The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1896-05-30
IHESILVER LEADERS
PLANS FORA TICKET TO REPRESENT
THE WHITE METAL.

What the Pop7lis,s Expect-Large Access
sions From Dissatisfied In Both Parties.
Conferences Among Silver Men Getting
to Be the Thing.
The conference Of silver leaders to be
held in Washington shortly will, it is
kaid, decide a great deal as to the course
to be pursued by the silver men in the
! coming national fight. 1t is not sup
| posed that it will result in a withdrawal
| of the silver men from the old parties
| at this time, but it will result in ascer-,
tanning what they will do when the
| pinch comes. An effort will be made to
find out just what each man thinks of
the situation and how he will act.
1t is said that the conference will be
| composed largely Of Populists, but that
| the leaders Of that party will not try to
force the silver men Of other parties into
! believing that the fight for silver this
year must be made by the Populist
party. There is a we'll defined feeling
among the Popplist leaders that the
party bearing that name will never
control national affairs, and that the
only possible way to succeed is by al
amalgamation of the free silver forces
under q new name. ut makes no differ
| ence what name we give it," said a
Populist leader at the capitol to the re-
porter. "A rose under any other name
smells as sweet" Then he went on to
say it made no difference to him what
| tha no~,o ~,a- no All that 1uoc x,onfal
was a change in the financial system of
the country and other reforms" He
admitted that he did not believe that
the vast majority of the free silver
Democrats in the south and the free sill
yer Republicans in the west would leave
their parties to join the Populist ranks.
In the fights in the past, in which these
men were loyal to their respective par
ties, a good deal Of i'll feeling was en-
gendered between them and the Popu-
lists. There was also objection to the
lack of conservatism among the Populist
leaders. The free silver men, he said,
who stood ready to join a new party,
wanted to see it under different leaders.
He reiterated that, SO far as he was
concerned, any name would suit him.
1t is learned that there is a general
feeling that the national convention of
the Populists will be held ONE time
after both the old parties have met and
adjourned, and that some western city,
probably st. Louis, will be selected as
the meeting place. At the same place
and time meetings Of the various silver
organizations of the country will be
held. There will be a general love
feast for several days" leader said,
and then we will get down to bust
ness" 1t is hoped to arouse SO much
enthusiasm hat all the silver men will
unite under one flag and n name and
then and there put out a ticket. One
great object will be to try to unite the
south and west in a political organiza-
ton. This is known to be a pet scheme
with many of the southern and western
men who have their W axes to grind,
and who want free silver as q side line.
All animosities will be wiped out. The
old soldiers of South Carolina and Kan
sas will rush into each others arms anC
swear to forget all that is gone and tt
spill their ballots and their blood fol
free silver only.
Something along this line was &C
complished several years ago. 1t II
claimed, when a free silver love feas'
was held at st. Louis. Tillman aDt
Lewelling embraced each other ant
closed up the "bloody chasm." Ton
Watson and some other western mel
fell into each others arms and declared
everlasting love. Inasmuch as this love
feast of the silver men is to be belt
after the conventions Of all the othe'
parties it is expected to receive cart
loads of recruits in the way of the dis
affected. The foregoing, in a nutshell. !
the plan of the Populists.
These silver men in the old partie
might as we'll leave the ranks now,'
said a prominent silver man to the re
porter. They've all got knives up thei
sleeves and are using them secretly CIV
cry day. They are guilty at heart o
treason, and they know it. Comma
sense ought to teach them that all thi
time wasted in feeling around each 9th
er and in waiting to see what is goin
to be lone could be utilized in organic
, ing for the fray. The way it stand
: now it looks like they are afraid. Their
{ are but few o~utspoken men anon
them"
Conferences are getting to be very styl
ish among the silver leaders. 1t !
: learned that a regular conference OF tn
. Populists is held u night in eac
. week ut Senator Stewards house, beside
b extra sessions in case Of e~xtraordinar
!. news to discuss.
l The home Of Senator Harris of Ter
. nessee is o popular gathering place Il
!, the Democratic silver men They tai
and plan as much ~ they like, and maj
: tiers never leak out. -Washington Star,
FL -.