The herald., 1896-07-06

national platform condemning federal
troop interference in the local affairs of
the states. The doubt cast on Altgeld's
attitude furnishes cause for anxiety in
the Bland camp. The withdrawal of
the Illinois delegation after the flourish
Of trumpets. with which its arrival was
announced, might prove disastrous.
The Matthews boom seems to have
been shattered by the row in the Indi-
ana delegation between the gold and sill
yer delegates over the question of re-
tiring National Committeeman Sherrin.
1t Is evident that Gov. Matthews made
perhaps fatal blunder in insisting that
several of his personal friends who are
for gold should go on the delegation.
The Blackburn boom does not seem to
be progressing, but John r. Mclean of
Ohio, the proprietor Of the Cincinnati
Enquirer, Is developing into power in
the convention. He Is surrounded by
trained politicians whose touch Is felt
everywhere. Although they are quiet
ly urging him for first place on the tick
ct, 1t is well understood that his aim is to
secure the nomination for vice president.
His corporate interests are initiating
against him, but his power is evident,
and there Is prevailing feeling that he
can secure second place on the ticket
1t is said that the Bland men have tried
to make combination with him, despite
the fact that 1t is pretty we'll known that
Mr.. Mclean believes that Teller would
be the strongest man to nominate.
Considerable discord is developing
among the candidates, and there is also
dissension over the platform. Many Of
the leaders are strongly in favor Of a
simple declaration for free silver. and
the practical ignoring Of all other ques-
tions. The tariff question especially
they desire to be handled gingerly, lest
1t drive from them the free-silver Re-
publicans Of the west, who are moderate
protectionists. Others, on the other
hand, think there should be a regular
Democratic platform covering all the
pending issues of the day. Some even
favor q very radical tariff plank. All
this BODIES i'll for the prophets of short
convention. The gold men, led by Mr..
Whitney. profess to be encouraged by
the outlook. Their plans seem to be
based on future contingencies. Having
fAiled to make an impression on the
solid phalanges of silver, their purpose
seems to be to stir up strife and take ad-
vantage Of such dissensions as may be
caused in the opposition.
The great advantage which they pos
sess-always the strength of hopeless
minority-is their compactness.
1--WE are a well-organized force" said
Don M. Dickinson of Michigan, who is
here with the prestige Of having
snatched a victory for gold from what
was admitted to be silver convention
in Michigan. 1--WE are fighting an un-
organized mob resolved only on one
thing-a declaration for the free coinage
of silver"
Such declaration they cannot hops
ingenious argument to secure a COM
promise on platform and candidate
They tell the silver leaders that If q
the silver Republicans of the west would
abandon them and the eastern Democ-
racy will be destroyed. and they will be
left high and dry with only the silver
Democratic support and without the
sinews Of war either from the east or
west. They tell them, therefore, that
they are confronted with the alternative
Of nominating a Republican to get the
support and aid of silver mine owners,
or yielding to the demand for COM
promise from the east, in which latter
event the eastern men agree to keep the
Democracy intact and furnish all the
campaign fund that is needed. These
advances are met with firm, but courte-
q " nf fho Gil 1oo dor
who simply reply that there can be no
compromise on the issue. The more
radical, however, receive it sneeringly.
In some quarters the silver men not only
meet the suggestion of a silver bolt with
Indifference, but some of them openly
declare that it would strengthen their
position, and they would welcome it,
The fear that the gold men, with almost
If not quite one-third of the delegates,
could plump their votes about random
and cause all sorts of mischief, and the
further difficulty Of making a nomina-
tion without the practical unanimous
vote of all the silver men has revived the
talk of a silver caucus. The secret fear
of Teller has also had it's influence in
favor of a caucus to decide the question
OI b CdHuludle. IneTe Will De no attempt
to hold such a caucus, however, until
the convention has assembled and the
difficulty of selecting a nominee in con-
vention has been demonstrated. Then it
will be argued that no candidate who is
for silver can refuse to submit his claim
to those who are to make the nomina-
ton. There is less talk today of bolt
by the gold men, and it was openly dis
couraged by Senator Hill, Mr.. Whitney
and others. Still, it is plain that great
many of the gold men will refuse to sup
port silver candidate, and some today
canvassed the advisability of placing a
gold ticket and gold candidate in the
field. The advantage to be gained by
them from this course, they argue,
would be the same which came to those
who refused to support Greedy in 1872.
Those who were dissatisfied with Greedy
nominated O'Connor Of New York, and
after Greely's defeat 1t was by their
organization that the party was re-
organized and placed on footing again.
The gold men propose to irlaugurate the
fight the moment the gavel is dropped
by Chairman Harrity. They are re-
solved upon offering gold man to the
convention for temporary chairman de-
spite the protests of the silver leaders,
apd Senator Hill is the man on whom
their choice has fallen. The silver lead
ers have the utmost respect for Hill,
but they and their followers are deter
mined that silver man shall assume