Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1896-07-30
TIE ST, LOUIS CONVENTION.

The national conventions Of all the
organized parties are now over, and
the last ticket in the field, unless the
gold standard democrats meet and put
out ticket as it has been announced
they will do. The battlefields of the
campaign are now laid out in piano.
ramic view, the lines are drawn up,
the plan of battle Is complete, and
there will be no changing of scenes be-
tween now and November, except as
the conteuding armies advance to the
charge or succumb to retreat.
However, the Mckinley forces seem
even at this early stage of the battle,
before the skirmishers are fairly under
fire to have had their flank turned.
Their campaign was begun on the old
superannuated tariff question. 1t was
their endeaVor to push that issue to
the front and sufficiently control public
opinion to squelch all other contro-
versy. They put up acandidate whose
one idea is the tariff, an incapable on
any other issue. But even before the
Chicago convention, and in fact in
their own, they were forced by the
fight there made to concede that
ground and take another part of the
field. The result is that they have
general, fighting on strange land, know.
ing nothing of it except what is told
him, and it seems hard for him to com.
prehend that.
Concerning the Chicago convention
we have spoken before. Its action was
vigorous, unhesitating and commend
able. The silver convention at st.
Louis also did the logical thing and
endorsed Bryan and Sewall. The pop
ulist convention was handicapped by
several classes Of men, including prob
ably corrupted bOodlers, honest cranks
chumps and impracticables, and others
who in southern States had been hon
estlY lighting democrats who under
the old leadership had deceived them,
and in whose regeneration they cannot
believe. The demonstrations of these
men and the efforts 10 appease them
led to what to us seems to be a serious
though not necessarily fatal blunder,
that is, the nomination of Thos. Wat
son of Georgia, for vice president.
Not that Watson is unworthy the place
for he is noble and able man, but that
there is, we fear, a possible danger in
not getting together on electors. In
order not to divide the silver vote in any
of the States there must be only one
set of electors in opposition to the
Mckinley ticket. Some agreement
must then be arrived at by which the
Bryan and Sewall, and Bryan and
Watson electors will be the same.
Suppose one or two States where the
middle-of.the.road sentiment is strong,
holding the balance of power in the
electoral college, have a hitch and
fail to agree on the one set. Two cleo
toral tickets are in the field In opposi.
ton to Mckinley, he carries the day
and the game is up. OF course Mark
Hannah's eyes or wallet will neither
be closed when these arrangements are
to be made.
However, Mr.. Frank Field who was
delegate to the convention, on his
way home Monday morning called on
us and said that the temper of the de-
legates was such after the nominations
had been made that he thought there
would be no opposition to such arrange
ment on electors on the part of any of
the delegations there present. ealso
notice from various published inter