Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-25
SILVER IN MICH GAN
The Campaign in That State in Danger Of
Collapse.
No Funds to Carry 1t ON and No Good
Speakers Obtafnable-SOund Money
Democrats Organize.


| Inc silver campaign III XhlCHl6du IL III
imminent danger of collapse. Things
will be kept going until Bryan makes his
visit to the state early in October, and
| then unles prospects brighten materially
| there is liable to be a smash. The CHIEF
trouble Is a lack of funds and with 1t Is a
! lack of harmony and discouraging reports
| from quarters where the silver cause was
| thought TO be strong.
Early in the season, when the sound
money democrats announced themselves
! opposed to the Chicago platform and ticket
| and declared they would not vote it. the
silver managers were inclined to be face
! tious. and alluded to the boilers as 1.-The
generals" and were confident that the rank
| and file could march on to certain victory
! without them But they have since dis
| covered and the fact has been growing
painfully more apparent every day, that
the deserving generals took all the sup
Plies with them. and that the rank and
| file bad been left even before the cam
paign opened with scarcely biscuit in
| sight.
| the cheerful contributions to democratic
campaign funds in the past were found
among the generals and appeals to them
for funds were in vain. The few excep-
ticns have borne the big end of the cam
| paign expenses thus far, but there is
| limit to their contributing capacity, and
the limit will soon be reached with ex-
Lerses averaging $500 or $1,000 day. The
| candidates OIL the state tiCke. cannot be
! asses sed for any substantial amount, for
none of them are financially able to stand 4
heavy draft. Numerous small conIribu-
tions of from 80 cents to $40 have been
received from silver enthusiasts, but the
total would hardly keep the wheels creased
single day.
In Ionia county, and also in some other
parts of the state efforts have been made
! to interest the farmers to the extent of
| contributing vegetables and produce to be
| sold for the campaigns benefit, but the
| farmers have not taken hold of the idea
! with any degree of eagerness. Not only
are the campaign managers short of funds,
| but they have no credit, either at the bank
| or with supply agencies. and everything
| furnished in the way of printing. hall hire
| and other incidentals must he paid for on
delivery or personally guaranteed by par
| ties whom the commercial agencies report
responsible.
| Took the Ablest Speakers.
Tie generals" besides taking away the
supplies, deprived the silver cause of the
ablest democratic speakers in the state.
Men like Rowland Connor of Saginaw. Don
NJ. Dickinson of Detroit. r. A. MOntCom-
cry Of Lansing, Judge Pailthorp of Petros-
key, n. l.. Heating of Muskegon, Clarence
Bennett and Thomas A Wilson of Jack
son. John S. Lawrence. John E. Moore and
w. W. Hyde of this city, who have stumped
counties and districts in the cause of dem
ocracy. not in it this year-or rather.
they are in it, but for the gold standard
ard not for the silver democracy. The sill
"A.
Baker. Tim Tarsney. Chairman Elliott G.
Stevenson ard very few others. besides
the state and compression al candidates. but
volunteer speakers of h gh quality and real
ability are scarce. and in many quarters
are entirely unobtainable.
The populiSt speakers are most numerous,
hut few Of them sre t1lkins for health. and
will stop talking when the funds cease to
flow their way.
The lack of funds is producing discord in
the rank and file. The populist leaders are
I ~ n tnv out f,e no 1;rx-,
ard are accordingly unhappy. The free
, silver organization Is conducting its own
!, campaign entirely Independent of the pop
ulists and democrats, and is doing 1t on
a bedrock financial basis. No central Or
, gs nization has get been effected, and in
; the different talities every mar is hts
discipline and organization. The silver
campaign may be kept going until the mid
, Gle of October. but unless there shall be a
very radical in provement in the situation
, 1, can hardly last that long.
DiscouraEing Reports Coming In.
: The reports discouraging to the silver
cause are coming from all parts of the
state and from the country we'll as from
cities In the central and northern coun-
ties, where the silver sentiment was strong
three or four months ago, the farmers have
been changing horses with startling rapid
! ity. Among the factory hands in this city,
and presumably In other towns in the state,
. there has been q similar change, and the
change Is going on with increased rapidity.
j No formal canvass has yet been made by
counties or districts. but polls taken under
Yearly every possible circumstance invarf-
ably show the sound money theories far in
the lead.
These polls have been taken at county
and district fairs. farmers picnics, old SOL
diers' reunions and at other popular as
semhlies; on railroad trains. at country toll
gates, and even In churches, and almost
L without exception the Bryan votes are way
behind. Township canvasses have been
made in different parts of the state, with
the same results. In the southern tier of
but the republican managers are pouring in
n literature and sending speakers, and the
tide is turning in the other direction.
Sound Money Democrats.
S The sound money democrats have Or
l eanized clubs in Saginaw, Bay City, Jack
l., son, Burton Harbor, Ionia, Lansing and
9 Kalamazoo. and are pushing organiza tons
n into as many other towns and counties as
l they can find sympathizers. Detroit has
not yet organized, but a call mas been issued
q for meeting, and a strong club Is assured.
+ $. l.. Smith of Detroit will make sound
= money democratic speech in Lansing this
O week, and will speak in other parts Of the
= state later.
Rowland Conner Of Saginaw will stumr
I the eighth district. and will visit Other
Q parts of the state as well. Other speakers
a | will be out just as soon as the time Is ripe
!, for them. Either sound money demo
Gratis, or as non-partisan, several college
O | professors have volunteered their services
! from the State University. Albion College
+ the State Agricultural College and Ypsil
| anti and they will be factor in the cam.
8 paign not often to be counted on by eithel
= | side.
a The Methodist conferences in session Al
Il Flint and Lansing show that the Methodist
d pastors of the state are almost unanimous
;. ly for sound money anti Mckinley, anG
p they will exercise their influence for thu
k sound money cause. The Catholic priest!
d are as unanimous the Methodists an(
: Very Rev. Father O'Brien has given tn,
reasons for his faith. In other denomina
e tions the sound money doctrine is largel,
l. In the majority.
l. Fusion In Utah.
- The Independent republican state con.
20 vention met in Salt Lake. Utah, yesterday
er with c. Z. Allen as permanent chairman
ID The resolutions declare for Bryan and fret
e silver. Lafayette Holbrook Of Provo wa.
d nominated for Representative in Congress
2 The following were named presidential
= | electors: r. c. Iund. democrat: / i DAILY