The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-07-05

ing. perspiring crowds, and vocal with
contentious wrangling. The head
quarters of the various candidates
swarmed with delegates and boomers,
mysterious conferences between silver
leaders and gold leaders occurred in
secret chambers sof the hotels. and
though the campaign bands and shout
ers have not yet arrived in force; the
Democratic national convention is in
possession. of the city. AS the conven-
ton is on like stream, frothing and
swirling with it's whirlpools and eddies
to its destiny, there is but one sure
goal. 1t is rushing with a force and
impetuosity that nothing car check or
turn aside, to a free silver declaration.
That is certain. For the rest, all is al
most inextricab1e confusion.
: The gold men trained their guns on
the enemy today, but they had as well
been shotted with paper wads. The
discharges made considerable roise,
but their effect was harmless and al
most as hopeless as firing toy pistols
at an armor-clad battleship. Ex-Sec-
retary Whitney. who entered Chicago
four years ago with naughty step, to
crush the Opposition to Cleveland, has
assumed the leadership of the gold
forces. Although the laurels of his old
victory still cling TO him he is no con-
duering hero now. He leads forlorn
hope. Nevertheless, he set his lieu
tenants to work and all day his aide
de camps have been flying hither and
thither, seeking a weak point in the
lines of the silver forces.
The hotel corridors were filled with
agents, laboring to convince the silver
men that pronouncement for silver was
a fatal blunder that could only consign
the party to defeat. perhaps oblivion.
But Mr.. Whitney, who came here with
the declaration that the silver men
must listen to reason, when they ascer-
tained the strong feeling of the East
on the subject, found himself confront
ed everywhere with the argument that
he and the gold men, of the East were
the heretics. Argument having failed,
some Of the gold men tried threats.
Ex-Gov. Flower, of New York, and Col
John r. Fellows openly announced that
they should not support free silver
candidate and even intimated that the
gold men would bolt.
Senator Hill, ex-Gov. Russell, of Mas
saehusetts; Chairman Harrity Ben
Gable. of Illinois; Bynum, of Indiana,
and others frowned upon such threats
as this, and, while talk of boiling is
naturally rife today, from present indi-
cations, there will be no physical with
drawal from the convention. Some Of
the most radical Of the gold men are
strongly inclined to
CHUCK UP THE GAME
and walk out, but they are being re-
strained. Whitney and the leaders
grew very mysterious later in the day
and whispered "wait" to their down.
hearted followers. What they can hope
to accomplish later no one knows.
Those who feel disposed to bolt, are be-
coming convinced that there is no
hope Of preventing a free silver plat
form and intimate that they would
welcome the nomination of Teller The
nomination of a silver Republican
would give them the coveted excuse
for supporting, as between two Re-
rublicans, the one who upholds the
financial policy upon. which they be-
lieve the commercial prosperity of the
country depends.
Some of the silver men were exceed
ingly angry at the talk of ruin and
disaster which emanated from the New
York headquarters. and Senator Black
burn recalled the irony of fate; which
tIidQC tHOSc IO-udy, as
they were four years ago, the source
of predictions of defeat Then Hill.
Fellows and Cochran, who is now alb
sent, made the welkin ring with their
protests against the nomination Of a
man who swept the country from
ocean to ocean," To-day he said his
tory was repeating itself and these
same men were attempting to under
mine the issue and destroy the only
chance Democracy has of success this
year.
The net result of the arrival Of the
gold contingent today strange to say.
is an acquisition of strength to the
silver, not the gold forces. The former
claim now six votes in Minnesota. six
in Florida four. in Maryland and even
some promised In words, In the East
From Massachusetts comes the news
that six of the delegates are for silver.
headed by George Fred Williams. who
four years ago wept in the house of
representatives because Crisp, a silver
man, Was elected speaker. Other
votes are claimed in the Maine and
Delaware delegations and it was said
there would be silver votes from New