The Ravalli Republican. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1894-1899, 1896-04-29
PERHAPS THEY MAY DO so,
Democrats May Adopt a Silver
Platform.
But Will They Get a Two-Thirds
Vote for a Free Coinage
=" "u Candidate?

| lllc hEPUBLlCAN desires TO DC 1lIl
to the opposition in the matter O.
the great silver fight that is coming
up before the people, and therefore
prints the following, which may give
hopes to some Of our democratic
brethren that their national ccnycn
tion, at Chicago, .may have a major.
ity for silver and adopt a silver plat.
form. Perhaps it may, but it won't
have a tWo-thirds silver vote witt
which to nominate a candidatc The
gold men are not going to give in
and what then? The article is taken
from the Helena independent, and
though it bears a Washington date
is not an associated press dispatch.
1t is good reading, however, and we
give it for what it is worth:
Washington, April 22.-Nothng
but efforts akin to those Of Hercules
on the part Of the eastern dem Gratis
can prevent the convention at Chi
cago from declaring for free silver
That is the situation foreshadoWed
by reports from all parts Of tho coun-
try. There is always one element in
the case the dimensions Of which can
never be fully predicted, and that is
the amount OF leaning towards eXpe-
dicncy. For instance, suppose the
republicans should adopt IL platform
distastcful to the conservative inter
ests Of the east, and a few good per
suadcrs should go to Chicago with
this argument: 'Ihc opportunity
for us is to outtlank the republicans
by taking stronger attitude on the
currency than they" This argu-
mcnt would influence some delegates
who would naturally believe it policy
to put out a different signboard, but
how far this argument will be effect
i've cannot be known until the vote
is counted, but on it rests the largest
hope of controlling the Chicago con-
VcntlOn for sound money.
Nor is the declaration of that con-
vcntlon on the greatest question be-
for the American people Of SO Slight
Importance as II consideration OF the
party's prospects in the campaign
alone would indicate. Such a dccIar-
alton would stand Us a demand to
democratic senators and representa-
Wootu1d give the sllver men in the
party a chance to cry party loyalty
to their sound money brethren. The
threat of free silver at Chicago is
serious to contcmpIacc. a split is
the first thought: pcahaps tile east
crn wing OF the party would scccdc
and name it's electors in all the gold
states, while leaving the regular or
aniZation in control where its prin-
cipIcs were popular. That quite 4
section, however, would follow the
party, wherever it saw fit to go, is
evident from the tone of the inter
views now going out through the
country. Chaunccy Black, president
of the Democratic Clubs OF America,
gave as his first and greatest word Of
advice at Monticello, the other day,
that democrats should submit to the
will Of the majority. Harrity is say
ing the same thing, and these utter
anccs on the part OF eastern men
nominally for sound money arc mere
ly their preparation for what may
come to the country as Il surprise,
and their effort to forcstall, us far as
their influence will do it, any possi-
bic party boiling.
Another uncertain clement is the
prevalence of the unit rule. The
practice seems to be that dclcga.
be held together as q unit in voting
only when the delegation is instruct.
cd by the state convention so to act
as a unit. Wherever this rule oper.
atcs it will work great injury to tho
sound mcney cause for this reason;
In the sound money states this side
is practically unanimous. No votes
would be lost, for Illustration, from
the New York delegation by allowing
each man to vote on the platform as
he saw tit On the other hand
among the silver States, there is d
respectable minority Of sound money
men, who would get some represent.
alton in convention if not silcnccd by
the unit rule. At this time. there
fore, it is impossible to tell how
many sound money votes can be OBJ
taincd from the states where tha,
cause is in the minority until it ca'
be learned from the state conventions
whether that minority is to be al
lowed to vote as it plcascs or to be
silcnccd by the unit rule.
Returns from the general field, il
must be confessed. arc thus far moi
encouraging to the sound money
democrats, and, in fact, the met U1
all shades Of faith, who would be
inflated to sec 4 great hiotorica
party declare itself for Il JO-ccnt dol
lar In Illinois the power Of 1l,'
state machine SccllS to be unaS,ail
able. and outside uf Cook county TIT
silver people arc carrying every
thing before them. Senator lal'uc
and Mr.. Springer, who have recent,
been in the city, botll sound none.
men. arc fearful Of the outcome i!
their own state, and Ben Cable, Hi
rois member Of the national com
mittcc, is confcsscdly Sin the blues.
In Ohio the result is likely to b.
the same. Last year I'ricc was al
lowed to run the convention TO sui
himself. The party outlook wa
bad a!ld 81 recognized: it was &C
cordin4iv decided that i'a>mur'1 a
n