The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-04-29
What the Nomination at Chica-
go May Mean.
TO THE SOUTHERN STATES
Supremacy of the White Man
is Imperiled.
TEXAS CONGRESSMAN TALKS
t. Go,d Standard Nomination is Made
at Chicago a Number of South
ern States viii Elect
Populists.

The effect of a gold standard noml-
ration at Chicago on the State politics
IF various Southern States was freely
discussed in the Democratic CLOAK
room of the House the other day, along
With the effect it would have on Ma
tional politics.
4 well-known and popular Demo
cratic member from Texas sad that
the silver men were fighting the oatlle
now az much to save their states as
~ try 10 win in the National election.
s.rTbe SUPREMACY of the white man ana
1.-THE Democratic party in the ooptheTi'
States he said, lis more important TO
ms than the nomination OF anybody al
Chicago Not since the war has there
ever been before a doubt about how
tbe Southern States would vote on
State and National candidates, but
there is q doubt now, and not only d
there a chance that the Democrats VIII
lose nationally, but that we will lose
in several States. The only chance !
see ia avert this danger is the nomina-
tion of a consistent silver man at Chi
capo. Then we hold our States in line
on State tickets and on the National.
Let the Chicago convention, however,
nominate gold standard man, and
the party is irrd rieyably wrecked for
wears to come. A number of Southern
States viii elect Populist or fusion
State tickets, and the Democratic party
will lose its power, prestige ana ma
chinery in the South. The hepuDllcan
marty will also come to life, and some
Of the States may land in that column.
ssIt's a serious question with us, and
r.
crat on this floor who has not ponder
ed over it. While the silver question
is the foremost with us nationally.
there hangs over us the shadow OF los
ing our States and all that goes with
them. Nv own State is certain to go TO
the populist column if there is gold
standard nomination at Chicago. There
is not much chance Of the Republicans
winning. Our Eastern brethren do not
seem to realize the dangerous position
we are in. and it looks like they don't
care. They are willing to sacrifice Us
to get what they want. They are will
ing to drive from the party many Of
the States which have never failed to
elect Democratic electoral tickets. It's
all well enough to maintain a. stiff
upper lip and to talk as If there would
be no break in the South, but there viii
be bad break if the silver men don't
aia at Chicago"
would anything be accomplished
bv the silver men leaving the conven-
ton at Chicago, If they were ~ q mn
ority. and putting up q ticket o. tiielF
own"
Il do not think it would be much
better than if there was gold stand
ard nomination. There are hundreds
of thousands of Democrats who believe
in sticking to the party, and the ma
ioritv in the National convention ls
supposed to be the party. These men,
many of them for silver, would refuse
to believe that the minority CONSTITUTE
I'd the party, and would not vote for
tie ticket put out Our only hope is
that the silver men will have a clear
and fair majority at Chicago, and that
they will have backbone enough to re-
sist all oyertures at compromise and
nut out straight silver ticket. il
this il done. we will hold on to our
States locally, and Nationally there
will be a fighting chance Of winning
in November"
Referring to the election returns Of
1892 and 1894. the member spoke OF
the increase in the Populist vote in
two years. In 1894 the Populists polled
about 100. 900 more votes in Texas than
in 1892. and the increase in other
States was in the same proportion.
Nearly every Populist was formerly q
Democrat The same increase IN the
Populist vote this year over two years
ago means more than Eastern Demo
Gratis think. They are not surround
ed. Southern men say, by the same
conditions. They do not believe that
there is much danger in the South.
They put their judgment Of the situa-
ton, the Southerners claim, against
the judgment Of men who know what
they are talking about Washington
Star