The San Francisco call., 1896-05-28
A. ]. Clunie Says the NcNab
Programme Would Split
the Convention.
HORACE G. PLATT Is FRANK
The Rival Local Primaries Which
Will Provide the Fateful Con-
test Are at Hand.

The silver element OF the Democratic
party is waking up to the danger presented
by the industrious operations of the Fed
eral machine, which, with the assistance
of the gold forces generally, is engaged in
a hopeful effort to capture the State con-
vention.
Administra leaders will not gener-
ally say much for publication, but they
will privately express confidence that they
will succeed in running the convention,
electing an admin istration delegation to
Chicago, indorsing Cleveland and securing
either gold or straddle plank in the
plat form.
The unorganiZed silver men all assert
that the party is all for silver by great
majority and that the convention will
surely declare for silver, but they recog-
nize the danger of the sssiduous practical
efforts of Daggett and the rest of the Fed
eral brigade Every delegate possible is
being secured as the selection of delegates
by thesvarious counties proceeds and every
influence possible is being exerted to Sc
cure proxies.
The situation presents q mixture of
combinations. In many cases the financial
issue appears to divide political friends
and to bring together political enemies.
A majority of prominent Democrats
think that the gold and silver forces will
divide on this clean-cut issue, and that
amid a stormy time one element or the
other will carry out its complete. radical
programme. Should the battle be of this
uncompromisIng nature, as it is in a num-
ber of other States, it may easily split the
party and send contestlng delegations TO
Chicago. Some, like Surveyor-General
Green, favor a compromise proposition,
but it is not likely that John Daggett will
be hunting compromises or that The strong
free-silver men will, either.
1t must not be forgotten that there is
vastly more than the money question that
will figure in the convention battle. It
will be as much as anything a struggle for
control of the State and the local m achines.
With many who will shout principles this
will be the only motive. Daggett, McNab
and Gould are straining every nerve to
secure State Central Committeeman and a
executive committee of their naming,
The prospects are that Gould will sadly be
found to be unavailable and that another
gold-ad ministration-Daggett man will be
picked. Mem bers of the Junta are saying
that Gould's selection might put them on
the defensive on the A. P. A. proposition
and the tendency for stronger, broader
and heavier man is growing.
Then the local party's fortunes are mex
tricably bound up in the fight that Dag
gett and McNab are leading, because con-
troll of the local machine, which is to be
handled. by McNab and Rainey, is highly
important part of their programme.
So added bitterness and fury will be
given to the chief convention battle,
which will, in fact, be determined at the
outset by the disposition of the 16l gold
votes and the 161 silver votes from this
City.
The personal ambitions of some big men
- - m
gold faction would not send Mcguire,
White or Foote to Chicago. nor would the
silver men send Barney Murphy, E. B.
Pond, Tom Geary or men like these.
McNab turned Mcguire down at the
meeting of the Junta campaign committee
the other night in very clever way.
When the resolution indorsing Mcguire
for delegate at large was introduced Nc
Nab mixed up judicious praise of Mcguire
with his bitterly urged point that Mcguire
had declared that the other faction was
the regular and legitimate organization
When the resolution was withdrawn Nc
Nab had gone as far as necessary then to
serve Daggett and knock out silver man.
McNab said that he would support
Mcguire for Congress. Many Democrats
wink at this. They know Daggett's bitter
hostility to Mcguire, and would hardly
trust delegation controlled by Daggett
to nominate the man Daggett threatened
to run out of town.
Harbor Com missioner Colnon the other
day opened out on Daggett with his heavy
guns in the following editorial in his pa
per, the Stockton Mail:
THE FEDERAL BRIGADE.-The proof of the ex-
istence OF q conspiracy to stife the voice OF the
California Democracy ut Chicago is being pre-
sented in a very offensive form. The conspira-
tors, 1t is almost unnecessary TO add, are re-
cruited from the ranks of what is known as the
Federal Brigade. Mint Superintendent Dag
gett no longer disguises his purpose to control
II possible the California delegation to the
National Democratic Convention. And for
what is this crossroads statesman using his
power to coerce and intimidate? For the pub
lie good? Not bit of it. His job is to do moth
ing but mischief. He has the effrontery to
think that he can commit the Democracy of
California to the political iniquity Of declar-
ing for the single gold standard.
We believe 1t will be hardly possible for
Daggett or any fifty men of his caliber, backed
even by all the resources of the Cleveland ad-
minisstrauon, TO succeed in this wicked and
pernlclous undertaking. The people of Cali
fornia are practically unanimous for the free
and independent coinage of silver.
Who dares, then, TO stifie the voice of the peo-
pie OF California upon this momentous issue?
Daggett and his little crew of retginers, whose
only desire is 10 burn incense in front of the
STUFFED Prophet Are they to be allowed with
out any protest to have their way?
Unless the honest men in the Democratic
party are on their guard there is danger that
Daggett and his crew may be able to perpetrate
OF any decent political principles they have
started little game by which they hope to
| win. By trying to make everybody believe
that Chris Buckley is the leader OF the free sill
| yer men In California and that he has ac-
| cepted the mission of leading the bimetallists
| from this State at Chicago, they hope to bring
silver into discredit altogether. That is their
sole purpose in coupling Buckley's name in
| any way with the question. This fake is too
raw to survive five minutes investigation.
There is no factional fight at all in California
over the silver question.
A Democratic State Convention without
pugnaclous A. J. Clunie in the middle of
IT would lose much of its thrilling Joy.
The convention Will see and hear Clunie.
and probably his brother, the ex-Con-
| gresham, both hot silver men. Clunie
will be Buckley delegate.
1.-The party is for silver and the conven-
ton will be for silver" Mr.. Clunie de-
clared vigorously yesterday. ''From all
the information L get from throughout
the State the silver men will be in large
majority. l admit that if the Junta dele
CATION from this City is seated the silver
men might be. in a minority, but that
delegation will never be seated. The
people of the State are not
| going to carry out the program me
/ OF McNab and Daggett. Our delegation