The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-05-29
A LIVELY GATHERING.
Forecast of the Chicago National
Convention.
IT WILL ATTRACT A GREAT CROWD
Hut Peace and Harmony Are Expected nj
st. Louis-PlAn OF the Gold Men at Chi
cago-A Split Seems Upsvoidabie-Ot
Interesting Features.

cago-A split seems uusvotdable-Other
Interesting Features.
WASHINGTON. May a9.--[Spsoial. lit Is
now apparent that the Chicago convention
Is TO be- the liyeliest national political
gathering Of the year. Probably larger
crowd will go To Chicago In July than will
be found at -. Louis next month. When
the national committees of the two parties
met In Washington To choose the cities In
which to hold their conventions, most OF
the rivalry was for the Republican gather
Ing. IL was expected To be the great CON
vention of the year. No one had any 9TH
or thought than that the nomination tn be-
made by 1t would be- bitterly contested.
Every one supposed the friends Of the rival
candidates would gather by thousands and
attend the convention city 1t was also
generally believed that the convention
would sit for week or ten days, thus
pouring vast sums OF money into the cof-
fers OF the city which should be lucky
enough 70 secure the prize. On the other
hand, the Chicago convention was expected
TO be spiritless and embarrassing affair.
The ST. Louis Session.
The outcome shows how difficult Il Is To
forecast events in the political world
Probably the 81. Louis convention will be
In session only three days, possibly only
two. In view Of the fact that public opin-
ion generally regards Mckinley as the GER
tain winner, the vast crowds are not ex-
pected to materializo. Men who have lost
faith In the success of their favorite can
didate are not likely to take long and ex-
pensive journey for the doubtful pleasure
OF shouting for him. Probably the appar-
ent success Of Mckinley is more unpopu-
lar among the hotel keepers and tradesmen
Of ST. Louis than in any other place In the
country.
Peace and harmony are expected to
reign at st. Louis, while at Chicago there
Is TO be fighting from the drop Of the hat.
Already 10 Is apparent the gold and ad-
ministration forces, having control of the
national committee intend to use their
power In the temporary organization of
the convention. In other words, they plan
to use the same methods of political war
fare which the opponents of Mckinley had |
contemplated using at st. Louis, a plot |
which was long ago described In these dis |
patches. AT Chicago the plan of the gold |
men Is TO seat all the contesting delega-
lions friendly TO their cause. That Is to |
say, the national committee, whose duty |
IL Is to make up the temporary roll of the |
convention, will seat the gold delegations |
from Nebraska, from Colorado, from /
South Dakota and from other states. The |
convention itself will have to decide |
whether or not these delegates are to retain |
their seats but IL by this means the gold |
men can secure majority of the whole |
number of delegates 1t is pretty safe to say |
the decisions Of the national committee |
will be upheld.
No matter which side wins a split in /
the party now seems unavoidable Many |
OF the silver men have declared over and /
over again they will not abide by the ac-
tion OF the convention IL IL adopts gold |
platform. Until recently tie administra-
ton or gold forces have kept pretty quiet
on this score, because they had not aban-
doned hope OF securing a majority of the
convention. and 1t was therefore, nat their
play to talk about bolt But since the
victories OF the silver men In Iowa, Illinois |
and other states have indicated the tri-
umph Of that wing Of the party the friends
Of President Cleveland and leaders Of the |
gold faction have also talked about bolt
ing.
Split Predicted Mt Chicago.
At the present time the general expecta-
ton Is that in any event there will be
split, and the game that is now being
played on both sides is to force the other
faction to do the boiling. AS l have al |
ready pointed out, the administration men
have an advantage in their control of the |
rational committee. Unless the majority
against them Is too large they may be able |
TO seize control through the national COM
mittee and Its manipulation Of the con-
tests. This is rather desperate politics, but
both sides are desperate. With them il Is |
anything to force their antagonists into
the appearance Of irregularity, leaving to
themselves the advantage OF constituting,
20 far as the record goes, the regular"
party.
I Up to this time there is not much talk
IL a compromise. So far as the admins
sration is concerned, President Cleveland |
wants the battle fought to the bitter end |
He says so to his cabinet officers, and they
issue orders to this effect to their friends
md followers. 1t is the belief of the presi-
Dent that IL will be better for the party |
md for the country, in the end, to have a |
straight, clear issue joined, without any |
'traddle, and let the country decide.
The silver leaders are also against COM
promise. They declare they will have
iothing short Of free and uni = ted coin
'ge at 10 to i, and many of them believe |
hey can. by alliance with the Populsts |
ind silver Republicans, actually carry the |
ountry. The leaders on both sides are | ,
to fight 1t out, and the general | I
expectation here Is that the struggle at
chicago will be bitter, protracted and sen. !
ational, similar to that which took place
q the Charleston convention of $780, when | q
he Democratic party split on the slavery |
question. :
The Balance Of Power. i,
But there are men who talk In favor of | Q
compromise, and when the hosts gather |
& Chicago there will be strong influences
& work In favor Of a settlement on some
Ines that will hold tho party together.
'bese men will be in the minority, but | '
hey may hold the balance Of power They a
Fill appeal to the party loyalty of the ex- 8
remists, they will advise concessions on | y
9th sides, they will bring forward propo- i
ltions calculated to appease the wrath Of .
he out and cutters, and they may make (
q impression upon the convention. They 1
lay utterly fail because Of the bitterness | {
hitch has already entered into the contest. | a
his Is one Of many delightful uncertain | O
les which mark the coming Democratic | v
ational convention. %
Another feature of the situation which
uzzles all the leaders and observers is the 8
vo- thirds rule. IL Is safe to say neither | q
action will have two-thirds of the dele | b
ates. Then how Is a nomination TO be | O.
lade unless the two-thirds rule be abro- q,
atedf The majority faction will discredit y
self IL IL abolishes the two-thirds rule and | "
Ives the other side precisely the pretext for | q
olting which IL will hope for.
WALTER wELIMAs.