The San Francisco call., 1896-06-21
THE DEMOCRATIC TANGLE.

in postponing his visit to Europe and
becoming delegate to the Chicago con-
vention William c. Whitney adds interest
and further complicates the situation in
the Democratic fold. Mr.. Whitney was
reluctant to forego the pleasure of romp
over the old country but now that he has
agreed to stay and participate in the row
that is booked for the convention very
lively fight for the gold standard may be
expect ed. Mr.. Whitney would not have
taken the course he has were it not in
obedience to the wishes of the gold wing of
the party. He will be the leader of his
side in the convention, and it will be Mr..
Whitney who will blow the retreat call if
it shall be necessary for the goldites to
abandon the field. But Mr.. Whitney is
not the kind of man to run from shadows,
nor will any halfway pounding make him
quit fighting. He will be on the floor of
the convention as the attorney-general
and general in-chief of the sound money
delegates, and if his side is defeated it will
be after his ammunition box is empty.
And there is no doubt in the world that
he will advise the party against support
ing the candidate if free-silver man is
nominated.
The silver wing is in more trouble than
ever. Many of the leaders of that side
have been using Teller to reach the hearts
of silver Republicans, even to the extent
of suggesting that if the Colorado silver
champion would bolt the st. Louis con-
vention he should have the Chicago NOM
ination. Teller has bolted his party, and
his friends say he is now ready to accept
the Democratic nomination on free
silver platform, and therein he has played
the mischief. The silver Democrats were
never sincere, but simply playing Teller
to disrupt the Republican party. The
scheme has worked badly, for in playing
Teller they have convinced him that he is
really the first choice of the silver Demo
Gratis, which he is not. Boies is angry at
Teller's ambition to capture the conven-
ton, and Bland is fairly frothing at the
mouth because of Teller's intrigue. Trans
portation to Chicago has been secured for
1000 Colorado Republican and Democratic
silverites to "yell for Teller" and other
States are preparing to do the same thing.
Boies, Bland and Teller each have an at
torney pleading with Altgeld for the Iii
nois delegation, and, in fact, that is being
done all over the country.
With Whitney getting ready to advise
goldstandard Democrats to go over to
Mckinley if silver wins III the convention;
with prominent Republican pleading for
the Democratic nomination.; with an ex-
Republican, Boies, protesting that his
Democracy is silver-Iined, and that by
reason of carrying Iowa for Governor
against the Prohibitionists his claims are
good enough, and with Bland on his knees
begging the party of his youth and of
his old age not to turn him down for the
Iowa mugwump or the Colorado Republi-
can, spectacle is presented the like of
which was never before born of politics.
And what makes the comedy all the more
ridiculous Is that there is not one chance
in a million that the Chicago nominee will
be elected, no matter who he may be.
Mr.. Mckinley should feel highly compli-
mented when so many men are fighting
to be kicked into outer darkness by his
high-heel patriotism, protection and pros
perity boot. Mr.. Whitney, however, is
deserving great credit for giving up his
trip abroad TO steer sensible Democrats
into the Mckinley camp. He will have
his reward in seeing a marvelously pros
porous country when he returns from
Europe next year.