New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-05
FOR TELLER.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBuNE.l


GBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrBuNEl
Chicago. July 4-The lines on which the con-
test in the next weeks Democratic National
| Convention is to he fought out becoming a
little palmer and more definite, although in the
main those chaotic conditions continue which
necessarily accompany the prospective transfer
Of power within a great political organization
from old and long accepted to untried and revo-
lutionary leadership. What sweeping and radi-
cal political changes are to follow in the train
Of this sudden and violent shifting OF the
party control and authority from the hands
of the conservative politicians OF the East
ern Democracy to those Of the restless and
fiery agitatOrs of the West South and South
west only the completed work of the Convention
will show. For the present. at least. the seizure
Of the party reins from the tradtiona! Eastern
leaders who have controlled and guided every
Democratic National Convention since 1864 and
given to the party its successive Presidential
candidates. from Mcclellan to Cleveland and
the assumption Of power instead by an expert
mental group of Southern and Western free
coinage extremists have involved the pre-Con-
venton canvass In almost hopeless confusion
and uncertainty.
THE ONLY SAFE PREDICTION.
AS has been said before, the triumph OF the
silver cause In the Convention and the adoption
Of radical free-coinage platform alone be
predicted with safety thus far In advance of the
actual assembling Of the delegates. Who the
choice OF the Convention for the Presidency will
be, and what the programme Of the revolution
ized and transformed Democracy, will depend
almost wholly on the skill or awkwaldness the
moderation passion, of the new political die
tatorship to all appearances radical, uncom-
promising and greedy Of power. which has risen
to fortune the ruins of the Eastern autoc-
racy con solidated by TiIden and perpetuated by
Manning and Whitney only to be shattered in
pieces by the monumental foes of Mr.. Cleve-
lands party leadership during his second term.
TwO-THrRDs MAJORITY FOR SILVER.
Though handicapped by lack of organization
and by singular inexperence in National Con-
vention politics, the leaders of the free-silver
coinage majority are gradually hammerng their
plan for next week into practical shape. They
have found their programme greatly simphed
by the discovery that they will probably have
clear two-thrds majority In the Convention
when 1t assemblies, and certain to have
after the contests from Michigan and Nebraska
disposed ot by the rejection Of the gold-stand
/ ard delegates All talk about abrogation of the
rule which requires a two-thrds vote to nomi-
nate a Presidential or Vice Presidential candi-
date has therefore been abandoned. Many free
coinage delegates from the South have vigor-
ousy opposed the suggested change In the rules.
and the silver managers are highly eratited at
being able 70 remove this dangerous source Of
irritation in the free-conage ranks.
Up to to-day the silver campaign has been
conducted by self-appointed committee Of
Southern and Western leaders. most OF them
officials in Senator Harriss proprietary political
organization known as the Democratic Bimetal-
lie League on the committee Senators
Turpie. of Indiana; Jones. of Arkansas. and
Daniel Of Virginia and Governors Stone Of
Missouri and Altgeld, OF Illinois Associated
with these self-chosen guardians Of the silver
interest were Senator Tillman the "pitchfork'
orator from South Carolina: Senator Cockrell, OF
Missouri: Senator Harris. OF Tennessee: Sena-
tor Blackburn of Kentucky. and Representative
Otey Of Virginia. At a meeting last night OF
the silver delegates already on the ground. the
Ave representatives Of the Bmetalc League
were constituted n Steering committee" for tn,
silver forces and one delegate from each silver
State was added TO the list. forming working
body Of about forty members. This steering
committee" will have charge Of the silver can
vass. both before and during the Convention.
and will decide all questions which arise, sub
tect TO the approval Of the full delegation from
the free-conage States Senator Jones. Of Ar
kansas is evidently the real force behind the
Steering committee" and is. in fact the only
member % II equal 70 coping with the more ex-
perienced and resOurceful politicians who head
the forlorn hope here of the gold-standard De-
mocracy.
4 REVOLT AGAINST ALTGELD
There has been some disposition locally 10 ac
cent the Anarchistic Governor Of Illinois. John
p Altgeld as the real power in the silver camp;
but the Southern politicians, who were fighting
the battles Of silver long before Altgeld was car
ried into accidental power and prominence by the
Democrats tidal wave OF 1892. have naturally
resented his mpudent intention To play the sill
yer Warwick at next weeks Convention. ana
have succeeded In suppressing. to some extent
his restless and sinister activity. Though
de,egate-at-large to the Convention and a can
didate for the Govcrnorship Of Illinois. Altgeld
has been pushing his claims to be at once chair
man OF the Stase delegation National Com
nittecman member Of the Committee on Reso-
utions and either temporary or permanent
chairman of the Convention. The other free
coinage leaders have naturally taken fright at
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