San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-07-06
ON THE EVE OF BATTLE
DEMOCRATIC CLANS GATHERING
FOR THE FRAY.
Bland Seems to Lead For First Place,
Though Dark Horse Is Looming
Up Very 0minOusly.

to order, and the intense strain,
bounding enthusiasm, surging
crowds and the hurried arrange
ment of details mark the near APP
proach of the crisis.
Early in the day the full
strength Of the convention the
began to assert itself. Every
train brought political organiza.
tions, uniformed clubs, bands Of
music and fife and drum corps.
They came in full regalia of the
convention with that individual
ity which the silver movement has
given to it's advocates. The third
section of the "Dick" Bland march
ing club has put in an appearance,
reinforcing the $500 already here.
The Nebraska silver train arrived
ablaze with bunting and unloaded
a thousand silver shouters. Boies
people were cheered by the coming
of a big delegation from the heart
of Iowa. Louisville contributed 8
stylish Blackburn club and later
in the day the Duckworths of Gin
cinnati, is scheduled to arrive.
The real work of the convention
began in earnest today with q
meeting of the national committee
at the Palmer house. There was
intense interest in the result OF
the meeting as the selection OF q
temporary presiding officer prom
ised to develop the first test Of
strength between the gold and sill
yer forces. The general impress
sion prevailed that the committee
would name Senator Hill as tenn
porary chairman, but there was a
wide range for doubt owing to the
determined attitude of the silver
men not to accept temporary
chairman who is opposed to their
views. The statement printed
over Hill's signature that the New
York delegation would walk out Of
the convention IL the Michigan
delegates were unseated was taken
as being particularly omnious Of
trouble ahead.
The silver leaders are to meet at
2 o'clock to determine whether the
temporary chairman named by
the committee is to be accepted.
The tendency Of the silver men ap-
pears to be toward Senator Daniel
Of Virginia, for temporary chair
man. The battle among the can
didates is reaching its central
stage. Today he appears to be
one of the dark horses.
A telegram from Vice-President
Stevenson stating that his election
to congress in 1878 was the result
of his advocacy of remonetization
of silver, is attracting much atten-
ton, and is regarded as having
especial significance at this june
ture.
Ex-Congressmsn Sibley of Penn
sylvania, is due to arrive today,
and a revival OF his presidential
candidacy is expected to follow in
his wake.
Tillmsn, the picturesque and
terrible, is also enjoying a dark
horse boom, as the result Of the
arrival of the South Carolina dele
CATION which is instructed to vote
for him.
BANDS followers put on d great
front today owing to the result Of
their caucus yesterday and are
making the extreme claim that
their candidate will be nominated
by reclamation. This is having a
counter effect of concentrating the
opposition to Bland and all other
candidates just now interested In
otfsetting the Bland movement.
There appears also to be consider
able doubt as to whether several
states reported at the Bland eau
Gus can be delivered to him as
bodies. California and Louisiana
are holding out, although
strenuous efforts are being made
to bring them into the Bland line.
The Indiana men say Matthews
is in a healthy condi-
tion, but they are giving no figures
and make no claims. They deny
most emphatically the report that
Gov. Matthews name will be
withdrawn.
Boies managers are confident
that Bland cannot win on the first
ballot. They are making up the
lost ground by reconciling the DIFF
ference among their leaders.
The various state delegations are
centers OF activity today and
most Of them are holding caucus.
es REORGANIZATION. With many Of