong silver speech they
would applaud and cheer just as loudly.
In other words, the mass of the republicans
know nothing about such matters, and
they accept as right anything the leaders
may give out.
The leaders of the republicans have but
one object in view. That is to keep the
state organization in condition and to adopt
a policy that will win for them the ap-
proval of a republican President, should he
be elected. In that event they would come
forward ard claim the federal patronage.
That Is the secret of republican party Or
ganization in Alabama.
kolb Losing His influence.
II do not anticipate that kolb will have
great prominence in the future. He has
failed time and time again, and his fol-
lowers are beginning TO lose confidence in
him. 1 anticipate that 1t will not be long
before Kolb loses his influence, and before
the populists follow some other leader in
whom they can have more confidence.
TT is a mistake to believe that when the
election comes around the free silver men
of Alabama who have in the past been
democrats will leave that party in order to
vote for silver in populistic ranks. These
free silver men want more money in cir
culation, and they would like to vote for it,
but when it comes to leaving their party
in order to do so. there is no danger of that.
They will not forsake the longs standing
principles of democracy merely to indorse
free silver. I know a good many in
stances, too, Of populists returning to the
party. They were dissatisfied
with the democrats, but they found that
after entering the ranks of the populsts
they were carried farther and farther from
the old moorings, to which they had been
attached, until they have determined to
again return to the democratic fold.
Democrats VIII Unite.
IT firmly believe that when our next con-
ventions are held the democratic party of
Alabama will be quite well united on the
money question. OF course, it is easy
enough now for the silver men to hold in
dependent conventions but those conven-
tons give voice only to the sentiments of
the silver men. Wait until the democratic
party gets together in convention and then
we will be in position to judge what the
democratic party wants. AS I said, 1 am
sure 1t wants sound money"
AGAINST THE DISTRICT.
DP To