New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-07
CHAOS IN THE SILVER CAMP.
THE EVE OF THE CONVENTION.
A FIGHT COMING OVER THE TEMPORARY
GUARDIANSHIP TO-DAY
UNEXPECTED STRENGTH SHOWN BY THE FREE
COINAGE MEN IN THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE
A LONG AND BITTER STRUGGLE AHEAD.
OUT OF WHICH ANY ONE OF
THE CANDIDATES NAY
EMERGE VICTORIOUS.
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUSE.1

[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRfBUNE1
Chicago, July 6.-The Democratic National
Convention. whicn meets at noon tomorrow in
the South Side Coliseum will be called to order
under conditions little less confusing and chaotic
than those which have made the preliminary can
vass OF the last ten days a genuine nightmare Of
political Quixoticism and incoherence. In spite
of the incessant labors Of the newfound man.
ayers, who seem to rise to power the sole issue
OF Western and Southwestern domination within
, the party and the uprooting Of Eastern ideas
and Eastern leadership the and unwieldy
forces at their command continue undisciplined
and lily organized. Discord in the silver ranks
and the conflicting ambitions Of the free-coinage
candidates for the Presidential nomination have
acted effectively a bar to that solldifcation OF
strength necessary to insure the prompt and de-
cisve triumph Of the free-conage cause In the
/ Convention.
So far the silver leaders have been able to
agree only on the most simple and rudimentary
programme and their ability to concentrate on
candidate who can obtain the vote Of two-thrds
of the delegates is still more or less doubtful
Their present plan seems to be to let the Conven-
ton drift until the necessity for uniication OF
the silver forces becomes apparent to prevent
the nomination OF a candidate at the dictation OF
the goldstandard minority. The silver leaders
have therefore rather welcomed the apparent
disposition Of the Eastern managers to precipi-
tate a struggle at the very outset of the Conven-
tion over the temporary chairmanship and have
accepted very cheerfuy the challenge offered to
them in the decision OF the National Committee
this afternoon TO stand on its traditional prlvi-
lege and present radical gold man, like Sena-
tor Hill, OF New-York, as its choice Of chair
man to preside at the preliminary session Of the
Convention.
SILVER WEAKNESS DISCLOSED.
1t is unlikely that the silver managers can OBJ
tain a two-thirds vote tomorrow for the can
didate they may name against Mr.. Hill. ana
this disclosure Of their weakness. in view OF the
present disorganized condition of their silver
followers, will point clearly to more or less
protracted struggle in the Convention. out Of
which any candidate for the Presidential nom-
nation will have just much chance of emerg-
ing victorious another.
The meeting of the National Committee was.
Of course, the chief incident in today's political
routine. The committee has itself been strongly
committed to the god-standard faction from the
beginning. and its action, both in the inclusion
In the temporary roll Of the gold-standard Ne
braska delegation and In the nomination of
fully Accounted. TIC curious paradox was pre-
sented, however, of a National Committee so
out OF touch with party sentiment, as disclosed
in the election of delegates to the National Con-
vention, that it's decisions were foredoomed to
reversal In the minds OF the delegates. and could
be considered even by the committee itself. of
merely technical and moral value. AS no formal
contest was entered against the Michigan dele
CATION, headed by Don NJ. Dickinson, the ex-
Postmaster General and his followers were ad-
mitted to seats in the temporary organization by
a vote Of 47 to l.
THE VOTE ON THE NEBRASKA CASE.
The free-coinage managers mustered an un
expected strength in the division in the Nebraska
case. the Bryan delegation being excluded from
the temporary roll by a vote Of 81 to %. Ac-
cording to yesterdays estimate. the out-and-out
silver members on the National Committee num-
bered from twelve to fifteen but from the doubt
full list they managed to pick up enough COM
mitteemen and proxies to raise their strength to
% The Nebraska vote considered a test
one and on the announcement of the result the
silver leaders gave up all idea of persuading the
committee to acquesce In the nomination Of
silver man for the temporary Craftsmanship.
Senator Hill chosen for that delicate post
by exactly the same vote as that by which the
Bryan delegation from Nebraska barred
out-27 to %
TO-DAY'S TEST OF STRENGTH.
Senator Daniel. of Virginia. was put forward
as the silver candidate for temporary chairman.
and he will Re put in nomination tomorrow by
the defeated minority in the National Com
mittee. Senator Hill scarcely expects to defeat
so popular silver man Senator Daniel in
the Convention but counts on drawing enough
votes from the opposition not only to give a
notable demonstration Of his own personal
strength and popularity. but to rrove to the
public that the silver column lacks the votes
necessary tosnake nomination without its abb
rogation Of the two-thirds rule.
Some OF the minor silver candidates
OF Indiana; Mclean Of Ohio, and even Boies. Of
Iowa-are suspected Of coquettng with the New
York Senator for the support of the Eastern
gold vote in the final stages Of the Presidential
struggle in return for aid tomorrow in his can
vass for the temporary craftsmanship.
Though the honor Is an empty one and has
little or practical Importance. fight over 1t
tomorrow will therefore be Of decided interest.
II will mark the first serious passage -at-arms
In the Convention. and will do much to clear up
the uncertainties and contradictions Of the stu
alton in which the delegates find themselves to-
night.
SIGN OF THE FACTIONAL BITTERNESS
The increasing bitterness Of the factional and
personal differences in the silver ranks was en-
phasized to-day by the publication of an at
tack by Allan w. Thurman, of Ohio. Mclean
delegate on Mr.. BANDS availability Presi
dcntial candidate. Mr.. Thurman alluded point
edly to the fact that Mr.. BANDS wife Is
Roman Catholic and suggested that his relig
ious connections would make him objectionable |
to many voters IN certain Western States. The |
Bland managers have sensibly ignored this ap-
peal to religious bigotry and prejudice to the |
injury of their candidate. but the incident en- |
phasizes the uncertainties which beset the war
ring elements in he free-slver camp.