Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-23
The Free Silver Democrats Likely to
Garry the State.
CHICAGO TO Be TIE BATTLE GROUND
Gov. AItgeId Leads tho Fight in
His Home.
w HAT MAY HAPP E N
peciai Dispatch to The Evening Star.

silver men. About the only question is
whether the sound money democrats can
get up a contesting delegation which will
have enough signs of regularity to keep
the silver delegates from taking part in the
organization Of the convention. This ques-
ton will be determined by the outcome Of
the Chicago primaries Monday. and the
county convention the following day.
Plans for split have been perfected.
Eoth factions are fussing over the arrange
ments for the primaries, but the points of
The controversy have no general interest.
Gov, Altgeld's free silver following is in
control of the party machinery and is
Using it. The sound money democrats are
insisting that the action of the silver fac
ton justifies a bolt, but they are half fear
tul that the developments at the polls may
lave the appearance of fairness, and thus
weaken the action they intend to take. The
bolt is to be based on the claim that one
third of the party, meaning the Chicago
democracy. has been denied representa- ton,
and that in order to give representation
rev set of primaries Is necessary. There
fore, it Is proposed to have the sound
money democrats on the state central COM
mittee. who number eight or nine, issue a
call for another state convention. Senator
Palmer has been writing from Washington
Tor weeks. urging that this course be
taken, but it Is only within few days that
the decision has been reached. An organ
ization has been perfected in all the con-
gressional districts of the state. and Frank
lin MacNeagh and Senator Palmer have
been selected as members at large.
II Altgeld Wins.
1t will be seen that no further steps can
be taken until the outcome in Chicago Is
known. If Gov. Altgeld and the free silver
faction should have a streak of unexpected
liberality and let the sound money faction
have nearly everything IT., Chicago, tie
latter would not be in a position to go be
fore the state and demand another con-
rention. The nature of the struggle how
ever, makes 1t improbable that any ma
terial concession will be made. Ex-Mayor
Hopkins, who is directing the sound money
campaign. says that he does not expect
fair primaries because the silver crowd
cannot afford to have a fair expression Of
opinion. The eX-mayor says that the in
terest of Gov. Altgeld's labor following in
Tree silver is exaggerated. and that the
wofkingmen are not going to the primaries
In any considerable number iris year when
these primaries are democratic. He states
with frankness that they are thinking
c hlehy OF the Mckinley tariff. All parties
and all factions in Chicago have a high
regard for Mr.. Hopkins judgment, as he
Is the best organizer IL, the west The
view of the tariff which he takes is shared
by some OF his associates. who de, lare
That the whole issue in Illinois this wear
Is to preserve the integrity of the party
To do that they are ready
TO put independent county and state tick
cts in the field. as well TO send a con-
teStlnS delegation to the national copven-
ton. This shows how deep the dissen-
sions among the Illinois democrats are.
Basis of n Bolt
With the avowed purpose of making the
Chicago primaries the basis of bolt on
the part OF the sound money democrats it
becomes interesting 10 know how far the
sentiment of the party throughout the
state will sustain them. Herein lies their
greatest weakness. No disnterested OBJ
server can tail to note that the masses of
me Illinois democrats are sincerely and
earnestly for free silver. In every county
a few old-line members of the party are
found standing together and protesting
against what they call 1.-The populist folly"
but they are so hopelessy in the minority
that their loneliness makes them almost
pathetic. Free silver among the democrat
Is what Major Mckinley was among the
republicans In both cases there is an ir-
tide which sweens eyervtbino ba
fore it.
The evidence of the feeling is shown in
the county conventions. At this writing
about 400 delegates to the state convention
nave peen chosen. The overwhelming ma
Jorlty OF them have been instructed for
Tree silver. Some of the conventions have
indorsed President Cleveland's administra-
tlon in a general way, others have put in
me quaihcatlon 80 far as it has been
democratic" while most of them have in
dorsed nothing but free silver. A few of
the counties have contests on the part of
the sound money democrats, but thew do
rot count In the landslide to free silver
Controller Eckels, by personal missionary
work, has succeeded in making it unpIeas-
ant for the silver men in his county: vet
there Is hardly the basis for a genuine con-
test In the demonstration made for sound
money.
Illinois for Free Silver
BY the time the Chicago primaries are
held and the sound money democrats know
just where they are ''at" an actual major
ity of the delegates to the state conyen-
ton Will have been chosen outside the
city, and this majority will be a free Sill
yer one. Chicago, or Cook county, has 800
OF the l.o69 delegates. The way the tide
Is running every one Of them could he
given to the gold standard or sound money
democrats and Gov. Altgeld would still
nave safe majority with which to choose
Tree silver democrats and enforce on them
the unit rule However, the governor has
no intention OF permitting sound money
delegation to be sent to the state conven-
ton from Chicago, so that phase CT the
subject may be dismissed
The anti-slver leaders believe that in
: oosng contesting delegation they
would nave an advantage in that most of
the best known members Of the party are
with them. Their choice for delegates-at-
large would probably be- Franklin Mac
Neaga. eN-Mayor Hopkins, Senator Palmer
and possibly Col. ". r. Morrison. Col
Morrisons lack Of sympathy for bolters
might get the better OF his Opposition IN
free silver and his friends here do MOI
think he would care to be identified with
The movement. Nothing is heard from hin,
In the struggle now going on between tba
Two Iact1ons a number of other leading
democrats are also silent but some Of
tnem would ne willing to take the resnon
slbility of going into the national convan
tion as contestants. Ex- Congressman Rep
cable would not mind accepting the honor
though he doesn't like to be yoked with
Senator Palmer. Mr.. Cables place on the
national committee is to be given to Mr.
i homas Gahan. Gov. Ghgeld's lieutenant
In the probable event of the free siIva,
democrats being seated. The governor
himself viii head the regular deIepa tion
Before the talk of bolt by the sorni
money democrats was heard he was will
ing that some of his associates sbonld he
men of more moderate views. reIvinp nn
the unit rule to keep them in line. Nov IL
Is the intention to send none but rocL'
ribbed free silver men. Gov Altreld in
tends to be in the convention for one rea-
son besides his devotion to free silver n.
has heard that Senator David B. Hill ex-
poets to LAY for him." AItgeld is nne-
nacious and obliging. He will be Glad 70
meet Mr.. Hill. Though the New York Sen
ator looks upon him as an anarchist tbe
governor suspects that they hold eor,e
views In common concerning CERTAIN dis