Evening star., 1896-07-06
WHO WILL PRESIDE?
Temporary Craftsmanship at Chicago
Still Unsettled.
SESSION OF TIE NATIONAL COMMITTEE
Gold Men for Hill and Silver Mem.
bers for Daniel.
THE QUESTION OF CONTESTS
pecial From a Staff Correspondent.

Special From a STAFF Correspondent.
CHICAGO, July 6.-The field for dark
horses hourly widens and presents brilliant
prospects. The opportunities are almost
lfmitless for a candidate with strong and
competent organization. There is absolute
ly no organization among the silver men.
They are simply an enthusiastic mass of
shouters. claroring for one theory. free
silver. There is no talk OF any other part
OF the platform, not a word Of party or
sanization to combas the great republican
machine. The dark horses are beginning
to take advantage Of the situation. Even
Vice President Stevenson's friends come TO
the front with him, the great financial
sphynx. Sibley Of Pennsylvania is al
Vanced as an available candidate and his
hackers talk tariff the first whisper of that
great democratic shibboleth Of former
times that has yet been heard. Mclean
Is growing in strength for first place. The
free silver enthusiasts after working off
some of their energy are beginning at last
to take heed of the fact that they will need
candidate who can draw a campaign fund
from the money centers. Every candidate
has divisions in his own ranks.
Boies and Matthews are menaced in this
way more Seriously. Bland suffers from
Altgeidism. Disunion, disorder and enthu-
si&sm are the features of the day. There
Is plenty Of shouting, Of democratic loyalty
and intensity of feeling. but there is little
President-making and no displays of prac-
tical politics anywhere. With the conven-
tion but one day off, no one here has a
plan of campaign nor an intelligent outline
OF action to be pursued when the assembly
meets.
The gold men are still sharply divided
upon the question Of whether they shall
bolt or not. Roswell P. Flower and John
r. Fellows of New York are violen; in in
sisting upon the gold men boiling the con-
vention. VIM. c. Whitney and Senator Hill
are advising against the bolt. In a caucus
OF the gold money men last night the dis
crssion between the boilers and anti-bol1-
ers occupied great deal of the session,
and the caucus adjourned with the question
still open. NOM.
By Associated Press.
CHICAGO, July 6.-The real work of the
democratic convention began in earnest to-
day with the meeting of the national COM
mittee at 10 o'clock in the committee par
lors at the Palmer House. There was in
tense interest in the result Of the meet
iLg, as the selection of temporary pre-
siding officer promised to develop the
first test Of strength between the gold and
the silver forces. Chairman Harrity had
divided the committee work SO that the
FORMAL matter Of distributing tickets and
badges was done first, and at II o'clock
the important work of choosing the con-
Vention officers and hearing contests was
taken up.
The nationa, committee held a meeting
IN the morning, which was devoted to rou-
tine business and the distribution of tick
fhn
formal interchange Of views among some
OF the members the subject Of tenn
porary chairman. AS stated in the Asso-
ciated Press dispatches last night, Sena-
tor hill will be proposed by the gold men
and Senator Daniel by the silver men. with
the possibility that the silver men will have
enough votes in the committee 10 select
Daniel. One Of the gold members was wifi
Daniel by the committee
senator Daniel of Virginia, for temporary
chairman, is the third choice Of the silver
men, but has been talked Of from the be-
ginhing, and 1t Is probable that he would
nave been united upon sooner but for his
refusal to have his name considered II IS
now understood that he will accent. and
the SILVER people profess to believe that
ne Will receive the Endorsement of the ma
tlonal committee. There Is some criticism
or the selection of United States Senator
for the position. but the silver leaders con-
teno tnat this objection is not Of sufficient
Ol
of man SO thoroughly qualified as thew
believe Senator Daniel to be-
The general impression prevailed that
the committee would name Senator Hill as
temporary chairman, but there was wide
range for speculation and doubt. owing to
the determined attitude of the silver men
not to accept temporary chairman op-
posed 70 their views. The doubt was in
creased by the fact that Senator Hill had
at last broken silence, and in statements
which were widely read during the morning
had taken decided stand against the sill
yer men.
The statement attributed to him over his
signature that the New York delegation
would walk out Of the convention IL the
Michigan delegation was counted was taken
as particularly ominous Of trouble ahead.
The silver leaders are to meet at 2 to de-
termine whether the temporary chairman
named by the committee is acceptable.
Whether ne Is or not, the committee will
the convention, and the fight of the silver
men will be made as soon as the conyen-
ton assemblies tomorrow, on the question
of accepting the presiding officer presented
by the national committee.
Aside from this question the national
committee will hear such contests as are
presented: The only ones expected are
and Nevada. 1t is understood, however,
that the contestants will await the ap-
pointment Of the committee on credentials
before urging their contests.
1t was nearly 1 o'clock when the national
committee was called to order again. The
first business was to make up the tenn
porary roll. The anti-silver delegation from
Texas appeared and announced the with
drawal of their contest.
The Silver Caucus.
The silver men are anxiously discussing
among themselves whether they will have
a caucus before the convention meets The
majority of them appear to be Of the opin-
ion that there should be general meeting
of the forces tonight but the states of
Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky and some of
the. other delegations are holding out stiff
ly against the proposition, some of the dele
gates going so far to say they will not
attend If one Is held. The matter will be
determined at the general meeting If the
general silver comiittee to be held at 2
O'Clock today.
Blackburn and Lindsay.
Senator ]. c. S. Blackburn and VIM.
Lindsay, who have been on opposite sides
of the currency question, and between
whom considerable bitterness has existed
were brought together by Phil German the
Ell:s Island immigrant inspector, and a
close friend of Secretary Carlisle. Senator
l kr,<lr A