The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-07-07
HILL NAMED
FOR CHAIRMAN
Silver Men Distracted and Divided
and the Fight Will BE
Hot.
A SCRAMBLE FOR NOMINATION
Altgeld and Tillman khetting Pitehiorts for
Cleyeland-The Friends Of Bland
and Boies at Each Others
ThrOats.

and Boiss at Each Others
IhrOats.
Chicago. July 6.--On the eve Of the
Democratic national convention which
c0nvenes tomorrow at the Coliseum on
the lake front, all is confusion tonight
One thing looms up like a searchlight
in the fog that hangs over the situa-
tion and obscures the vision OF the
wisest and most far-reachlng Of the
leaders. That is that the convention
win be for silver at 16 TO /.
As for the candidates. the convention
is still cropping in the murk. The din
OF the Bland and Boies boomers is
deafening. and is so infections at this
time that 1t almost carries the public
of its feet Bland is unquestionably
In the lead, so far as actual votes are
concerned, his strength approximating
$50, on a liberal estimate, with Boies
moving along at his heels with about
200. but neither is able TO demonstrate
as yet how he can win. In this chaotic
condition OF affairs gossip and specula-
tion casts about for dark horses. VIII
liam ]. Bryan. the boy orator OF the
Platte; Vice President Adlal Steven
son, John r. Mclean. the Ohio Journal
lst; the blue grass orator. Senator Joe
Blackburn, Of Kentucky; Senator
White, Of California; all share the dis
tinction OF being canvassed. Even Sen
ator Hill, OF New York, is talked Of
and his famous Elmira speech Of 1898
is recalled as an evidence that he is a
bimetallIst and would make a strong
compromise candidates. The name Of
Ex-Governor James F. Campbell, of
Ohio. Is also heard.
The Pennoyer boom from Oregon was
formally launched today and ex-Con-
gresham Joe Sibley, Of Pennsylvania.
announced his candidacy. At work in
the background in the senatorial move
ment for Teller with the free silver
Republicans and their allies, are the
Populist leaders, straining every nerve
TO impress upon the convention the ad-
visibility of nominating the Colorado
man. With all these silver forces strug-
Cling against each other and with the
gold men solid and compact, ready to
obey orders. it is a shrewd political
prophet who can point the way out.
The silver leaders now reluctantly ad-
NIT, on the eve of the convention. that
their two-thirds majority is an undis-
ciplined mass, running hither and
thither,-possibly to be stamped out
in the end. They started out with the
announced intention Of getting togeth-
er and arranging a program to be put
through by sheer force of their ma
jority. They were to abrogate the two
thirds rule and select their candidate
in caucus of the silver men. Both
these projects were put aside and they
are now at the door Of the convention
with the question Of a candidate open
and a deadlock inevitable. II will re-
quire every silver vote in the conven-
ton to nominate, and the friends of
any candidate can. if the gold men do
not plump their votes TO a silver man
who may be formidable, but not the
choice of the majority, prevent an early
This would of course play
into the hands of those who are ma
to bring forward Teller at
the opportune time; or, If the sentiments
Of the convention refused to yield TO
the leaders of the ST. Louis boilers,
into the hands of the managers of
dark horse.
1t is possible that eventually Bland
may reach the goal, but the most sa-
gacious political observers seem to be- |
lieve he may have already reached the
top of the hill. After he has been |
pulled down they expect to see the |
Bland cohorts, with their blood arous- |
ed, turned on Boies and destroy him. |
The Iowa candidate at present has the
perhaps unconsciously, so far
rs he is concerned, Of many of the |
Eastern gold men who expect to bow |
% the will of the majority. Bland,
hey urge, is a man of a single idea. |
In the end the situation seems to pos
'lbly point to an outsider as the ter
of this political strife. The
gold men are without a definite pro-
sram. They are practically reconciled
10 defeat so far as the platform is con-
,erned, but seem to be possessed of a
'ague hope that something will turn
Up which will secure for them an ac-
,eptable candidate. Among some of
he radicals there is still strong talk
# bolt.
But under the advice of Whitney and
Ill., the fear of a bolt Of any pro-
portions is being dispelled The silver
nen will go into convention tomorrow
With nothing decided as to the plat
orm and there promises to be an erup-
ion and perhaps bad blood over the
natter. The majority largely favor a
Jingle plank, which they regard as the
'ital and paramount issue OF the COM
ng battle at the polls A very consid-
'rable number with their eyes on the
'otes Of the silver Republicans, desire