Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-18


PRESS.
Tho Drmocrncy ana the
ar The four cities asking TO be- chosen
80 the nl.ce of meeting Of the Nauohai
,o,,,crntic Convention. Chicago was. we
believe. the ono that was least '"No'''
,v the public. II has been honoreu 80
,f,op in this way. most Democrats
we're willing. II not anxious. mat So"''
,,her city should have the honor an"
,e,ents Of our convention this year
ltoccvcr the committees choice te'l
mon II. not because chicago hlaue
,,,,,t," for IL ,as matter OF TACT. 'hi-
,..,,, M, forth very little efIoru, but be
,ause Chicago afforded a sort "t neu-
,,,l .,,,nd" which. In the judgment 81
-, ,,,io,,,v 81 the committee. was de-
.irablc.
senator Vest. who was one 81 III"
gentlemen Who addressed the committee
in sunport Of the claims OF ST. LOUIS
,,eis,cd that IL would never do Tor Inv
,,,,cn,,on 10 he held in New York, be
nus. o,r platform might then be sus-
,,,c,od of having been dictated by wan
street Small wonder. then, That me
xcc Workers and some other SOUND
money men" retalated by whispering
,ha, N the choice of the committee
foli upon ST. Louis, II would he regard
al a. victory for the free-siiVer
mon inasmuch a. Mr.. Vest Is ieaner
on that side and his state 'ontside o'
:, LOUISE ~ free-silver state.
ar course. there were some members
4 IN. committee who did not allow them
selves to be Influenced against e'her
Scv York or ~. Louis by these con
alterations: hut that such arguments
.sYe effective with others must be adj
o,,tcd. And 90 Chicago was selected
"a a sort ~ neutral ground. Hostil' az
xev Workers are To Chicago. they pre-
.errcd that the convention should he held
here. rather than In 81. Louis.
The brightest speech made before the
committee was that Of Mr. Ford a
hotel man. ot New York. Mark Twain
could not have been more humorous ano
he chief part OF the humor was III
taking of" the pretensions of Chicago
Vet. after the New Workers had thus
excoriated Chicago. they voted Tor Chi
cago In preference 10 st. LOUIS, because
they resented Mr.. Vests argument
and because they did not wish the
frce-silyer men TO claim a victory. which
rossibly they would have claimed hac
~ Louis won. So the national convcn
lion will be held In Chicago on Jul,
,th-throe weeks after the Republican
convention meets in ST. Louis
Ry the way. IL was the genera
wish TO hold the Democratic convention
Two weeks after the Republican conven
ton. IL this had been agreed upon i
would have been greatly to the disad
vantage OF the reunion OF the Confede
rate veterans in this city. The date
for these two great assemblages woul'
Men have been the same. Bu
spon Mr.. Ellyson explaining the situa
Ion. the committee adopted a later date
20 the Democratic convention will b'
held In Chicago a week after the Con
iederate reunion takes place here.
There VAS some little expectation tina
Mr.. Cleveland would write lctte
10 some friend on the national com
mittce stating his position as to thir(
tenn; but he did not do SO. Hence II Il
still considered likely that he would &C
cepi the nomination. True. We hav'
IL from an unqucstionable source tina
Alr. Cleveland frequently declares TO hi
lutimates that he docs not wish IN
nomination, and that he must not b.
considered as being In the race, but |
will take something more precise thai
this TO eliminate his name from son
slderation. Not until he has written
letter declaring that In no event woul'
he serve as candidate for the mex
term viii the held be considered a
fully and fairly open 10 others.
The speeches made before the ia
tionai committee. so far as they touchc
the point at all. did not breathe gres
confidence In Democratic success hi
fall. The most sansuine expressions I
that direction were TO the eifec
that contingencies might arise whic
would make our path very much smooth
ar than II now seems TO. be. Nj
Morrison and Nj. Stevenson are oftenv
mentioned than any others as pres
dental possibilities. should the way b
tnadc clear for them TO seek tn
nomination. As both Of them are Ill
; nois n,,n. the selection OF Chicago a
the place Of meeting FOR our oenvcntio
ewes no advantage 10 either.
In any event. IL woalds s>eu that ther
would be trouble Ia I'M Chicago cor
>ention. unless. mean while, the tvs
/ wings Of the party should set neare
together than they are now on The Gun
.tnsy question Eut who knows that III
Republican convention may not poin, tn
esy fos us GU, Of eur difficulties? Tina
wouid hs strange. Wouldn't H. Yes
bpt tonsiaer that there are ia the tnite