The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-06-23
Both Populists and Democrats
Want Genuine, Straight
Out Party Men.
WARDALL AND MAGUIRE TALK
The California Delegation Distrusted
as the New Democratic Gold
Campaign Begins.

watched by politicians OF all stripes here
as intently as in the East.
There has never in party history in
America been time of such complete and
fateful uncertainty as to what will occur
within four weeks.
What union or what scattering of silver
forces will come forth from the uncertain
workings of the gold Democrats, the sill
yer Democrats, the Chicago conventio n
for the control of which new battle has
begun the Teller bolt, now ready for CO.
quoting; the Silver party. which is ready
to indorse in all sorts of directions; the
Populist movement, which is still at sea,
and for the moment divided on Teller,
and from the side movements and plans
which are cropping out amid condition
of political prospects which offers few
CANDLES at even money!
Will the Chicago convention, which will
meet two weeks from to-day, yield radi-
cal gold or radical silver platform and
candidate or a straddle and a compromise
candidate? The gold administration
forces are rallying from the apparent rout
which followed the Kentucky victory for
silver and the predictions that gold will
control increase hourly from New York
to San Francisco.
news that the administration forces,
backed by the banking and other gold in
fuences in the party, will strain every
nerve to capture convention votes 10 be
marshaled under the popular leader ship
of Whitney, there are hourly incre asing
expressions of opinion that from one-third
to one-half of the California delegation
will vote on the side of gold at Chicago.
The California delegation is distrus ted
by free-silver Democrats, and is believed
by others to be surely divided on the
issue. Daggett will here lead the adm mis-
tration efforts to convert delegates from
the free-silver heresy. The mails will
bring to several delegates with gold lead
ings all sorts of appeals and arguments
from high sources, and every possible pull
that can be brought to bear will be felt by
them.
When the recent State Convention was
over the leading lieutenants of the Dag
gett-gold forces said: Hal Ha! They
got a silver plank and we named the
men,"
The Democratic State Convention
adopted a radical whole-hog, free-silver
plank, and the Congressional district con-
ventions named lot of goldbugs as dele
gates to Chicago. The silver men had no
organization and no leaders
The convention went to silver largely
because the party tide seemed to have set
that way and partly because the Federal
brigade had abandoned the fight, which it
has taken up again within two days. One
third of the convention voted for Reed 8
gold resolution, and the third would have
been nearly or fully half had the gold
campaign been vigorously kept up. The
State Convention resolved that the dele
gates were pledged to vote for silver, but
the district delegates are free to declare
that they were elected by Congressional
conventions and are not pledged.
The California delegation will not be a
corps of silver heroes, ready for the last
ditch, and of many such delegations will
the Chicago convention be composed
giving the solid gold forces of the East the
fighting chance they are taking and
making estimates of the silver majority in
the convention little more than guesses at
this moment.
Is there any possibility of the Demo-
Gratis and Populists coming to an under
standing? is, perhaps, the question OF
greatest moment, for such a union of the
silver forces, backed by the silver party,
presents the only real danger to the Re-
publlcans. Conflicting opinions come from
all directions, hut the strong and natural
party conservatism, which demands a
straig ht-out- dy ed in the-wooi party man
whom anybody may get in and vote for
that will, may be seen to be the thing that
any ybrid Democratic party. The Demo-
cratic party is proud of what caus es tits
record-and too many Democrats have
love and loyalty for the imaginary entity
party" on which affections come to rest,
to nominate Mr.. Teller, as the Republican
boilers are now pleading to have done.
Most local Democrats express opinions
which agree on the Teller point with that
given yesterday by Congressman Mcguire
Will the Popullst convention by any
possibility indorse Democratic free silver
nominee? The opinions of the Populist
leaders here are unanimous in the mega
tive. AS with the Democrats the sacrifice
OF 1.-The party" is an imposs bility. The
party means more than silver, they say
It is the expression of a revolutionary
force opposed to the old parties. There
are campaigns beyond this one aud the
Populist party has cost too much and rep
resents too much to be thrown away by
merging with a party that is torn, insin-
cere and full of what Populists abhor.
This is the general average OF Populist
sentiment here and it is expressed in the
talk with State Chairman Wardall which
follows.
The Populists out here are at sea regard
ing Teller and they discuss with care the
individual action of Taubeneck National
chairman, and the several other Populists
now at st. Louis in issuing an address i'll
vitIng the Populist party to take up Tel
Ter.
At the Populist State headquarters it is
SAID that but three or four of those who
signed the address advocating Teller are
men of commanding position in the party
and that their action is but an expression
of individual preference. The Populists
here like Teller, but he is not Populist
yet and they don't just know about it.
Mr.. Wardall was one of the committee
- ,tnl
the Populist National Committee at ST.
Louis to meet the silver men at Washing
ton, this conference resulting in the ar
rangement to hold both National conven-
tions at st. Louis on July % that any pos
sibility of union might be facilitated.
II don't think there is any possibility of
union except with the silver men," said
Mr.. Wardall, and his sentiments were in
harmony with those of George d. Gill
lespie, A. B. Kline and others there.