Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-06-16
ST. LOUIS CONVENTION.

Al noon to-day the National Repuph-
-, Convention will be called 10 order
a, 81 Louis by Chairman Carter "a Tree
silver NAM. and. by direction Of the Ma
tional Committee, he viii Introduce MT
Fairbanks. Of Indiana, as temporary
chairman.
OF course. there will be more OF less
eloquent speeches from Carter ana + AR
hanks and after these are made the
standing committees viii be appointed.
We doubt If any further business VIII
be done to-day. MCKINLEY is so far out
Of sight Of all other aspirants for the
presidential nomination. IL does not seem
necessary that he should hasten the
nomination. But who knows? -Four
years ago al Chicago Mr.. Cleveland was
as strong-yea. was stronger-before ms
convention than Mckinley is before TINS;
vet his leaders hurried the nomination by
all of the means within their power
On the day when Cleveland was nomi-
mated the National Democratic ConVen-
ton met in the afternoon, and was III
continuous session until about o'clock
next morning. If McKlnley's men
sbould take n into their heads that a
combination against the Buckeye man
would BE- possible. doubtless they 100
wifi resort TO the same tactics that CIeVe-
lands men employed so successfully al
Chicago. But, we should think that
to-day the session OF the 81. Louis CON
yention would be a very short one. To-
morrow the convention may possibly
"come down 10 business
Really. there Is no interest in the presi-
Dental nomination That Mckinley VIII
he the nominee seems certain But there
e a prodiefously hot fight going on as 10.
the currency plank In the platform. Upon
everv other plank the delegates are Of
one mind, but here three different views
obtain. one Of these is the view Of the
eold-standard men; the other is that OF
the "moderates." and the third is that
OF the free-silver men. These last ac-
cording to the New York Herald, num-
Der about sixty. The moderates are the
fellows who are following the lead OF
Hanna McKinley's manager, and VINO
wish the convention to adopt a sound
money plank. without mentioning gold
or "gold-standard."
Senator Henry cabot Lodge. Of Mas
sachusotts who Is now I'm St. Louis lead
ing the Reed men, has been able 10 eX-
tort from Hanna the confession that
Hanna ii. e.. Mckinley does not wish
either OF the aforementioned terms en-
ployed I'm the platform And this in
formation has made Lodge, Chauncey
Depew. and Tom Platt and all OF their
fellows and followers hopping mad. They
are for gold" They wish nothing
,dopted that may be misunderstood.
They want the battle Joined between the
Democrats and Republicans so clearly
that the wayfaring man, though 1901
as 10 currency questions, generally may
understand what he is voting for when
ne goes TO the polls in November next
Thus It would seem that the great bat
Tie at ST. Louis IS TO be between the gold
men and the moderates. At first, Mr.. De-
new thought 1t would not be necessary TO
speak Of gold" or "gold standard" in the
platform. but he has changed his posi-
lion. Now he goes as far as the farthest
In favor OF an extreme gold" plank
Mr.. Depew IS a representative OF the
Nauderbllts. and We cannot but believe
he has a great corps OF workers" at his
command at st. Louis all bent upon Sc
curing an unequivocal platform. Capital
is putting pressure upon the delegates.
Whether the fight Is 70 be fought to a
finish in the convention. or Will be com
promised in the Committee on Resolu-
tions. we can only guess. Certainly, we
hazard nothing IN predicting that every
effort Will be made by the leaders TO har-
monte the conflicting elements in the
committee. so as 10 have as little dis
cusslon as possible in the convention;
but this may not succeed. Many gentle
men have gone to ST. Louis with speeches
in their pockets. and these they mean
to deliver before the convention or die
in the attempt.
one feature OF the discussion now going
on IN the hotel-lobbies OF ST. Louis is
worthy Of our especial attention. and this
IS that Depew and Lodge in their argu-
ments In favor OF an extreme gold plank
say that with such platform the Re
publican ticket VIII receive the support
OF many Democrats: whereas. II there is
any "straddling" these democrats will
not care a fg which party wins. We
guess that Depew and Lodge do not ex-
pect that many southern Democrats viii
vote the Republican ticket; they are talk
ms about the Democrats. OF New York
and hcighboring States. Hundreds of
thousands OF these they believe they may
secure II their platform is such as they
wish II 10 be-
Another thing we observe is that the
protection plank cuts a great figure with
many OF the delegates at ST. Louis. We
.'----- shsrA viii ba little discussion OF