The herald., 1896-07-07
ONLY ONE THING is CERTAIN
The Convention Will Most Certainl,
Favor Silver
Delegates Are Cropping In the Dark for Cnnii-
dates Though Booms Are Plenty
and Boomers Noisy

and Boomers Noisy
CHICAGO, July 6.-On the eve of the
Democratic national convention, which
convenes in the Coliseum on the lake
front tomorrow all is confusion. Only
one thing looms up like a search light in
the fog that hangs over the situation
and obscures the vision of the wsest and
most far-seeing leaders. That is that
the convention will be for silver at 16
| to l.
AS for candidates, the convention is
still cropping in the murk. The din of the
Bland and Boies boomers is deafening
and so infectious at times that it almost
carries the public off it's feet. Bland is
ulquestionably in the lead, so far as
actual votes are concerned, his strength
approximating $50, a liberal estimate,
with Boies moving along at his heels
with about 200, but neither is able to
demonstrate as yet how he can win.
DARK HORSE CHANCES
In this chaotic condition of affairs,
gossip and speculation casts about for
dark horses. William ]. Bryan, the boy
orator of the Platte; President
Adlai Stevenson, John r. Mclean, the
Ohio journalist the Bluegrass orator
Senator Joe Blackburn of Kentucky;
Senator White of California; all share
the distinction of being canvassed.
Even Senator Hill of New Yofk Is talked
of. and his famous Elmira speech of 1893
is recalled as an evidence that he is
bimetallist and would make a strong
|, compromise candidate. The name of
Ex-Governor James E. Campbell of Ohio
is also heard.
The Pennoyer boom from Oregon was
formally launched today, and ex-Con-
gresham Joe Sibley Of Pennsylvania
announced his candidacy. At work in
the background is the movement for
Teller, with the free silver Republicans
and their allies, the Populist leaders.
straining every nerveI to impress upon
the convention the advisability of nom
mating the Colorado man. With all
these silver forces struggling against
each other, with the gold men solid and
compact, ready to obey orders, it is a
shrewd political prophet who can point
the way out. 1t will require at least
another day for the fog to lift.
DISORGANIZED MAJORITY
The silver leaders now reluctantly
admit. on the eve of the convention that
their two-thirds majority is an undisci-
plined mass, running hither and thither.
possibly to be stampeded in the end.
They started out with the announced in
tention of getting together and arranging
program to be put through by the
sheer force of their majority. They were
to abrogate the two-thirds rule and Sc
lect their candidate in caucus of silver
men. Both these projects were put aside
and they are now at the door of the con-
Vention with the question of a candidate
open and deadlock inevitable 1t will
require every silver vote in the conven-
tion to nominate, and the friends of anv
candidate can, If the gold men do not
plump their votes to a silver man who
may be formidable, but not the choice
OF the majority, prevent an early nomi-
nation. This would, of course play into
the hands of those who are manoeuvring
10 bring forward Teller at the oppor-
tune time; or, If the sentiment of the
convention refused to yield to the lead
ers of the ST. Louis boilers. into the
hands of the managers of a dark horse.
Buck Hinrichsen's poll of the Illinois
SiioNi ludJOIlly IOr
Bland was confirmed today. when the
uelegation voted Al to to support the
Mlssourian. Kansas and Texas also fell
IN line for Bland, and these acquisitions
made Silver Dicks followers very con-
hdent, but Boies' boom also grew apace.
lowa's ex-governor received assur-
ances of support from the south which
buoyed up their hopes. But it is a long
ROAD TO the two-thirds majority, and
Bland has naturally become the target
OF the friends of all the other candi-
dates. The dark horses are especially
willing to have the Missouriar draw
the fire. 1t is possible that eventually
Bland may reach the goal. but the most
sagacious political observers seem to
oelieve he may have reached the top
OF the hill. After he has been pulled down
they expect to see the Bland cohorts.
with their blood aroused, turn on Boies
and destroy him.
The Iowa candidate at present has
the support, perhaps unconsciously. so
Tor as ne is concerned, of many of the
eastern gold men who expect to bow to
the Will OF the majority. Bland. they
urge, Is man of single idea. In the
end the situation seems to possibly point
to an outsider as the termination of tbis
political strife.
READY FOR DEBATE
The gold men are without definite
program They are practically recon-
ciled to defeat so far as the platform
is concerned, but seem to be possessed
OF the vague hope that something will