Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-01
Strong Sound Money Sentiment
Among the Jeffersonians.
TROUBLES CONFRONTING DEMOCRATS
They Are Hesitating Between Duty
to Party and to Principle.
CONG r E SIONAL GOSSIP

Special Dispatch to The Evening Star
RICHMOND. Va, August 1.-The senti-
ment among large and intelligent element
of the democratic party in Virginia against
the Chicago platform has developed in a
| remarkable degree In the past ten DAYS
While the politicians who have been waiting
for II have nearly all mounted the band
wagon, those who do not look for fayors
from the party ether than the usual safe
guards and protection, are simply consid-
erfns how best they can get out of voting
for Bryan and Sewall.
The large number Of prominent demo-
Gratis who openly declare that they can
not indorse the Chicago platform but will
vote the ticket simply because fl is demo-
cratic Is astonishing This is the key to
the situation in Virginia. The democrats
must either support their ticket or must
vote Tor Mckinley or must refrain from
voting at all.
ihey are anxious to record by ballot
thelr opposition to the Chicago platform.
which is seriously Objectionable 10 them.
but now to do this in a southern state ia
the question.
one way is to vote for Mckinley and pro-
lection and possibly a force hin rho ,1os.
serious of it all. The antipathy for This in
life. ~ OiaA
iiIe eiusdi 10 vote at all is hardly less
olstasteful because II will give a half vote
TO both sides, and will disfranchise the
voter He feeis IL his duty to vote one wav
or the other, and the result will be to seize
the democratic horn OF dilemma
Ihis condition will give thousands of
.otes TO the democratic ticket in Virginia
IN November next.
Mr.. Tucker's Defeat
The defeat Of Congressman Harry Tucker
Tor denomination at Amherst, c. H.. last
Thursday is another evidence of the deter
minahon Of the Masses aided and abetted
Iy the politicians, to express their approval
of free silver. State Senator w ID. Flood,
who defeated Mr.. Tucker is by no means
a strong man in his district or in the state
Tor two years ago when he opposed Tucker
Tor the nomination he developed so little
strength that he was compelled to with
draw some time before the convention was
neid Since that time Floods political
strength has received a heavy blow on ac-
count of personal difficulty In the senate
chamber last winter. between him and
Senator w. NJ. Flanagan of Powhatan
county, in which he is charged with taking
undue advantage of his antagonist which
is perhaps the gravest charge that can be
preferred against gentleman in the south.
While Mr. fuckers course since the
Staunton convention has been somewhat
criticised, in that he mounted the Chicago
platform after expressing strong sound
money convictions ct that convention and
in doing so making heroic defense of the
administration and an able appeal for sound
money, he is one of the strongest men In
public life in Virginia. His course in Con-
gresS has excited the admiration of all Nir-
ginia, and his name and personality carry
with II great strength There is no doubt
of the fact that the feeling over his defeat
in the tenth district is but the continuation
Of the old Martin-Lee political feud a
breach in the democratic party In Virginia
that will not be healed for many years to
come.
Jacob HOst's Chances.
Just here II is appropriate to add that
Jacob Yost of Staunton will almost GER
tanly be renominated by the republican
party for Congress in the tenth district.
He is not an Objectionable partisan and will
no doubt receive the sound money demo-
cratic vote; besides, he is more than a
match for Flood in debate and is shrewd
enough to use the Lee-Martin imbroglio and
the Flanagan attack for all II is worth
The opinion is expressed here today by
well-posted polite ans that Yost has fight
ing chance for the seat IN Congress from
the tenth district
The situation in the third Richmond dis
trict is indeed an interesting one. As IL
stands today the democratic party or the
free slverites, they are called, is on
the defensive.
The trouble arises out Of the fact that
Congressman Tazewell Elicit, who stands
again for denomination at the hands OF
tine democratic party, was a sound money
man before the Chicago convention, but
has since perched himself brazenly upon
the free silver platform. The original sill
yer men do not want him, and have agreed
among themselves upon another one, Geo.
p. Haw of Hanover, unknown to fortune
and to fame. but who can lay claim to be-
ing an original silver man, which is enough.
Elicit, in the meantime, is hustlirg for
the nomination, while Silver Dick Fray
ser has also announced himself a cam
didate for the regular nomination, and
thus ii will stand until the nominating
convention, the date of which is not yet
fixed, is held.
The Condition I'm Richmond.
The sound money democrats. WHO are
numerous in this city. are not idle. They
are determined to be represented in Con-
gress. and they are looking to ex-Congress-
man Geo. D. Wise, who has repudated the
Chicago platform, to lead them. The plan
is to induce the republicans not to make
any nomination for this district, but give
their tacir Endorsement to Capt. Wise,
whose able and energetic defense of the
Lunenburg negroes tried for murder in the
famous Pollard case has made him the
idol of that race in this city. Therefore
the republican leaders will have no trouble
I'm getting the colored element of the party
to support him
Besides, CAPT. Wise has a strong personal
following i'm the district, and is a shrewd
caLvasser and an adroit politician.
The sound money men of Richmond are
not only numerous, but they comprise the
most influential class: men who have been
the bulwark of the democratic party in
past years. Among their ranks are the
men who have always answered literally
every appeal for financial help in the party
campaigns, and furnished the sinews OF
war which have contributed to every DEM
ocratic victory in the past.
They are not Of the sentimental kind,
who let party affiliation carry them con-
trary to well-founded convictions, and they
will prove stubborn opponents TO the silver
idea.