New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-14
SILVER DEMOCRATS ELATED.
THEY LOOK ON THE VOTE IN ALABAMA
AS GREAT VICTORY.
THE ADMINISTRATIONS DEFEAT IN THE PFl-
MARES MADE THE BASIS FOR MUCH
ROASTING AS TO THE FUTURE


cratic free silver faction in the House OF Heple'
scntatives were in high feather to-day over the
news of the victory won by the free silver Demo-
Gratis In the Alabama primaries ALABAMA mas
set the pace" OF them exultahiN e~c'aii'e''
and he added: THE movement In faVor OF Tree
and Independent coinage will sweep the south
Even Louisiana will not escape. Georgia VIII io'-
low Alabama's lead. and ole Virginia Is no longer
IN doubt The Administration leaders assured
the country last fall that the silver craze was ny
ing out-was on its last legs. so 10 speak-anu ""e"
Dick Clarke went home to Alabama three months
ago. with the Administrations besslng' 10 tn"
for the Democratic nomination for Governor ne
would have been willing to pay high premium
20 be insured against defeat; wonder now ne
fee,s about IT now And wonder how Governor
oates and Secretary Herbert. and the Admihistra-
ton generally feel over the result. lhe' nave
discovered at last. / trust. that one new Issue
sound money Cabinet officer. one ditto Governor anu
a small army OF postmasters deputy marsha's
and collectors and other office-holders. do not
constitute the peop;e' Of Alabama. Later on they
will make similar discoveries In regard to every
State between the Potomac and the Rio Grahde.
Other free silver Democrats talked in Ike
strain. Some of them dwelt upon the fact that
everv influence that could be brought TO bear
nv the Administration had been exerted in behalf
of Congressman Clarke's candidacy for the NOM
nation for Governor. and remarked that an Ad-
m,pis,ration with less than eleven months OF life
loft could not be expected to possess as much In
0ueuce as one with forty-four months OF power
assured 10 IL.
The free silver leaders now feel so conhdent OF
success that they talk more freely OF their plans
for the Chicago convention than they were willing
10 do a week or ten days Threats OF a bolt
are no longer heard from them. on the contrary
they proclaim that II any boiling is done at chicago
It Will be by the gold bugs" They also proclaim
that their ma jority in the convention VIII be large
enough and stanch enough to repeal the Anticipated
two-thirds rule" without difficulty. and that that
will be done Then they will have plain sailing,
both as TO candidate and platform Two months
ago many of them willing TO hear about or
suggest compromise. Some favored the nomination
of William c. Whitney. others OF william H. Morri-
son. a few that Of Carlisle. and so on NO South-
ern free silver Democrat was found In the House OF
Representatives to-day who was inclined TO listen
to anything except the nomination OF an out
and-out free silver candidate, whom every
Democrat could trust on an out-an-out free silver
platform. clear and plain In It's terms that no
man could pretend to msunderstand lis mean
ing. A few Of them expressed tho opinion that ex-
Governor Boies. of Iowa. would be satisfactory
candidate. but rule they were inclined 10 hsh'
shy OF the subject OF candidates
one of them. however. ventured TO observe. IN
tone of mingled regret and disgust. that III Adla
Stevenson mad shown some pluck when courage was
required. and had spoken, instead OF closing MS
mouth ana acting IKE cIdIi, ne ~"
nominated without any trouble. We want. ana
must have q VINO Is not only SOUND Deyohh
pCradventurc the silver question. Dut VINO II aso
brave enough to express and defend MS CONVICTIONS
all times and under al! circumstances Ill, -,
The sound money" Democrats In the House OF
Representatives did not appear TO feel as goolny 10
day a. they ought, In the opinion OF the members OF
the opposing faction. but they We're py no H'ihS
Jubilant. one OF them. man OF considerable prom
nence said In the couFse OF private CONVERSATION
with a Tribune CORE pOndeni: II am not disposed
10 deny decry the significance OF the free SILVER
victory In Alabama 1t VIII encourage IN" iTt.
silver men In other Southern States and may lcai
10 serious compica lions IN the National Convention
But our free silver friends ought 10 Iefnefnber a
number OF things, and not 20 OH a; hilf-cpck me
silver issue !s only OF seyeral very iinportdht
National issues that must not only be considered
by the Nail0ntI Convention. but fought over IN the
Presidential campaign. In. National platform must
contain moro than plank cr II Will rot accom-
moiate a jOrity OF the voters. even or our own
party What 30 our free silver friends propose to
do with the tariff ISSUE IL they ignore II they are
lost. II they undertake to reverse the Democratic
policy OF tarin reform and come out for incidental
protection they may receive relnfoTccments from
the ranks OF the extreme free silver Nepubicsns IN
the gains twice II In going 10 be az impossible
10 straddle the tarln question succe~fuy this year
as II is the money question. IL simply cannot BE-
done The truth Is that the troubles OF our free
silver friends have just begun. and Will continue TO
increase and thcken until the National convention
has finished It's work. No. | do not believe there
will be a spill, In the convention. That would be
disastrous In party sense. and even more foolish
and inexcusable than was the party split on the
question of slavery extension thlrty-oix years aso:
In my opinion the leaders Of both actions VII!
the party and Will devise means 10 avert II. | do
not believe either that the two-thrdn rule Will be
abolished by the National Convention after full
discussion and deliberate consideration and II IL IL
regard TO candidates for the nomination VIII not
be taken"