Evening star., 1896-08-26
Democrats Are Being Organized in
Every Section.
STATISTICS OF MEMBERSHIP GIVEN
Preparations for the National Con-
vention Of These Bodies.
REPU UBLICAN CONVERTS

The work Of the National Association of
De mocratic Clubs is being vigorously pros
| ecuted, and today, for the first time during
| the present campaign, an authoritative
| statement of the association membership
| was made public, being given to a Star re-
| porter.
I'VE have now enrolled about 800 clubs"
| said Assistant Secretary w. S. McKeon of
| the association. by the 18th of Septem-
| Der feel sure we will have at least 1900
clubs In the association, and by October o.
| OOO There is no use exaggerating what we
have accomplished. as it would finally re-
| suit only In ridicule and would do no good.
l see that the republican club association
has given out a statement that they have
ls,OOO clubs and 2,5OO,OOO members. 1 give
no credence to such q statement There
never have been 1900 political clubs In an
association in this country, and in my opln-
| Ion there never will be.
The enrolment We have so faf secured
does not indicate the number Of clubs in
| existence in the country. During each
campaign we make an entirely new en-
| roilment. and the fact that a club Joined
the association at the last campaign does
| not lead us to include it in our association
! during the next one. The clubs apply for
membership anew at each campaign. There
| is no doubt that there are now at least
|
ciubs In existence, but they have not yet
all been enrolled. Clubs are being formed
| everywhere and the enthusiasm manifest
| ed III ciuD work Is unprecedented. In all
parts OF the country voters are anxious to
| Identify themselves with clubs as a means
or increasing their influence and we are
! daily In receipt of letters that indicate
| larger memberships of the clubs than we
have ever before had"
State Agents.
| A new feature of club organization in
| the democratic association is the appoint
ment OF state agents, who undertake to
| organize and have enrolled in the parent
association in this city clubs in every vot-
ing precinct of the country. Clubs have
always thrived in the west much more
than in the east where such organiza lions
have generally been discouraged by the
regular political organizations, because
they have been regarded with something
OF jealous eye as rival in the control
| of politics of the states in which they
operate. In the west, however. this OBJ
lection does not prevail, and clubs flourish
and are encouraged by politicians
In Virginia Representative Otey has been
appointed state organizer for the old do
minion. and during the short time he has
been at work he has reported about 300
| newly organized clubs, his aim being to
| have such an organization in each voting
| precinct OF his state. He reports that un-
usual interest is being manifested by free
! SILVER democrats, ana ne believes that by
| November there will be more active club
| organizations in Virginia than have ever
before been formed in that state. The
work in Texas has been placed under the
| charge of Mr.. Will L. Sergeant. editor of
the Hunt County News of Greenville.
| Texas, and Mr.. Sergeants reports are as
| encouraging to Secretary Gardner as are
those that come from Virginia. In a short
| time state organizers will be at work in
| all the states of the west and SOUTH and in
number of those of the east.
Colored Members.
Evidence that a considerable portion of
the colored population of the country is
| taking active interest in politics Is
! shown by the organization by colored men
| of clubs that are to fight for free silver.
| The Afro-American Free Silver Club of ST.
! Louis has been recently organized and
| given me mbership in the Democratic ASS >
ciation.as has the Colored Free SilverLeagIe
| OF EmpOria, Kan. These colored men are
| holding public meetings and are eager to
convert members of their race to the tenets
| Of the democratic party. advocating free
| silver as an issue that will advance the
| interests Of all workngmen and producers.
| The association is receiving great num-
| bers Of applications for literature, the de-
mand for German literature being so great
| that the congressional committee has de-
cided to supply their want by getting out
| an edition of of Senator Teller's free
| silver Speeche; in German, and this edi-
ton will probably be followed by other
| literature in the language of the father
land which has been already supplied to
the Germans of the west by the republican
| congressional committee.
| Converts Reported.
| The officers Of the Association of Demo-
cratic Clubs are taking great pride over
| the reports received from correspondents
| of the large number of republicans being
enrolled in the clubs. From Los Angeles
Cal. Moye g. Norton reports the organiza-
| ton Of a Bryan silver club, with $500
| members. Of which number. he says, 500
are republicans, and half of the reports
of club organizations give reports showing
portion of their membership to be Of re-
publicanS.
An evidence of considerable liberality in
the campaign is shown by a letter Just
received by the association from the Young
Mems Republican Club of Hyde Park
Mass, the secretary of which writes that
the members of the club are anxious to
know the arguments both sides CT the
| silver question and asks that democra ,fc
free silver literature be sent them. This
| request will be complied WITH though the
association has very limited supply of lit
| erature.
! The First Voters Bryan and Sewall Club
| of Fort Worth, Texas is the outcome Of a
very important feature of the work CT the
association in rallying young men in the
| coming campaign. 1t is claimed by some
| political statisticians that the young men
|
| fore voted In a presidential campaign, will
| WELD an influence in the coming election
nearly sufficient to determine the outcome
| and as these young men usually have not
| fixed political opinions they are regarded as
| the most encouraging voters on whom to
| bring to bear influences, both Of the club
| and literature. The democratic associa-
| tfon is encouraging the formation of first
| voter clubs, not only with a view Of their
| influence on the coming campaign, but be-
| cause they regard this influence on the
| voter when a young man AS very apt to
| be powerful element in determining his
! political af1ilia tions later in his life.
The Forthcoming Meeting.
The meeting of delegates of democratic
! clubs at St. Louis Is still the great event
| looked forward to by the officers of the as
| ISOLATION here. This convention of club
delegates has been scheduled for Septemb ber
30. bat there is now a possibility that the
meeting may be postponed for a week and
arranged 10 last two days instead of but
| one. This postponement is proposed by
democrats Of ST. Louis. who point to the
fact that about September Z the state ag-
ricultural fair will be held there, which they
think will be an especially favorable occa-
sion on which to hold the great convention
Of the clubs as it will allow many Missou-
rS~