Evening star., 1896-07-03
TALK OF TELLER
UldGrcurrGlt at Chicago Sets
Strongly Toward Him.
REASONS URGED AGAINST HIM
His Not Being a Democrat the
Biggest Objection.
ADVISES THE SUPPORT OF THENOMINEE
Prospect of Trouble Over the
Temporary Chairman.
ADVISES THE SUPPORT OF THENQEINEE
AWAITING THE EASTERN MEN

| Special From a STAFF Correspondent.
CHICAGO, July 3.-The undercurrent is
driving strongly toward the nomination OF
Teller. The surface indications do not
show much for him. That is to be expect
| ed; for he is not situated as the avowed
candidates ere, where he can be sur
| rounded by a force of supporters. The only
men who can support him openly and at
cnce are those who like himself, are as
1 vet outside the democratic organization.
| The support he gets from democrats cannot
be by first intention. Every democrat who
abuses his nomination must first have an
| excuse for turning to a man not in the
| party az against old party leaders. 1t
must be forced upon them by consfdera-
| tions OF expedlency. not as a matter OF
| personal choice. The excuse is being fur
nished by the peculiar situation. and by
| the developments of the contest.
The opportunity for democrats to go TO
him is developing. At present he has no
open democratic support, but there is more
real sincere feeling in his favor among the
strong leaders of the party than there is
for any one of the regular democratic can
| Gidates. Men who think II wisdom TO NOM
inate him do not yet see their way clear to
openly advocate his nomination, but as
far as possible things are quietly being
| shaped TO that end, and events are tending
that way.
1t does not necessarily follow that the
plans will succeed but the drift is favor
able and the progress made thus far is
very gratifying to his friends. If he were
| democrat with the feeling In his favor
| as strong as 1t is his nomination would
b.
Unusual Situation.
The situation is extraordinary. and there
fore solution cannot be reached by the
ordinary methods of reasoning. Though
Bland is in the lead, the nomination of
Teller is far from unlikely. 1t looks as if
the contest would settle down to a question
of choice between these two men. and such
situation is favorable to Tellers nomi-
nation Any estimate of the situation at
this time must be made by q study of the
plans and purposes of the leaders. The
delegates are not here. Their arrival may
put things in different aspect II every
delegate now here was for one man. il would
| give him but a small following A great
many more will have TO be Oh the ground
before anything can be predicted with rea-
scnable certainty.
The present signs. judged in the ordinary
Teller will be the. nominee.
On the surface, a more chaotic condition
| Of affairs. as relates to candidates, could
hardly exist. No man has or even claims
enough votes assured TO warrant confidence
OF his success. 1t is generally conceded
that Bland can now count more supporters
| than can, with any authority, be claimed
| by any other candidate. But the great mass
OF delegates, like the principal leaders. are
yet free to make their choice They are
holding OF with the purpose of satisfying
themselves what man will stand the best
chance, after he is nominated of being
eiecteo. Ihey are simply great mass of
detached atoms, whrling around like a
thick dust, ciouding the atmosphere. with
no certainty where they will settle Nav
down i'll the center there is a littl. whirlinp
mass toward which the atoms are slowly
and irreguiarly moving A center is very
indistinctly forming.
Gold Men for Bland
Many things confirm the theory that the
gold men, after failing TO nominate a COM
promise or coiorless candidate intend TO do
what they can TO throw the nomination tn
Bland, whether with good Judgment or moi,
| 1hey nave concluded that the Missouriap
would be a weak candidate and their in
| tention is to defeat the party at tbe nolIs 20
they can. They know now that they cam
not prevent this convention from going the
| whole length on silver, and they are there
lore, actually organizing to defeat the ticket
"hen nominated, on the theory that its sue
cess would be disastrous TO the country.
| Ihey VIII not be content 10 remain pas
si'e during the campaign, but intend TO be
active and aggressive from the mon.nr
the ticket is put in the field. They intend
| TO organize a gold league in every one of
| the doubtful states with the avowed pur-
pose of alternating gold democrats from the
| party and 10 do what missionary work
lnay be done to draw away those men who
are in doubt on the question
| The Work for Gold.
Here in Illinois, though the fight for dele
| gates is now over, the gold committee has
! been enlarged, not with the view of in
| fuencing this convention, but to DO work
| in the state to prevent its being carried for
| silver. Senator Palmer and lot of other
big gold democrats the committee.
Similar work is expected to he done in
| every doubtful state. 1t is not believed that
| they intend to nominate a gold democratic
| candidate, ard they may conclude that it
| is not necessary for them to leave the
| convention.
The reasons for not putting up an inde-
| Iendent candidate are two: they do not
want to draw a single gold vote from Nc
Kinley and they think they car do more ef-
| fective work against silver if they simply
| fight for their principle. Their idea seems
/ to be not to attack the democratic party d.
! o city, but while processing allegiance 10
| that party, to attack silver in the abstract
as if free coinage were not made article
of the party faith.