The herald., 1896-09-02
THE DEMOCRATS
Gathering NumerousIy at
Indianapolis
F0RTY-0NE STATES REPRESENTED
Mostly by Men Who Once Held
Office
ALL VERY MUCH IN EARNEST
But None Certain Of Jusa What He
Wants
The Presidential Booms All Seem to Die
ALL VERY MUCH IN EARNEST
But None Certain Of Jusl What He
Wants
The Presidential Booms All Seem to Die
Abornin'
Florlda's Suggestion Of Cleveland Was
Promptly Sat Upon and the Watterson
Bubble Has Burst-A Host
of Possibilities
Associated Press spec,al Wire


ator John NJ. Palmer of Illinois, chair
man of the provisional committee ap-
pointed at Chicago five weeks ago, will
call the convention of gold Democrats
to order at noon tomorrow in Tomlinson
hall. All the Indications are that the
gathering will exceed expectations both
in point Of numbers and states repre-
scented. From the lists in the hands of
Secretary Wilson tonight, 1t is certain
that over 800 delegates will be present.
representing forty-one or forty-two
states and territories. Considering to-
fact that the original call for the meet
ing of representatives. of ten middle
western states was only issued July 20,
the managers feel that they have reason
to feel proud of the result Of their work.
All day long the delegates have been
arriving by every train, and the hotel
corridors are becoming choked. But
there is noticeable lack of brass bands
and shouting for candidates. The Flor
ida delegation, bearing aloft a banner
of President Cleveland, was escorted to
the hotel by band Of music, and a
marching club from Alabama came
stepping along to the stirring strains Of
martial music, but these were the only
bands on the streets today. The dele
gates are coming quietly, many of the
delegations being accompanied by
prominent Democrats from their states.
They are very much in earnest and say
they need no blaring of trumpets to
feed their enthusiasm.
In personnel they are confident that
the delegates will take rank with any
who have ever held seats in a conven-
tion. Conspicuous in the convention to-
morrow will be ex-governors, ex-sen-
ators, ,ex-congressmen and others whom
the Democrats have honored highly in
the past. Not a few of them sat in the
Chicago convention which nominated
Bryan.
The delegates have sat about in
groups all day discussing the political
situation. the availability Of candidates,
the platform to be adopted, the advisa-
bility of making this organization per-
manent and other kindred questions,
but little of definite character has
characterized their movements.
The suggestion of Watterson for pres
ident, which seemed to have been high
ly satisfactory yesterday seems to have
gained no ground today. The Kentucky
delegation is pledged to Buckner for
vice-president, and the sentiment seems
to be drifting back to the original tick
ct suggested at Chicago-Bragg and
Buckner.
The Florida delegation today shook
hands across the continent with far off
Washington in the person of Hugh WAL
lace, who last night launched the Cleve-
land boom. The presidene'S friends in
the intervening states set their faces
strongly against all such suggestions.
Other names put forward are Secretary
Morton. Secretary Carlisle, Gen. John
G. Black Of Illinois, Senator Villas, Sem
ator Palmer and ex-Congressman Outh-
waite. and there is some talk of Senator
Gray Of Delaware, despite his firm re-
fusal.
General Tracy of New York, the Dele
ware delegation and Controller Eckels
and others cling to the suggestion of
Villas, but the Wisconsin senator insists
that the Badger state is for Bragg and
that he does not aspire to the nominal
tion. The Illinois delegates say that the
nomination of General Black would in
terfere with their local canvass, as they
have nominated General Black for gov
ernor. d. W. Lawler of Minnesota is
Tor Secretary Carlisle. The Kentuckian's
name is received with favor but there is
an undercurrent of opinion that the
nomination of anyone connected with
the administration would be unwise.
The eastern delegates, as a rule, are
taking no hand in the selection of candi-
dates They say they are willing to let
the prevailing sentiment in the central.
middle, western and northern states.
which are the main battle grounds, gov
ern in this matter.
Aside from the general question as to
how far the platform should go beyond
a remuneration of the Chicago platform
and a strong financial declaration, a con-
test is likely to be precipitated over the
question Of incorporating in it an en-
dorsement of the principle of an income
tax and a declaration in favor of the re-
tirement of the greenbacks, coupled with
the establishment OF new federal bank
ing system. Today there has been con-
siderable discussion as to the form of the
financial declaration, the divergence of
opinion being, as to whether the plank
should declare for the gold standard
with or without declaration for the BIZ
metallic standard by international agree
ment. The money planks of most of the
gold Democratic conventions are closely