Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-06-18

St Louis. June 1.-THE eve of the
tenth national convention OF the re-
publican party at st. Louis resembles
a bride decked for the coming OF her
liege lord. Buildings are all at1ame
with buntings, windows are adorned
with pictures of the various candl-
dates, the air is filled with martial
music as parading clubs go sweeping
by. streets are surgeG with people
borne along in restless streams, while
hotel corridors are chOked with a
j0stling, pushing mass Of humanity
1t was estimated that there were 49,
coo strangers in the city last night.
The Southern and Planters hotels,
where the headquarters of the prln-
cipal delegations are located, were
thronged to the doors all day. Bands
played in the rOtundas and kept the
crowds that pushed their way up and
down the marble staiTcases in good
humor; while delegations met and the
leaders conferred behind closed doors
as to the final details. The most re
markable feature about the conyen-
so far has been the absence of bad
blood among the raTtisans of the va
rious candidates. The triumph of
Mckinley has been 50 complete thus
far that his friends can afford to be
magnanimOus and his opponents can
do nothing but acquiesce in the ascer-
tanned will Of the majority. Partisans
Of Reed. Quay, Morton and Allison
still wear their buttons and are
as staunch as ever in their loyalty,
but they realize the hcpelessness of
making offensive demonstrations in
favor of their champion and the man
ayers OF the anti-McKinley Candi-
dates have practically sheathed their
swords This does not mean that
they have abandoned the field. With
the exception of Governor Bradley
Of Kentucky, vino dropped out Sunday
night, the names of the other candi-
dates will be presented and voted for
and will probably poll their full
strength. Indeed the Reed men yes
terday labored 2ssiduousIy to rally
their followers to the last man They
appealed to his friends to go down
with colors flying So, too, with the
followers Of Morton, Allison and Quay,
but nc one ventures to suggest the
possibility of McI<nley's defeat.
The real struggle that is going on
is over the financial plank in the
platform. Beyond disputes in vari-
Gus delegations over supremacy and
factions, it is almost the sole subject
of plots and cOunter-plOts: it is the
real battle ground. In phrase and
word it is all important. Upon the
tariff and upon all other questions.
there is substantial unity but differ
ences upon the financial plank are as
wide as the continent Free silver
and gold are as irrecOncilable as the
poles, and radical silver men are pre-
pared to stake their all upon the issue.
and knowing that they cannot succeed
they are even now formulating a man
lfesto that will sever their allegiance
TO the republican party. But these
radical silver men are largely out
numbered. Headed by Senator Teller
they can only muster five states and
perhaps one territory-less than fifty
delegates III all, out of a total of over
9o0. The real struggle is between
those who are in favor of a bold
declaration for the maintenance of a
gold standard, except through inter
national agreement, and those whose
1riendliness to silver, although op
posed to free coinage, makes them
seek to avoid specific endorsement
Of the gold standard.
The result of the meeting Of the va
nous state delegations yesterday dem
onStrdted emphatically that the con-
Vention will not dodge this issue ror
equiNocate in its language. Twenty
eight states, comprising all the terri
tory east Of the Mississippi and almost
the entire south, elected members of
me resolutions committee and in
structed them to vote for gold
declaration Wisconsin. Minnesota
Nebraska, Oregon and WASHINGTON
also took strong ground for gold. In
Indiana General Lew Wallace was
chosen member of the resolutions
committee after he had declared that
ne would not stand on the Indiana
prank and that utterarces for the
maintenance of a gold standard could
not be made too strong for him. Min.
hesota with her IS votes Instructed
Ex-Governor Merriam to insist uron
declaration for a gold standard
Mlchlgan and several of the north
western states, notably Iowa and the
DaNotas and several southern states
including Georgia, Mississippi and
LOUISIANA, announced their opposition
10 Tree coinage but did not favor ton
radical a declaration in favor of 2 GOLD
standard. Iowa particularly. was So
hcltous and feared that it migbt car
y the northwest into the democratic
camp IN case the Chicago convention
pronounced later for silver. Eastern
oeleSates are OyerjOyed at the outcome I
ana believe the result of yesterdays
acton removes the last uncertainty as
TO the character of the financial nIank
Inc exact language of the plank has
not vet been drawn. Mark Hanna to
whom all eyes are turned. and IN whom,
IL IS agreed belongs the distinction of
pelng the dominating power in the con-
Ventlon, has had many pIanks present.
Ell TO nm, but all mean practically the
same thing-the maintenance of the
goid standard until an international
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