The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-07-06
SENATOR HILL
FOR CHAIRMAN
lie Is the Gold Mems Choice Tor TEN
p0rary President.
SILVER MEN WILL OPPOSE HIM
But Hill Is the Choice of the National
Harris, of Tennessee,
the Probable Permanent Chairman.
Bland Leads the Presidential Can.
didutcS.

CDlcugO, July D.-lne lOllOWlnS,
Bland figures were given out tonight to
the United Press to indicate the practic-
ally certain strength of the Missouri
candidate on the first ballot: Ar
kansas 16, Colorado s, Idaho 6. Illinois
4s, Kansas 20. Missouri "A. Montana 6.
Oregon s, Texas &C., Utah s. Washing
ton 8. Wyoming 6, Arizona 6, New
Mexico G, Indian Territory, g. Okla
| homa 6. Total, 230. This summing up
Of Mr.. Bland's supporters is thirty-two
votes below the estimate given at The
afternoon caucus of the Eland dele
gates.
The crisis in national Democratic
prospects will probably be reached to-
morrow. 1t may be precipitated by
the decision of the national committee
as to temporary chairman of the con-
vention. There Is well grounded be-
lief to night that the sound money ma
jority of that committee will recon-
mend to the convention that Senator
David b. Hill. of New York, be the
temporary presiding officer. The
knowledge that this was the intention
! of the committee is said to furnish the
| explanation of Mr. Hiifs absence from
the gold mems mass meeting last night
He has thus escaped the denunciations
which the silver men at the Sherman
house have lavished with unsparing
tongues today upon Ex-Governor Flow
er, Senator Gray. Mr.. McVeagh and
District Attorney Fellows for their par
ticipation in that gathering.
| Senator Hill shook hands with hun
dreds of his friends and admirers dur
ing the day. He had word Of cheer
and encouragement for all who are try
ing to stay the drift toward free silver.
He said that he believed the unit rule
on states and the two-thirds rule on
nominations, both time -honored Gus
toms, would stand in this convention.
He said that all talk about there being
one free silver man in the New York
delegation was nonsense; that each and
every man from the Empire state was
for gold and they would all vote for
gold even IL the unit rule was done
away with.
LOTS OF SILVER FIGHT.
There is an openly expressed desire
on the part Of the silver men to force
the fight in the beginning upon the
temporary chairmanship. and George
Fred Williams. of Massachusetts, one
of the latest claimed accesssions to the
silver ranks, is spoken of as a desir-
able eastern man to be put forward in
antagonism to Senator HILL The
sound money men are willing and Sem
ator Hill Is even said to be eager 10
have the fight opened upon this issue.
They assert to antagOnize the recon-
mendation of a national committee in
the matter of temporary organization
would be such breach Of Demo-
cratic traditions and usage that no
Democratic convention could be reason
ably expected to sanction il by its
deliberate vote
Senator Harris, of Tennessee, ap-
pears to be generally accepted as the
majority's choice for permanent pres
idsnt. If he should take the chair 1t
is thought he will excuse himself from
making any set speech on the plea that
recent sickness has left his physical
strength somewhat impaired.
The leading booms continue in full
view. "Silver Dick" BANDS trumpet
ers are making the most Of the prom
ised accession of Illinois forty-eignt
votes to their standard and claim his
nomination as assured. The Boies men
are not yet here in full force. His
boomers are to arrive in two sections
tomorrow, when they will supply
abundant enthusiasm to add to the
picturesqueness of the contest Mean
time the Tellerites profess such alb
solute confidence in the nomination and
election of the Colorado senator
(though his own state delegation stands
committed to Boies). that they are al
ready bargaining for partition of the
spoils Of the offices between the original
Teller men and their Democratic allies.
Mr.. Mclean continues to be named
very extensively for either first or Sec
ond place, and has apparently gained
considerable strength during the day.
| OPPOSED TO A CAUCUS.
Considerable opposition is developing
to the holding of any caucus to deter
mine In advance of the meeting of the
convention what shall be the course of
the silver men. Supporters of Senator
Blackbuln's candidacy take the lead in
declaring their intention to refuse to
enter any such caucus. They want the
| convention to settle the matter and
they promise to abide by it's decision.
However, Senator j. X. Jones, of Ar
kansas, chairman of the steering COM
mittee, to whom has been confided the
preparing of the silver mems plan of
campaign, has sent to the leaders of
the silver delegations this letter:
Dear Sf:-We would be glad to know If
| your delegation agrees with us in the con-
victfon that the best interests of the cause
We ALL have at heart would be advanced
by having the platform and nominations
| practically determined by the silver men
Of the country. Please let me know at the
earliest possible moment if your delega-
tion agrees In this movement.
Senator Jones will be guided as to
his course in calling a general confer
ence Of silver men by the majority an
| swers.
There has been some talk of a divi-
sion in the Pennsylvania headquarters
at the Palmer house. Mr.. r. f. Wright,
one of the delegates-at-large from
Pennsylvania and chairman of the
Democratic state central committee
was seen and said:
| "The Pennsylvania position was de-
| clared in the action of her state con-
vention and this position will be firmly
and unanimously expressed by the
votes Of her delegates in the national
convention as they were in the state
convention.
Apart from questions of principle,
and considering cnly matters of expedi-
| 20 hall ho ha =