The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-17
presidential CAMPAIGNING
A NeW Scheme OF the Silver
Democrats.
TO WORK FOR A MIXED PAIR
Looking TO the Electoral Vote in
Case Of plit-.Encouragemeut for
Sound. Money Men-Wash-
ington Returns.

New York, April ia Washington
special to the Evening Post mentions
new scheme of the silver Democrats as
follows:
The silver Democrats seem not at all
cast down by the obvious split in their
party on the money question. or the un-
certainty of the outcome when the two
factions meet at Chicago. 1t now APP
pears that some of them are building
their hopes on u highly ingenious
scheme evolved by one of their num-
Der. which may be briefly state thus:
The convention at Chicago In July
will be a test of strength in the machin-
cry of the party at large. If the silver
men prove to be i'm control, the anti
silver men will undoubtedly go off and
hold a convention of their own. III the
anti-silver men control, the silver men
will doubtless do likewise. This will
result in two Democratic electoral
tickets in each state where the party
is evenly split or nearly SO. In those
states, however. where the silver DEM
ocrats are obviously in full control the
anti-silver Democrats might not put
up any ticket, and vice versa; while in
those states where the numerical
strength. of both factions Is large, but
their ratio to each other is pretty wen
ascel tained. a ticket might be composed
by mutual agreement, which would
provide adequate representation OF
| both elements.
There is nothing in our constitution
or statutes which binds an elector to
vote for any one candidate for presi-
dent or vice president. The idea would
| be, therefore, to figure up the result
after election day and see whether the
silver or the anti-silver electors Were
| i'm Il majority in the electoral college,
| and then to have the total vote of the
| Democratic electors cast for one pair
| of candidates. the pair representing the
| sentiment of the majority. or for a
mixed pair the majority having their
way as 20 th, president and the min
ority as to the vice president.
LACK OF CONCURRENCE
| There is only one defect in this novel
| plan: thai is. the lack of the concur
rene of the anti silver Democrats. 1t
for the reason that every Democrat will
be willing eventually to vote for q
| Democratic candidate, no matter what
| his financial Views. The sound-money
! Democrats, however. nave a definition
| of the word Democrat" which might
| rule out the silver democrats caidi-
date, and what would become of the
scheme for reuniting the party under
such adverse conditions does not now
| appear.
Ii. Il. Smalley, of Vermont. national
committeeman and a lifelong Demo-
cratic manager Is now In Washington.
He says he Is going to the Chicago
convention to fight for sound money,
and that he has no interest in the mere
question of candidates. He believes
that the sound-money wing Of the party
will dictate the financial plank of the
platform by majority vote. and that
| when that Is accomplished the silver
wing will make no attempt to block
further proceedings by setting up one
Of tEeir own men as candidate on
such platform. .-4.
! The returns from the state Of Wash
ington are more encouraging than at
first appeared. Although the Demo
crat,c convention declared uneguivocal
ly fo' free coinage, they have named a
delegation headed by Hugh G. Wal
lace, son-inlaw of Chief Justice Full
Ter, and a stanch sound-money man. ii
he is permitted to vote his Cwn con-
viCtiohS on anything.