The herald., 1896-06-16
RIVALRY IS GOOD NATURED
Since McKiniey's Nomination Has Be.
come an Absolute Certainty
Eopes Of Other Candidates Are Limited to a
Complimentary Vote
The Real Fight Of the Convention 10 on the
Financial Question, and 4 Strong
Gold Plank Is
Certainty

makers woke today TO dreary, urlZzHHS
rain. which fell like wet blanket over
the gaudy street decorations and re-
pressed whatever tendency there might
have been to demonstrative enthusiasm
Of the sort which cropped sufficiently
Sunday to give an old-tirne convention
air to the city. There were no brass
bands in evidence. nor marching, nor
shouters. delegations and clubs, which
had pulled into the depot during the
early hours preferring to remain on the
trains or take to street cars rather than
march over the muddy pavements.
Yet now, on the eve Of the tenth ma
tional convention of the Republican
party, st. Louis resembles bride decked
for the coming Of her liege lord. The
buildings flame with bunting. the WIN
dows are adorned with pictures OF the
various candidates, the air beats with
the pulsation of martial music as parad-
ing clubs go sweeping by, the streets
surge with people borne along In resist
less streams, while the hotel corridors
are choked with q jostling. pushing mass
of humanity It is estimated that $4,000
strangers are the guests of the Mound
City tonight. The Southern and Plant
ers' hotels were the headquarters of the
principal delegations and were thronged
to the doors all day. Bands played In
the rotundas and kept the crowds that
pushed their way up and down the mara
BILE staircases until they seemed to creak
under their burdens in good humor, while
DELEGATIONS met and leaders conferred
behind closed doors as to the final de-
tails.
The most remarkable feature about
the convention so far has been the abb
sence of bad blood among the partisans
of the various candidates. The triumph
of Mckinley has been so complete thus
far that his friends can afford to be mag
unanimous and his opponents can do
nothing but acquiesce in the will of the
majority. The partisans Of Reed, Quay,
Morton and Allison still wear their but
tons and are as staunch as ever In their
loyalty, but they realize the hopeless
ness of making shrieking or offensive
demonstrations in favor Of their cham
pions and the managers Of the anti
Mckinley candidates have practically
sheathed their swords.
This does not mean that they have
abandoned the field. With the exception
of Governor Bradley of Kentucky, who
dropped out last night, the names of the
other candidates will be presented and
voted for and will probably poll their full
strength. Indeed the Reed men today
have labored assiduously to rally the
followers Of the Maine man. They have
appealed to his friends to go down with
colors flying. So, too, with the follow
ers of Morton, Allison and Quay.
THE REAL STRUGGLE.
But no one ventures to suggest the pos
bility Of McKinley's defeat. The real
struggle that Is going on Is over the finan-
cial plank in the platform. Free silver
and gold are as irreconcilable as the
prepared to stake their all upon the
Issue. Knowing they cannot succeed
they are even now formulating the man
ifesto that will sever their allegiance to
the Republican party. But these radi-
cal silver men are largely outnumbered.
Senator-elect Foraker OF Ohio, who Is
to be chairman of the committee on reso-
lutions. has prepared a rough draft Of
q platform covering most Of the subjects
to be presented and this will furnish the
basis for the work of constructing the
platform. The selection by the various
state delegations today Of their men,
bership on the committees was not
marked by sensational Incidents. save in
New York and Missouri. In New
York all the smouldering bitter
ness between the Platt and anti-Platt
factions broke forth and ex-senator
Warner Miller, the head of the anti
Platt faction, threw down the gage of
defiance to the New York leader. He
made a ringing speech, in which he
spurned the leadership of man who had
declared that Mckinley was unfit for
the presidency. and moved to depose
him by making Chauncey M. Depew
hot words on both sides. Thurlow Weed
Barnes denounced the Herkimer states
man, who had been instructed for Nor
ton, as a traitor. The anti-Platt faction
polled II out of 70 votes in the delega-
tion voting, and Mr.. Platt was re-elect-
ed chairman.
In the Missouri delegation ChaunceyI I.
Filley, who for many years had been the
Missouri representative on the national
committee. was defeated in his ambition
to again be- q national committeeman.
and Richard Kerens was elected. This
is the outcome of long struggle for SUI
premacy.
THE SECOND PLACE
The situation as to the evice-presidency
continues indefinite. Opinion does not
seem to crystalline. The talk of Hobart
OF New Jersey and Evans of Tennessee
goes on. but does not seem to be regard
ed seriously. There was a strong be-
lief early in the day that perhaps the
New York delegation could agree on
some one who would be satisfactory to
both factions. and there was a renewed
discussion of Gov. Morton and ex-Secre-
tary Of the Navy Tracy. but when the
factions declared war to the hilt. all idea