Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-07-01
Planning to Bolt a Silver Nomi-
nation at Chicago.
WILL PUT UP A SEPARATE TICKET
Effect of This if the Election Goes
Into the House.


The indications are stronger than they
were a few weeks ago that the supporters
of the gold standard will leave the demo-
cratic national convention upon its decla-
ration for free silver. The frank state
ments Of ex-Secretary Whitney. that to
declare for free coinage means the disrup-
ton Of the democratic party in the same
manner as In 1850, are interpreted as the
voice OF the democratic leaders in New
York regarding the demands of the present
situation. 1t has been feared by pro-
nounced SOUND money men that Senator
Hill and the other leaders of the regular
party organization in the east would at
tempt to deliver the organizat ton to a free
silver candidate for President. 1t has not
been believed for a moment that they could
deliver the mass of the voters, but 1t has
been feared that they would discredit the
party for many years 10 come in the east
ern states by permitting its machinery to
be prostituted, as they view it, to the pur-
poses of the silver extremists. The out
treak Of sound money sentiment in the
east, illustrated by the willingness of every
sound money democrat in Boston who was
approached on the subject to sign a pledge
against free silver candidate, is opening
the eyes Of even those leaders who have
been inclined to swallow any program
crowded down their throats by the silver
majority at Chicago.
Erect OF a Gold Bolt.
They are beginning to believe that, even
from the standpoint of machine politics. a
bolt at Chicago is the one thing which will
save the party in the east from eternal in
fanny. 1t is simply a matter of good tactics
not to discuss the conditions and methods
OF such a bolt until the occasion for II has
been formally presented by the action OF
the Chicago convention, but the various
aspects of the subject are being carefully
considered, end even some of the silver
men do not look with great disfavor upon
The Idea of a bolt. There are circumstances
IN Whlch the running of two candidates. a
gold man IN the east, and a silver man in
the southwest. might, they think, con-
tribute TO the defeat of Mckinleyism and
the benefit of the democratic party Such
conditions would exist if the silver men
swept just enough states to fall short of a
majority, and gold democrat carried New
York and Maryland. The two elements
would have between them the majority of
the electoral college, and the gold men
would not make an unreasonable demand
When they asked the silver democrats to
come 10 their candidate and to give him a
ber 80
The silver men having made the bes.
neht they could, would be reduced to the
choice OF two gold candidates, che a re-
publican and protectionist and the otbar
a democrat and tariff reformer. Their
Constituents who elected them could hardly
biame them for preferrng the democrat 10
Z.
would throw the election into the House
and seat Mckinley.
Advantage of Running "a Gold Demo-
crat.
The more probable advantage of running
gold democrat, from the sound money
point Of view, is found In the division
which 1t will cause in the democratic vote
In the doubtful states The republicans
might obtain a considerable number of
frnr
democrats IT they We're reduced to the
choice between Mckinley and a silver ex-
tremlst The tendency would he, however
Tor democratic voters to drift gradually
into the democratic ranks as the cam
paign approached its close without regard
TO their views on the money question A
separate gold candidate would give them a
leader around whom they would be proud
to rally for the purpose of demonstrating
their strength ia the party. Shrewd sound
money men say that such candidate
would not in any case weaken Mckinley in
states where the fight was essentially be-
tween him and the silver candidate, be-
cause the voters who We're IN earnest on the
money question would swing over to Nc
kinley on election day if they felt that his
electoral ticket was really in danger. 1t
might be possible in some states, like Ken
lucky and Indiana, to run Union sound
money ticket, with three or four electors
pledged to the gold democrat. and the
remainder to Mckinley. This would he
only the fair counter movement to the
plan of the silver republicans to run union
silver tickets in the states where the re-
pubhcans are strong. A gold democrat
would receive the support of the regular
organization in the states northeast of the
Potomac. and might carry New York, Con-
necticut, Delaware and MARYLAND The
plan Of running a separate candidate is
likely to be preferred by the average sound
money democrat: to the plan of running a
democratic state ticket without any candi-
dates for presidential electors. The latter
plan would take away the usual motives
for going to the polls in a presidential
year, and would take the heart out of the
canvass even for state officers.
Effect on Congregational Elections.
A more, important advantage of q sep
arate gold ticket will be its effect upon
the election of members of Congress. Gold
and silver democ might act together in
certain districts but in most such cases
the gold me would insist that the candi-
date for Congress should he for the gold
standard. In many other cases a separate
gold candidate for Congress would divide
the democratic vote and help sound
money republican. Ii would strengthen the
democratic ticket in the east TO run a clean
cut gold ticket ard might have an import
ant influence. even If the silver men should
elect a President and be strong In the
House. A score or two of sound money
democrats would be able TO accomplish
much more, in case the division in the
House was close. than an equal number f
republicans. They would still have a party
standing different frcm that of the repui)-
ncans and have more influence with their
democratic associates from tine southwest
than the supporters Of Mckinley. Their
influence and arguments would he likely to
have much the same effect that they had
In the F1fty-secoad Congress. when the
conservative men from the south gradually
dropped away from the silver column ana
reduced a supposed silver majority of fifty
or sixty to less than nothing.
Administrations Friends Want
Break.
Many OF the supporters of the adminis-
tration are desirous of open break at
Chicago, in order to give sound money
democrats some other choice than the
painful one of voting for Mckinley or for
free silver. There will be many friends of
the President the ground. exerting
themselves to the utmost to secure a con-
servative platform and a sound money can
didate, but in the last analysis their ad-
vice is likely to oe in favor of bolt. Con-
troller Eckels is already on the ground and
Assistant Secretary Hamlin of the treas
ury will be there in few days. They will
n laa lar.