The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-07-18

the Silver Platform.
Washington. July 17.-The Post in
passing opinion upon the political situa-
tion says:
Evidently this Is to be an educational
campaign-a battle Of bulletins before
ballots, beginning with the newspaper
cannonade. which has already COM
menced, followed by q fusilade of
speeches, both prepared and impromp-
tn. with shrapnel Of statistics. while the
photographic sharp-shooters will keep 1t
up hot and heavy. For once the press
and the scare head will have preced-
ence over the brass band and the fam
beau, for the people have come face to
face with live question. and they are
calling for information, not empty en-
thusiasm.
AT the headquarters Of both congress
sional campaign committees in this city
there are great preparations to fill this
demand. The records are being search
ed for every utterance of prominent
men on the money question, and as the
last session of congress was prolific OF
financial discussion. both sides have
well-equipped arsenal from which to
draw. For long time past 1t has been
evident that the silver leaders were
forcing the issue on public attention
through their utterances. Senator
Stewart was not alone in his perennial
references to the crime Of 49, and as
result the Democratic committee claim
to have in hand, ready for distribution,
30 ,ov,t ct a taS.
men in both houses. all bearing more or
less favorably on the silver question.
What encourages us most said the
secretary Of the committee. is the fact
that nearly every letter we receive con-
tains a request for information on the
silver question. And these letters come
from the east as often as from the Mid
die states. One man from New Jersey
asks for whole bundle of silver litera-
ture to distribute among his neighbors,
who are almost persuaded II this In
terest continues to increase, or Is even
maintained at the present state until
November, there could be no better au-
gury for Mr.. Bryan's election
BOLTS TO THE GOLD STANDARD.
The Republicans seem to be getting
the better of the newspaper battery.
At the Republican headquarters they
have made a record of 144 Democratic
newspapers which up to date have bolt
ed Bryan and the silver-plated plat
form. Moreover these are not all east
ern gold-bug organs, but many Of them
are In the south and west and some in
the very heart of the silver states. In
Connecticut nine papers have bolted,
including the Hartford Times and Tele-
gram, the New Haven Register, Water
bury American, and the Bridgeport
Farmer. In Maine there are two bolt
ing organs, while in New Hampshire
the Manchester Union, about the most
influential Democratic paper In the
state. cannot swallow the silver pill.
In Massachusetts the Boston Herald,
Globe. and Post head the boilers, with
the Lowell Star and the Springfield Re-
publican also on the list, although the
last named has long been considered
Mugwump organ on the order Of Harp
er's Weekly. In the Empire state there
are seventeen boilers, including the
New York Sun, Times, Herald. World,
and Stats Zeitung. the Brooklyn Eagle
and Buffalo Courier. The Philadelphia
Times and Record. with the Pi!tsburg
Press, lead twelve erstwhile Demo-
cratic papers out Of line in Pennsylva-
MIA, while in New Jersey the Trenton
Times, Newark News, Hoboken OBJ
server. Jersey City News, and Elizabeth
Herald creates quite q vacuum In the
Democratic press.
Going westward, the Chicago Chronicle
and all the German Democratic dail!es
of the Windy City. including the Stats
Zeitung, have bolted: in Indiana the
Lafayette Journal, Indianapolis News
and Wabash Times; in Iowa, the Dav-
export Democrat, owned by j. j. Rich
ardson, member Of the Democratic Ma
tional committee In the last campaign;
the Sioux City Tribune. and the Daven-
port Democrat, the largest and most in
fiuential German daily west of the Mis-
sissippi, have all changed their political
faith.
IN THE WEST AND SOUTH.
The flop of the Detroit Free Press
has already been noted. and the Lans-
ing Journal has joined it. The st. Paul
Globe heads the list of Minnesota bolt
ers. while in Ohio the Columbus Dis
patch, the Dapton Times, and the
GAINESVILLE German Post cannot see
the silver side of the shield. In Wis
consin the Milwaukee Journal, the La
Crosse Chronicle, and the Milwaukee
Seebote German), have deserted the
party of the longtime allegiance, and
still more remarkable the Sioux Falls
Argus-Leader, the leading Democratic
organ of the presumed silver state of
South Dakota. has followed suit.
Turning to the South, also supposed
to be the stamping grund of free sill
ver sentiment, the list is almost as
long. There are the Mobile Register,
the Wilmington, Del, Every Evening,
the Key West (Fla.) Democrat. the At
lanta Journal. Secretary Smiths Or
gan; the Louisville Courier Journal,
Post and Anzeiger and the Lexington
Herald; the Jackson (Miss.) News, and
the Baltimore Sun and News. The New
Orleans States has also bolted outright,
while the Picayune, although support
ing the Democratic Presidential nomi-
nee, Is picking the platform to pieces
in a manner that is furnishing the Re-
publicans with lots of campaign mater
ial.
In Missouri the Kansas City Star
and two big German dailies lead the
bolters; the Charleston IS. CO News and
Courier is also out: in Tennessee, the
Nashville Banner, Chattanooga Times,
and the Memphis Sclmetar fail to follow
the lead of Senator Harris. while in
Texas the Dallas News. Galveston News,
San Antonio Express, and Austin
Statesman declare for the gold stand
ard. In Virginia the Richmond Times
and State. the Petersburg Index-Ap-
peal. Alexandria Times. and Staunton
News. and in West Virginia the
Charleston News are against silver.