Evening star., 1895-07-11
UNCERTAINTY AS TO ISSUES
Sound Money Democrats May Support the
Republican Candidate
In Case the silver Men Dominate the
DcmOcracy-NO Independent
Candidate.

There appears to be as much uncertainty
about the issues Of the next presidential
campaign as there is concerning the cand-
dates. There are a number of things to
disturb the Single ISSUE theory. The
Sound money democrats are arguing that
if they capture the democratic party or
ganization and raise the standard of sound
money at their national convention all the
failures in the administration of affairs
during the past two years will be forgiven,
while the restoration of prosperity will
wipe away the memory of the hard times.
Case-seasoned politicians see in this hope
but visionary gleam. They foresee that
If the democratic convention puts up a
Sound money candidate that issue will
be disposed Of as between the two old par
ties, and the reasons presented for making
choice between them will be drawn from
their past records and their known atti-
tude as to questions other than money.
Republican, Waiting.
1t is recognized by the experienced poll
ticians that silence on the part of the re-
publcans as to the revenue question, the
administration Of the Treasury Depart
ment and Mr.. CIeveland's foreign policy
will be observed only pending the settle
rent of the question Of which faction of
the democracy is going to write the creed
for '9G. If the supremacy of the admins
tration~ is established its record will make
the issue, and the republicans will proba-
bly, not be reluctant to let the fight come
on that, and the silver issue will be fought
out with another party yet to be formed.
The only way the single silver issue can
be made Is by the domination Of the silver
men in the democratic convention and an
open rupture, with the entire separation OF
the administration faction from the organ
ization. 1t is probable that in such an
event tho f-r
In body to the support of the sound
money candidate of the. republicans rather
than put candidate In the field them
selves. There has been some specula tion
on this point.
No Bolt by Sound Money Men.
1t has generally gone on, the assumption
that If the Cleveland people failed to con-
troll the convention they would nominate a
man with their own votes and thus two
sets Of candidates would come out of the
divided convention. This does not agree
with their plans. 1t is safe to state that
the administration democrats will not dc
anything to divide the '.sound'' money
vote II they cannot control the democratic
convention. While not admitting that there
Is any probability of their being outvoted
in the convention, they recognize the un-
certainty, Of the situation well enough to
consider their course in such an event, and
It is understood among the leaders that
of everything. and that there shall not be
two sound" money candidates In the field
except by regular party termination. The
control Of the democratic convention by
the silver men will mean the transfer OF
the Cleveland support to the republican can
didate. il pledged to antagoniZe silver
Under these circumstances the money ques-
tion would be the only ONE at Issue, but 1t
is recognized that under any other It will
be impossible to ignore other questions.
What SfIrop Mar,
The ultra silver men who want an inde-
pendent party are having trouble over this
very point. Those whose wisdom warns
them that they must avoid all other ques-
tions If they are to get together, the men
. who agree on silver are confronted all the
while by the disposition in various quarters
to unite other pet propositions with this one
of common agreement. This, more than
anything else. perhaps, emharrasses their
accomplishing an effective organization.