Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-03
Much Uncertainty as to How the
Three Parties May Divide.
GEN. SHELLEY A SENATE POSSIBILITY
His Sound Money Views Not
Thought to Injure Him.
SILVER LESS ROMINENT

The peculiar and complicated condition
siderable speculation about the distribution
of party honors in that state.
These conditions n ay bring about strange
results. Free silver is Endorsed by large
majority Of the people regardless of party.
The populists at the last election for COVER
Tor made a very hot fight and came near
carrying off the honors This was accom-
plished through the fusion of that party
with the republicans But since the elec-
ton Populist Kolb, the candidate for gov
ernor, has opposed all suggestions of future
coaliticrs between his party and the re-
publicans.
Ges. Shelley n Possibility.
Ir the present condition there is much
uncertainty, as the three parties may be
divided so that the victory will be secured
by fusion of some kind. There Is q great
deal of talk at present about the successor
to Senator Pugh. although the senatorial
conflict will not come off until 1897. In
this state of Alabama politics the friends
of Gen. Charles NJ. Shelley, an auditor OF
the treasury during Mr. Clevelands first
term, are suggesting the name OF their
favorte as the most likely successor OF
Mr. Pugh Gen. Shelley asserts that he Is
out of politics and proposes devoting his
future time to the practice of law, in which
he is now engaged in this city. But his
friends regard him as too devoted fol-
lower Of politics to carry out this program,
and expect to see him back IN Alabama
manipulating affairs in a political world,
in which capacity he is regarded as second
to no other Albanian.
How the Result is to BE Attained.
1t seems strange that Gen. Shelley's
friends should be hopeful of his election to
the Senate in view of the conditions that
would surround his candidacy. Gen. Shell
ley has figured as a sound money bimetal-
list, which is far from popular among the
rank and file Of the democracy Of Alabama.
But the political future which is being
mapped out for Gen. Shelley Is expected to
be realized by a division of the party. 1t is
thought quite likely that the next legis-
lature of Alabama will show but a slim ma
thought to have the best show. but 1t
would not be strange If the members of the
legislature were so divided between the
democrats. republicans and populists that
no one party could dictate senatorial
preference
1t is on this contingency that Gen. Shell
leys friends are calculating, in order to
carry out their plans. They say that no
man in Alabama is more popular with the
republicans than is Gen. Shelley. notwith-
standing the fact that he has always been
an ardent democrat and has been the GEN.
trail figure of many a political fight that
has resulted disastrously to the republic
cans. His strength lies in his personal fol-
lowing, and counts among his friends
many of the leading republicans of the
state. 1t is thought that it will not be diff
cult for Gen. Shelley to receive the united
support of the democracy of Alabama, as
well as of the republicans of the legislature
Silver Becoming Less Prominent.
So far as Gen. Sheley's views on the sill
Yer question are concerned, it Is not
thought that his sound money principles
will injure his candidacy The free silver
movement in Alabama is becoming less and
less prominent in its most radical features.
and conservative men are inclined to be-
lieve that the revival of good times will in
fuence the people there in favor of a mid
die course in the use of the white metal as
money. The election of the legislature being
so far in the future, it is thought that sill
yer will have been fought over and prac.i-
cally disposed of by the time that 1t will be
necessary for the legislatu re to choose an
other United States Senator. 1t is likely
that Gen. Shelley would be opposed most
violently by the populists. but it should be
remembered that the populists showed
their great strength in the last election
publicans, the leaders of the latter party
having advised the negroes of the state to
vote the populist ticket and in that way
immensely increasing the populist strength
Now the populists themselves have pro-
nounced against any further alliance with
the republicans and the ill-feelng which
this course has engendered Is likely to pre-
vent republicans again making any alliance
with the democrats. The republicans will
be in a minority, and II they are to cut any
figure in state politics 1t will be through CO.
alition. The democrats realize this. and
already have begun throwing friendly sug-
gestions to the men who opposed them
when Gov Oates was elected.