Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-04
THE Sill YER WORRY
What Will One Side Do if the Other Side
Wins.
ContecturinS Wlro VIII Bolt and Who
VIII Strnddle or Eat Crow
Rather Than Do Either.

Those men who are designated in Con-
gress as straddle-bugs are making the
Oregon tangle, and the great demonstra-
ton the silver democ rats are having the
text for talk Of conservative and mod
crate" financial plank in the st. Louis
platform. 1t is surprising how much talk
CT this sort is now being indulged in
Some go so far as to say that there Is no
reason why the republicans should ALLEVIATE
the moderate silver men who would be
satisfied with any sort of suggestion of
friendliEess to, silver. by international
agreement or otherwise when, as a mat
ter of fact, the ultra gold standard men
Will have to vote for the candidate, no mat
ter if not satisfied with the platform.
Their logic is by adopting the Ohio plat
form even one little more placatory
toward silver though really meaning gold,
they will not only hold those silver repub-
ljcanS who really want to stand with the
party, but will make it impossible for the
delegates from Montana. Idaho, Nevada,
Colorado and Utah to bolt, while the
other hand the gold standard men will
have to be satisfied, since there will be no
place for them to go.
The Probabilities.
This argument, while widely INDUCED in
is criticised being based misunder-
standing of the situation. 1t overlooks it is
thought, two points In the first place the
silver men who would bolt the convention
on account of a gold plank are but few in
number and are just as certain to bolt a
straddle as they are frank declaration for
gold. Their pledges on the subject not
to accept anything but unequivocal
declaration for free silver.
IN the second place many very good poll
ticians believe that it is a mistake to think
that they can afford to count on the gold
standard men of the east being compelled
to accept anything the convention chooses
to give them. The gold men could not of
course support free silver democrat can
didate because the republican financial
plank did not suit them. but they might be
much less earnest and liberal in the sup
port of the ticket at a time when their best
efforts are needed. Again, the democratic
gold men, most of whom 1t is conceded will
vote the republican ticket if a gold plank
is adopted, would not do so If the plank
were ''straddle." straddle plank would
probably lose many gold votes to the ticket
without gaining anything on the other side.
Bolts nI,d StraddIes.
While the sound money" leaders in the
democratic party are declaring that there
should be no bolt, and while they may be
able to prevent any Sound money dele
gates from leaving the Chicago convention
hall. when free silver plank is adopted
they all understand and freely say in con-
NcrSatlen thaf they VIII not be able to hold
the voters who favor sound money" The
opinion is held in r"ry high quarters that
even President Cleveland and members of
his cabinet will not t=support the democratic
ticket if Silver man is nominated, but
will vote with the republicans If they adopt
gold standard platform ut st. Louis. One
of the closest friends of the President hint
ed this. He said that the gold men, if
they boltal, would not nominate an inde-
pendent ticket if there was already a gold
ticket in the field because they would not
be willing to divide the gold vote"