New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-14
ANNOUNCEMENT EXPECTED SOON.

While some prominent members Of tho Tam
many Hall organization are wavering and un.
certain as to whether they will accept the work
of the freak Convention at Chicago. with III
Anarchistic candidate and platform OF dis
honesty, no doubt can exist as to the attitude OF
Controller Ashbel p. Fitch, who has long been
considered one OF the most potential leaders OF
that body. While member OF Congress. TO
which he was four times chosen previous to
his election as Controller OF this city. Mr..
Fitch's position on the question Of sound money
was never an uncertain one. and while Con.
gressman as since. his opportunities for study.
ing the real purposes of the silver repudiators
and becoming acquainted with their underlying
intentions were second to those OF no man In tho
country. 1t will be gratifying to the business
men of New-York to know that Mr. Fitch does
not recognize the voice Of the mob gathered In
the Chicago Coliseum as Of any binding erect
upon Democrats. and tina, he Will not support
the nomination Of Bryan and sewal
A DANGER TO THE COUNTRY.
In answer to questions yesterday regarding
his course In the pending campaign. Controllsr
Fitch made this significant statement:
Il cannot support the ticket. The platform
Is not Democratic platform, and the candidate
is not a Democrat. He has no claims upon the
allegiance Of the Democracy. He said openly
that no power earth or In heaven could IN
duce him TO vote for a gold-standard Democrat
thereby notifying those Of us who believe IN the
gold standard that. II our friends were In ma
jority in the Convention, he would decline to Do
hound by its action He and his friends who
have put him in nomination have. therefore,
no claim upon the loyalty OF any Democrat.
Those Of us who decline to support him are only
doing prccisely what he intended to do II we
had more votes in the Convention than he had.
"I served four years with Mr. Bryan In Con.
eress and know him well. / listened for seven
vears TO the arguments of all these gentlemen.
Democrats and Republicans. who were support
ir~ the views which he advocates. Tne one
thing on which they are all united Is ha'reo
of the city in which live. and abuse OF tns
men in both parties for whom have held a hte-
long respect. The result OF careful personal
study Of them and their theories and tneir me'n-
DDS is the sincere belief on my part that no
more serious calamity could befal the couh''S
than their elevation to power
The Controllers clear and unmistakeaple staho
was interpreted to mean even more than might
be implied as coming simply from political
leader although Of wide influence In his party.
For a long series Of years Mr.. Fitch has been the
representative in large part Of the extensive
brewing interests OF this city and neighbor'
hood. His relations with the propretors OF these
large business concerns as legal counsel and In
other capacities have been close and intimate
II was the opinion Of well-posted politicians yes
terday that Mr.. Fitch's statement meant, IN ad-
dition to its text, that the big brewers upon
whom, in every National campaign, the Demo-
cratic managers have relied for heavy consripu'
tions in aid Of their Presidential ticket wouio
not be found giving aid and comfort TO COM
bination of political brigands, whose success
means the debasng OF the currency nnd the
destruction OF the Nations credit.
MR.. GRANT STRIKES HARD.
ExMavor Hugh j. Grant was equally explicit
and STRAIGHTFORWARD. Mr. Grant was one OF the
delegates to Chicago who wanted to leave the
Convention as soon as 1t was demonstrated that
the free-silver outlaws were In controi or the
bodv He said that he could not accept the plat
form as emanatng from Democratic ConVeh'
tion. When asked yesterday what Iammany
Hall WAS likely to do. the ex-Mayor said: Tam
u,orv Hall as a body, has not decided. but
,,.rv of its members have. They will no more
vote for free silver and an income tax than !
will"
ExPolice Commissioner James j. Martin.
chairman of the Tammany Hall Executive Com
mittee also a delegate to Chicago said yester.
dav that nothing authoritative regarding Tam
many's attitude could be said until the leaders
Of the Executive COMMITTEES had q meeting.
when this meeting would take place he declined
70 indicate but he intimated that 1t was q week
off at least.
TALK WITH JOHN c. sHEEHAN.
John c. shehan. leader of Tammany In Mr..
Croker's absence denied yesterday that he had
said that Tammany Hall could be relied upon to
support the Bryan ticket. II may have said to q
reporter at the station on arriving here that the
ticket was all right or something to that effect"
said Mr. sheehan, but intended 1t to be under
stood that no one could predict the policy Of the
organization until the Executive Committee met
and took action.
as Congressman William Sulzer and ex- Register
John Reilly. have declared their purpose TO sup
port the Popustc platform and candidates. and
to insist that Tammany shall come out for free
silver.
Traction Company. who accompanied William G.
Whitney TO Chicago as a delegate to the Con.
venton. said yesterday that ne should refuse 70
be bound by the edct OF the Convention Mr.
Ryan said: THE gathering at Chicago was not
q Democratic Convention. The silver Senators
and Representatives in Congress- including many
Republican members OF that body from nivSss -.
producing States who were present curing tnS
proceedings. were In command the nrst usy, o.s
Bryan and the Populist element overran shem
and took possession OF the fnop' -.
II shall not vote the ticket. NO man wne
claims to be Democrat can Inc piAtio.m
sdon,sd q as repugnant to Democratic principles
"A IL Is TO honor and patriotism. II II the duty
OF every man who loves his country to use hie
influence and his vote to defeat Bryan ana
Sewall"
A Democrat who has been almost a. active
az W. r. Grace in opposition to Tammany said
to a Tribune reporter yesterday: Just now
there IL q division In the Tammany camp a. to
the stand the organization will take on the
ticket and platform of the Chicago Convention.
Some Of the Tammany leaders want to have the
TWO HUNDRED SUITS