The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-02-13
THE PRESIDENTIAL ISSUE.
WATCHING THE TURN OF THE
WIND.
QUEER POLITICAL CONDITIONS EXIST.
The Various Political Journals Are Try
ing Their Best to Define the Coming
Presidential Issue, but Without
Avail


nails to define the coming presidential
issue. The National conventions have
been fixed in this order: prohibition
lists at Pittsburg, May 81 Republican at
st. Louis, June IS; Democratic at Chi
cago July Z; Populist at st. Louis July
%. A National free silver convention
has been called for the last named place
and date as result of conference of
prominent free silver men like Senator
Jones of Nevada, Senator Butler Of
North Carolina, and General A. j. War
ner Of the Bimetalic union. We quote
some striking ante-convention observa-
tons by the press:
%%a
Is There to be Another Know-nothing
Upheaval ?-"Attentive students of his
tory can not fail to notice that the pres
ent political conditions in the United
States in many respects resembling those
which all thinkers are agreed were re-
sponsible for the so-called knOw-nOthing
upheaval. Il There is a spirit of po-
litical unrest abroad due to the fact that
the leaders of both of the great National
parties are dominated by the men who
are interested in maintaining a state of
affairs through which they profit. There
can be no question that the masses are
utterly out of sympathy with the finan-
cial policy of the United States, which
they hold directly responsible for the low
ering of all prices of production, but the
machinery of parties is so thoroughly
controlled by politicians that they are
powerless to initiate movement for re-
form. AS in the days before the civil
,ha,,
was made to the slave-holding oligarchy
under the stimulus of the fear of possible
political disaster, so now are concessions
made to the capitalistic class which in
sists on q further extension of the policy
of contraction, with the full knowledge
that the drastic effect of the inordinate
cheapening of products must be to par
alyze industry.
"Under such circumstances it is not
surprising to find intolerance lifting it's
head, and men whose minds might be
better employed eagerly perusing polemi
cal literature. well spiced with
righteousness and mendacity. The
devil still finds mishcief for idle hands
adays with truth by saying that he finds
mischievous and unkind thoughts for idle
minds to brood over."-The Chronicle
Qnd), San Francisco, M. Ii. de Young
Rep), Editor and Publisher.
A Formal Union of Silver Forces Will
Unite Business Men-"Whether the BIZ
metallic union formally absorbs other
parties or puts up tickets in some States
on which Democrats and Populists unite,
or cOntrives fusion between the different
parties will matter not the least with
practical business men of the North and
East, who have intelligence enough to
catch the meaning of any such device,
and who will be impeled by the instinct
of self-preservation to unite against it.
The silver conference may well take
notice that, after all is said the silver
movement is an attempt of the tail to
wag the dog. The number of votes cast
in 1894 in the Eastern. Middle and Cen
trail State-including Maryland, Della
ware and West Virginia, which were car
ried by the Republicans-wa over g.
10000. There may be added the
States of Iowa and Minnesota, which are
governed by the same influences and will
in all human probability be found voting
against any silver candidate, any Popu-
list candidate or any Democratic candi-
date, or any fusion of the three. In
this great body of States the votes cast
in 1894 were Z ,43O, 4O4, out of II ,427 ,352
in all the States, and 4,046,773 were Re
publican, against 3,3S3,631 for all other
The votes cast in the silver
and other States west of those
just named were on both sides 1888, 1913,
of which g., $50 were Republican. The
votes cast in the remaining Southern
States on both sides amounted to not
more than 2,65S,625. The plain truth
is that the silver agitation embodies an
effort of less than a million of voters to
dictate to nearly eleven millions, and it is
not likely to succeed. The States be-
tween the Atlantic and the Nebraska line,
above mentioned, cast PA electoral votes
and it must be apparent to any shrewd |
leader on the silver side that the chance
of defeating the Republican party in any
of these States will only be lessened by a |
formal union of the silver forces to
grasp the control of the government
The Tribune (Rep.), New York.
x#a |
Democratic Prospects Are Improving
1T is certain that the nominations made
by the Republicans will cause disappoint- /,
ment among the factions. The bosses |
will control the Republican convention in
all things and their candidates will be
placed on the ticket. A main issue will |
be that of Platt and Quay against the |
the Democratic committee in fixing the |
date of the Chicago convention after the |
convention will enable Demo-
Gratis to profit by Republican blunders.
Results may occur that will redeem the |
At any rate the Democratic |
party will enter the campaign of 1896 |
with better prospects of success than |
seemed possible few months ago. The |
position of the administration on foreign
questions is popular and supported by |
men of all parties. In domestic questions |
the responsibility shifts to the Republican
which must be responsible for
all the evils of the times. Landslide
like those of 1894 and 1895
do not indicate n permanent alinement |
Of the voters at the ballot box Many
greater surprises than the election of a |
Democratic president this year have oc-
cured in political history. The Chron-
Gle Dem), Chicago.
A Free Silver Party Will Have Adj
will be for the Populsts
10 foregO many of their foolish notions
advanced in their late platforms looking
% State socialism in various forms to ac-
,omplish such union on the single issue
If free coinage. We would not be at all
if this would be the way poll
les will read in July. The Democratic
Ind Republican conventions will sub
agree on the money question
md differ on the tariff, while the Popu-
ist will go into the battle on the single
ssue of the free and unlimited coinage
If silver, with some such representative
If the idea as Teller, Wolcott. Cameron