The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-07-01
PLANS OF TELLERITEs.
No Aggressive Campaign 90 BE Made
shafroth's Plea for the senator.

ShafrOth'S Piea Tor the SehutoTs
CHICAGO, June 30.-Delegates to the con-
vention who have arrived generally appear
averse TO discussing the probability that
Senator Teller viii cut any ngure IN the
Democratic convention. The Senator has a
number of personal friends among the sill
yer delegates who have already arrived,
and among them are some who would not
be averse to his nomination for President.
They feel however, that the conditions are
not vet ripe for the springing of his name,
and say that it would be opposed TO the in
terests of both Senator Teller and the silver
cause to bring him TO the front at this time,
If at ALL There are also number OF Sena-
tor Teler's silver Republican and Populist
friends in the city, who are devoting them
selves more to watching the course of
events than to any active work. The Popu-
lists who are here say openly that Mr.. Tel
Ter is the only man the Democrats can
name that they will indorse. The silver Re-
publicans are not so pronounced. They put
the matter less pointedly by saying that
Teller is the only man whose nomination
would insure the Western States to the
Democratic ticket. 1t is not the pur-
pose of the Senator's friends to have him
placed In nomination as others will be- This
course, they consider. would be in bad
form and contrary to Mr.. Teler's wishes.
Their plan is not to make aggressive
campaign, but simply 10 be on the ground
to answer questions and to take advantage
of any opportunity that may offer.
Congressman Shafroth, of Colorado.
asked to-day to define the claim Of the
Teller men and replied: Senator Teller is
not candidate in the sense Of seeking the
nomination as could meulber OF the
Democratic party. The friends of the Sena-
tor who cannot stand gold monometallism
are simply trying to impress on the Demo-
ara re he advantage there
be in uniting on Teller, who could solidify
all the bimetallic forces There is no ques-
tion," Mr.. Shafroth continued, that the
one man above all others whose name is
a synonym for bimetallsm: his is
Teller His speeches on the silver question
constitute series of treatises on political
economy which have given him the rank of
the ablest statesman in the United States
on that subject The Southern States are
sure to cast their votes for any fair nominee
of the Democratic party. They never have
failed in presidential year, and IL is not
likely that they viii fail this time. 1t is
from the great Western and Middle States
that there must be gain in order to bring
success, and that gain must come from the
Republican party In the States west of the
Missouri river the Democratic party has
been almost dsbanded, receiving in some of
those States less than 10 per cent. of the
there were not even Democratic electoral
| tickets i'm the field In 1892, and two years
ago all of those States went overwhelming
| ly Republican. 1t is very doubtful whether
a free-silver Democrat. having free-trade
convictions. could ne elected. At this time,
when Oriental competition is threatening
the determination OF our American manu-
featuring industries, IL will not be easy to
get the votes of Republicans to ndorse any
pronounced free-trade candidate. We be-
| lieve that bimetallism is the paramount
issue. and we believe this convention will
so declare, but II ought TO be willing to
make some concessions. Senator Teller Is
the one man thai could soiidify all of these
elements and produce victory for the BIZ
| metallic cause"
When reminded of the failure of the Gree
| ley campaign, Mr.. Shafroth said: Il know
! that the Greeley Endorsement by the Demo-
| cratic party is often referred to as a mis-
| take. But IL not a mistake and the
| fact that the Democratic party gained such
| enormous strength in 1876 shows that IL was
| not No man on earth at that time had a
| possibility of chance against General
! Grant. and had Democrat been defeated
| at that time by the same vote It might have
| worked dissolution of the party"
| Concluding Mr.. Shafroth said: Senator
| Teller ought to be very acceptable per-
son to the South II was he who openly
defed the party whip when the force bill
| was being considered in the Senate and
who said in his speech that IL was the
! most infamous measure that had ever been
attempted to be crystallzed into legisla-
| ton. The chances of Senator Teller being
| Endorsed ought to be- and are. in my jude-
/ ment, good. ! believe that il Teller Is in
! dorsed by all the bimetallic forces he will
be elected by an overwhelming majority"