The National tribune., 1896-07-09
A SILVER CONVENTION.
But the Choice for President is Barely Fore
Swallowed.

shadowed.
The National Democratic Convention is now
in session at Chicago. The latest reports are
that Bland is still against the field. de has
been gaining votes steadily, but the silver men
cannot nominate their candidate without the
absolutely unanimous support of every silver
man in the Convention. This makes the stu
alton interesting. Combinations being
worked in all directions and Bland is to be
knitted, if possible The bitterness between
Bland and Boies continues to be apparently
implacable.
If personal sentiment could be subordinated
TO the nomination of any silver man, and the
delegates agree to support the man who COM
manded the greatest strength in the caucus,
the outlook would be clear crystal. Bland
would be the nominee, and he has still the best
of the game. Under the circumstances, how
ever, there will be no attempt TO reach an
agreement outside of the Convention until the
Developments of the balotiDg prove that such
q step is necessary.
The opponents of Bland tried on Monday to
bring Stevenson forward. He was appealed to
in the obscurity of his Illinois home to say
when and how be had first ranged himself on
the silver side and responded that it was as
long ago as 1873. when he had run for Con-
gress on the silver issue, aud had been elected
Hills name is being quietly whispered among
the delegates, and his Elmira speech is being
circulated TO show that he was once on the
silver side, and might he trusted to get there
again if his party called him to lead them to
victory. In the midst of these developments
Hill keeps craftlly silent. His chances for any
thing like fair proportion of silver support
might seem TO have gone glimmerng when he
allowed himself 10 be chosen. as he did on Mon
day. as temporary chairman by the gold men
of the National Committee, when be knows
that this action marks him Tor slaughter.
Senator Smith. of New Jersey, said the other
night that he believed the Gold men would
remain silent during the ballot for President,
the sentiment for this solution of the problem
being very general. by refusing TO vote,
said he, we will not be boilers. We viii still
be Democrats, and we will be free TO 60 home
ana let nr people follow their personal prefer
ences at the polls next November. III we vote
for any candidate will be participants in
the Convention, and will be bound to support
the nominee"
While many believe in the nomination of
Bland or Boics, gossip and speculation cast
about for dark horses. William J. Bryan, the
boy orator o. the Platte; Vice President Steven
son, John II, Mclean, the Ohio journalist; the
Blue Grass orator, Senator Joseph c. S. Black
burn Of Kentucky and Senator White, Of Cali
fornia; ex-Gov. James i. Campbell of Ohio,
are heard from. The Pennoyer boom from
Oregon was formally launched Monday, and
Congressman Joe Sibley, of Pennsylvania, su-
nounced his candidacy. At work in the back
ground is the Senatorial movement for Teller,
with the free silver Republicans and their
allies, the Populist leaders, straining every
nerve TO impress on the Convention the advlsa-
bility of nominating the Colorado man.
Only one thing looms up like a search-lght
in the fog that hangs over the situation and
obscures the vision Of the wisest and most far
seeing Of the leaders. That is the Convention
will be for silver at 16 toll