The herald., 1896-06-17
THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION

The Republican national convention
Of 1896 has been born, and within very
few days the people of the United States
will know the names of the men who will
contest with the nominees of the Dem
ocratic party for the first aud second
official stations Of the land. The signs
point to Mckinley for first place. but
they may be wrong; they have been so
on similar occasions. The probabilities
of Mr. McKinley's selection are, how
ever, greater than ever before, now
that, as evidenced In the speech of the
temporary chairman, Fairbanks an
avowed disciple of the tariff builders.
the convention is to take positive po-
stion in favor of the present monetary
standard. 1t is plain that Platt and the
other eastern leaders have won their
contention regarding the money plank,
and that therefore the candidates. of
Morton, Quay. Reed and Allison will not
be pushed beyond the nominating speech
stage, il, indeed. as far as that. The Nc
Kinley band wagon has been "held up"
with satisfactory results to those do
ing the holding up.
1t is probable that this convention will
accomplish with more than usual ex-
pedition its tasks, and be at the same
time an eventful one for the party Its
foreshadowed attitude on the money
issue will be responsible for the most
serious bolt In the history OF the Repub-
lican organization. That Senator Teller
and the group Of western Republicans he
leads will secede upon the adoption of
Gno oJ In
expressed in the speech of the temporary
chairman hardly admits of question.
and the effects of that secession Will be
far reaching. The example thus set UP
will be emulated outside the boundaries
of the states represented by the bolting
delegates. In every state of the union
where the feeling for free silver coinage
possesses the Republican party the ac-
ton of the seeding delegates will re-
ceive the hearty approval OF large
number, If not a majority, of the voters
OF the party. If the withdrawal of Teller
and his associates be made with the dra-
matte force predicted it will kindls the
flames that will burn throughout the
region west Of the Allegheny mountains
countless party ties which have been
counted as absolutely indestructihle.
These seceders from the Republican
ranks will give their support to the DEM
ocratic ticket in the event of the Chicago
convention nominating. as at present
seems likely. a free silver man on
platform declaring for free silver coin
age. If the Democracy should disap-
point these expectations, either a silver
or the Populist party will absorb the re-
bellious Republicans.
OF course, it Is only sensible to admit
that such wholesale weakening of the
Republican party. as herein outlined in
the western states, does not of necess-
sity mean that party's defeat next No
vember, unless the Democratic conven-
tions fails to do what is expected, and
instead Of declaring for free silver does
the reverse. But if, as now Indicated
the Democratic organization takes its
stand for the white metal it's losses in the
east will be as great in degree as those
of the Republican party in the west. The
net result of the presaged alignment
of the parties on the silver issue will be
a condition calculated to discourage
sorely the average political prophet. 1t
will IA no ma RI va wa liz -OVer