Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-07-03
CAN osAAis 0I,i

VAN 20 WtNAHN WHY
Tho gfsat even. Of next week vii
be the Dtmoeihuc national conven.
ton at Chloagt; and TO isrge extent
the action OF that usstmblsge will he a
roply TO the question Va 10 whclb,r,
In the coming lresldeu,tal rampage,
the Democrats can win. o. TOO old
distinct Itf,y iiuos, iudepen IsaI 60
silver Republicans, victory Tor Tie
Democratic party Ia altogether out of
the question. II It could mu,tvr ~
$50 votes IN the electoral college out n
n total Of Si7, that would le mo best b.
ceuld do. But tho potsiUio outcome o
the convention on the silver question
puts a different fsce on tEs situation,
ana mskes speculation on the outc9mt
quite interesting.
There are at least three patsible
lines " procedure which the clnyeu'
tion can follow, with n reasonable cot'
tainly Of loeing. One Of these would
be as tusses,sd-lo proceed on old
lines. TLls can DO done with u deolar.
alton 'ot free silver, and a pronounced
platform ou tbv Afifi question. Should
the convection ignore tho fact that
was 40 potent 10 nominating Major
Mckinley - his tarid reputation -
and come out strongly agalnsi
that then II would allenate a
mnss Of voters who believe that a
change In ,srin policy would be an
improvement Ia the present situation,
aud who woulI not declare against II.
even with tee coinage pledge. On
this point Democratic safety conslsls
IN saying AZ little No possible to aniag.
onizs Tree coinage voters who ste
equally tarifi advoeates.
a second line, AMI one that h not
altogether sure will not DO adopted,
will DO 10 nominate "strajdlo" ticket.
A free coinage plank In the platform,
no matter how emphatic, will not avail
agains. even vice presidential cAndi.
date not oquAlly strong for silver.
There must be the platform anu both
candidates oulspoken for silver, ant
not too pronounced againsl the pro.
tsotive theory, to make any showing
at all.
The third courpe referred 10 would b,
TO give free coinage candidates and
platform, and to bp a. the same time
under tho domination OF tho extreme
wing represented by Governor AltgrlJ,
OF Illinols. The fact OF Altsold's
popularity with his party ia the
"auoket' state 10 no recommendation
10 him outside. His record aud inullna.
tlons arc too anarciisiIc Tor the oouu.
Try. The most ouIspoksn declarations for
free coinage OF silver could no, save
the party from tho boomerang that
Allgeldlsm would prove TO be, Ia oasr
II should be the dominating Influence
a. Chicago. In that lnausace Is thu
moGt serious menace OF tao party TO-
day.
But assuming that the d mocralic
party 10 wise on this occasion, that 70
kesps "shoulefs" out OF tight, avoid,
ofieuso 10 pro.eetilnist silver men anu
allayB all fear Of anatchi,liu tendencies,
there iS the fourth danger that there
may DO sufficient Popull.l
strength to break the Democratic
silver rank 90 iAvor VI the op.
positioni but the leading prospect IN
this connection 10 that possibly such
break would have the effect Of throw.
ing the election Into the House OF
Representatives.
Thus It may be seen that the Chicago
convention has serious difficulties 10
cope with, anu II these arc all mst
there Is uncertainty concerning
unilod support outside the ardent nd.
voca,es Of the So, Louis platform anu
candidates. But supposing that the
party craft is stceIed 10 such man.
ner ne 10 pass those dangCfs
aud get the undivided support
Of Popullsts, silver Republicans anu
Democrats, what them o. that
showing here Is a table that ptefo lto
possible, Or even probable result; tho
rlgh, hand column representing thu
Republican states and the lott hand
the m0insj opposition,