Evening star., 1896-10-27
NEEDS BUT A SPARK
~ 11I =
Fear of Riot in Chicago Between Gold ani
Silver Msnt
Intense Feeling as Election Day
Draws Near-Dr. Thomas DecIara-
ton for silver Wins Votes.
Special Correspondence Of The Evening star.

CHICAGO, October 20. 1s08
The silver leaders expect great results
from Bryan's tour, but, according to news
received at the republican Headquarters. II
has had very little effect. Wherever Bry-
an has been he has been greeted with
great crowds, but whether they will vote
for him is quite another matter. The re-
publicans insist that the crowds have been
attracted merely through curiosity and. in
deed. 1t cannot be seen how his tour ca
influence many votes, for his speeches are
very short, and seldom contain arguments
On the silver question. He iS being used
chiefly as a magnet to attract crowds to
spots. and after he departs. or while the
audience Is waiting for him, some other
speaker delivers an elaborate argument on
the currency question.
Bryan arrives here tomorrow, and there
will be great demonstration in his honor.
While in the city he will make eighteen
speeches, ten minutes each IN length, to
as many different audiences
Meanwhile the democrats are employiu.
many other speakers. Frederick l.. Adams
of the democratic headquarters says that
the silver men now have over 100 orators
making nightly speeches in Chicago. and
that the number Is being increased daily
Last Saturday night. when the purade Of
the sound money railroad men was in prog
ress, the democrats had 300 speakers on
the streets, who stood on the corners and
addressed the crowds which gathered to see
the parade.
Fenr of Violence.
Bitter feeling Is being engendered be-
tween the two factions. The Bryan sup
porters followed the sound money parade
Saturday. 5000 or 6.Goo strong, shouting for
Bryan, ard, in fact. making Il good deal
itself: There were dozen small fights be-
tween the partisans Of the two candidates.
These, however passed unnoticed by the
newspapers, who are trying their best 20
prevent any serious trouble between the
PARTIES. AT the time al least one
or two Mckinley meetings are interrupted
by Bryan men nearly every night. 1t Is the
policy of both parties to prevent any trou-
Bile. and 1t was on that account that they
each agreed not to parade next Saturday.
Had there been parade the leaders could
not have prevented a clash which might
have resulted in riot. the bitterness
between the two factions Is intense, and 4
torch Is all that Is needed to kindle it into
a great conflagration. Every indication on
the surface still points to the carrying of
Illinois by Mckinley. 1t iss believed that
the only question Is thatiof majority.
AItgelds Danger.
1t is the belief of thas republicans that
there is a growing probability Of the de-
feat CT Altgeld by Tanner. The Morrison
letter is said to have had a great effect
In the southern part Of, the state w. S.
Forman. the gold democratic candidate for
governor, has been making hard fight
against Altgcld and has stumped nearly
every county in the state. The speech of
Carl SchurZ at Peoria, In which he attacked
Altgeld, Is believed to h4fve done the gov
ernor's caLvass some injury 1t is now said
that Altgeld will not reeeiye more than
under these circumstances he Is likely TO
fail of election. 81.
1t is said that the democrats attempted
a canvass Of the city in answer to that
made by the republicans They caIvassed
eight wards. but found the Mckinley
strength so overwhelming that they
promptly discontinued It.
DIR. ThOmns for Silver.
The col gressionai fight in the fifth dis
trlct has been simplified by the withdrawal
date, in favor of E. T. Noonan, the demo-
cratic nominee. The democrats believe
that they will thus be able to win the dis
trict. Another contest which has been
settled is that between the two factions OF
the popElist party over the county ticket.
Twelve Of the seventeen candidate nomi-
mated by the middle-of-the-road faction
withdrew their names.
The democrats have been encouraged by
the accession Of DR.. H. S. Thomas to their
ranks. DR.. Thomas Is one of the most
popular preachers In the city, and his adj
vocacy OF silver is expected to influence
many votes Another convert to silver Is
Willia m NJ. Hoyt. the big wholesale grocer.