Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-03-21

announce the abandonment of the two
thirds rule
Another change is also desirable This
year. above all other times. the people of
all parties demand clear, positive and en-
phatic platforms as to measures and poll
cies, as well as of principles. All classes
are tired Of 'straddlerS and Delphic an
nounccments which may be read in differ
ing senses in different sections of the coun-
try.
In the opinion Of the party in Tennes-
see, as l believe, democratic success de-
penis greatly on unequivocal declara-
ton in favor Of free coinage of silver.
I'm the Chicago convention the advo-
Gates of free silver VIII. In my opinion,
hold a large majority of the delegations
from states whose electoral votes can be
secured for democratic candidates: while
the opponents of free silver will draw
Their strength from states which under no
circumstances viii cast their electoral
votes for democratic candidates. Indeed,
no man in the face of the late election can
name a single state that is likely to vote
the democratic ticket that is not free sill
YER state. Hence. the operation of the
two-thirds rule will be TO invest the minor
ity, coming from republican states. with
power to dictate candidates Objectionable
to the states which are expected to vote
for them. The large majority of demo-
Gratis in Tennessee-and / think it obtains
throughout the south and west-feel that
they have constitutonally vested right to
silver as money. with every right that be-
been deprived of this right by vicious legis-
lat.on to their detrimeHt, and they propose
to re-estahlish the exercise of that right
through the ballot box. They mean to
have 1t tested fairly by having national
platform that is unequivocal in its terms
with candidate whose position touching
the free coinage of silver is frankly and
clearly announced. without reservation or
room for doubt. Such platform and can
d;date will challenge the admiration and
good faith of the masses Of Intelligent and
patriotic voters"
Florida.
Fiorda's congressional delegation is di-
vided on the money question. Senators
Pasco and Call are silver men, while Rep
resentatives Cooper and Sparkman are for
sound money" Mr.. Sparkman is the
chairman Of the state executive committee.
Mr.. Sparkman declined to talk for publ-
cation about the probable action of his
state, except to say that the democrats Of
Florida are conservative.
On the other hand Senator Call talked
freely. THE people of Florida of both
parties are for silver" he said. THE banks
the other way. The state executive COM
mttee is in the hands of the railroad in
fiuence, and l cannot say when it will call
the convention or what it will do. l will
say that If the will of nine out of ten of the
democrats of the state is expressed sill
Yer delegation will be sent from Florida"
The Senator also said that the silver men
didn't propose to he cheated and defrauded
down there any more, and that they would
"act to secure their rights this time
Kentucky.
Until the recent trouble at Frankfort
there was hope among Kentuckians that
the differences between the sound money
and silver men might be settled without
trouble when the state convention met.
of
hope, hut the general belief is that a chasm
has been created which can never be
bridged, and that the fight at the state
convention over the selection of delegates
to the Chicago convention will be one to
the bitter end. No compromise will be ac-
cepted from the side which is in the ma
jority at the convention One or the other
will lose everything. The delegation from
Kentucky will either be solidly for sound
money" or for silver, unless the situation
very materially changes, and that is not
expected. The silver men and friends of
Blackburn have been very much embit-
tered at the sound money men. They look
upon them as republicans, and neither ex-
pect to give nor receive consideration.
The interesting question now is, Which
side will have majority at the conven-
ton: 1t will be close. The sound money
Congressman from the state point to the
last convention as an indication of what
the next one will do, but some of them ad-
| init that the full silver strength was not
polled in the convention last year. There
were many who voted against the silver
| resolutions because they thought they had
| no place before the convention at that time.
Silver men say there isn't doubt that they
| will win, and SO it goes. Unprejudiced
sources, however, would more than likely
give the delegation to the silver men.
When asked what the state convention
would do. Representative McCreary said
4 believe that the state democratic conven-
ton will declare in favor of sound
money At the state convention last sum-
| mer there was lengthy debate on the