Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-07-23
THE OUTLOOK.
Every Probability of a Bolt Among
the Populists.
TIE GOSSIP ABOUT The CONVENTION

~ PLATFORM Iet Ueciueu OpO"-h" Ono'
- Senator Psifer--N Missouri Delegation
Against -Brsidenthsl's victo-
ry-Direct Legislative League.
81. LOUIS, July es.-The populist
snd silver conventions convened TO-
day, the former in the hall In which
the republican national convention
was held Eve weeks ago, and the lat
ter In Music hail. where Grover Cleve-
land was renominated in 1883 Inter-
ct In the silver convention has been
eclipsed by the bitter struggle among
the populists over the question OF
nominating or indorsing Bryan. The
programme Of the silve convention 10
cut and dried. There is no division OF
sentiment. Congressman Francis New
lands, OF Nevada. will he temporary
ehairman and William P. St. John, the
New York banker, permanent chair.
man. They will deliver their speeches,
. platform OF single plank Ia favor
Of the free coinage OF silver at sixteen
TO one will be adopted, Bryan and
Hewall will be Endorsed and the con.
yention will adjourn.
The populists, on the other hand, are
rent and torn by internal dissensions,
and the contendinr factions will
plunge Immediately into fierce and
determined fight which may be pro-
longed for four or five days, and which,
from present indications, will proba.
bly, result In u bolt, no matter which
fsction prevails The Bryan men still
appear to be In control, and the lead.
err are very confident that they are In
the majority. Practically all the
trained and experienced generals are
aligned with them; they have the ad.
vico and counsel Of Senator Jones and
the shrewd democratic managers who
are vigilantly watching every point In
tho battle, and able allies in the re-
publican silver boilers and the dele.
gates to the silver convention. They
have q very thorough organization for
systematic and effective work. Yes.
terdsy they were reinforced by the ar.
rival Of Bryan populist shouters from
Nebraska, headed by Gov. Holcomb;
$50 energetic populst workers from
Kansas, and many other parts Of the
west
The National Reform Press associa-
ton Is backing the middle-of-the-road
delegates with oil the power 1t pos
sesses Cyclone" Davis has prepared
. resolution, which he said he would
offer. declaring that In order to defeat
Mckinley and the gold standard the
populisls should agree upon common
electors Paul vandervoort, Of Ne
brasks, aud Eugene v. Debs are about
the only names canvassed since Con.
gresham Towne, OF Minnesota, arrived
and announced himself for Bryan. AL
though Bryan managers seem conf
Ident OF success, they are by no means
out Of the woods. The compromise
propositions pressed upon them are the
principal source Of their anxiety
Senator Marion Butler, of North
Carolina, Is essaying the role Of COM
promiser All his energies are bent in
that direction He believes that both
factions could be harmonized and the
integrity of the popullstic organiza.
ton preserved by the adoption of
populst platform, a division Of electors
In certain states and the nomination
of Bryan for president and a southern
populst for vice president. lie claims
that at n meeting OF representatives
Of all the southern states yesterday
there was unanimous agreement upon
this compromise and that II will have
behind ii ass votes from the south.
The Bryan men assert that this Is
utterly impracticable, and the demo-
cratic managers refuse to listen to any
proposition involving the withdrawal
Of Sewall The latter say they are
firmly convinced that three-quarters Of
the pouulists of the nnrsh and west
aud many in the south will vote the
Chicago ticket on the issue presented,
no matter what this convention does.
Altogether, sizing the situation up, 1t
seems reasonably certain that Bryan
will be Endorsed. Beyond that moth
ing can be safely predicted.
A resolution will be introduced in
the convention to make the field daisy
the emblem OF the popullst party.
The meeting Of the national commit.
tee yesterday selected Senator Butler,
OF North Carolina, for temporary
chairman He was put forward as a
compromise aud will be accepted by
the Bryan people, but there is vague
talk that he will be opposed by the
middle-of-the-road delegates
NO PLATFORM AS YET.
ST. LOUIS, July 80. While there are
many platforms floating around there
appears to be comparatively little crys-
utilization of ideas 1t is generally
conceded, however, that the lines Of
the Omaha platform will be closely
followed; that the money, transporta-
ton and bond questions will receive
their chief attention. The convention
will demand that the government shall
control railroads, that silver shall be
coined free and in quantities limited
only by the supply, that the govern
ment shall issue sufficient supply of
paper money to supply the demands Of
business, and that the national banks
shall be abolished, tits believed that