New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-01-23
STTTER POSSIBILITIES.

SILVER POSSIBILITIES.
The silver conference which met at Washing
ton yesterday proposes to serve the country wen
by smashing the Democratic party past noSSlbil
ity of repairing. That is not the avowed inicn-
ton. But as the only chance OF an independent
silver ticket is to sweep up and absorb the en-
tire Democratic party at the South. and the Pop
ulists Of the South and West. and as the careful
cultivation Of silver heresics by Democratic lead
ers Of the South and West for many years
has prepared their followers to fight for those
hercsies even against their own party, it is
ouitc possible that the Democratic party may
90 TO pieces or that issue. More than twenty
wears ago when n Democrat now among the
foremost of the Democratic silver Senators de-
clarcd that the only hope of success for that
party was to assal the money power Of the
North" he was warned that Il rupture between
the East and the South would leave the Demo
cratic party in outer darkness forever Yet it
came to be believed by Democratic leaders that
Tammany and other swindling rings in North
ern cities could retain enough power. without
regard to the interests or the convictions OF tne
pconle 10 turn over the electoral vote of some
great States to the Democratic party. Having
thus sown. the party inevitably will reap.
afflicted with an unhappy defect OF mental
vision They are unable TO see that the course
which they propose. in order to unite the votes
of the silver-producng States, and the "ther
States of the West and South i'll which monetary
fanaticism prevails, is precisely the course 10
insure beyond peradycnturc the success OF 'he
Republican party in States having majority
of the electoral votes. The form which may be
chosen will not matter. Whether The bme'alhc
union formally absorbS other parties, or puts UP
tickets in some States on which Democrats ana
populists unite or contrives fusion between the
different parties. will matter not the least with
practical business men of the North ana East
who have intelligence enough To eaten the mean
ing Of any such device and who will be i'm
n,lled bv the instinct OF selfprcscrvation 10
mite against IT, In all the States north OF the
Potomac and Ohio and east OF the Nebraska
line. the Republican party had decided piu-
rality last fall and in 1894. and will therefore
be the natural rallying point of all who seek
safety
It is the notion Of President Cleveland and his
personal adherents that his strength Win the
moneycd and conservative interests at the East
would make him formidable candidate OF MS
party Formerly that notion may have had
some excuse But in any event such nolnlia-
ton would have caused a rupture OF the Demo
cratic party And no matter who MAJ be nom
mated no one can expect mere faction OF me
Democratic party TO succeed where the whole
marty has been ANONYMOUSLY routed. and the
nomination of ANYBODY representing the wishes
and opinions of the Administration would insure
the transfer of great share Of the Democratic
votes nj the South and West to the silver party,
M matter by what name il may be called. When
business men have to battle for safety In their
commerce and their industries they will not
stake everything upon the Success OF Il ruptured
and dissolving organization, which was not
strong enough 10 control a single Northern state
before it was nptured The inevitable result
will be powerful concentration OF such lnIer-
csts upon the Republican ticket.
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 num-
her of votes cast in 1894 in the Eastern, Middle
and Central Statcs-including Maryland. Della
ware and West Virginia which were carried by
the Republicans over 6,IOO.UO. There
may be added the States of Iowa and Mime
sofa. which are governed by the same Influences
and will in all human probability be found
voting agalnS, any SllNcT an! i 'p"'i"'
candidate or any Democratic candidate. or any
fusion Of the three. In this great body OF States
the votes cast in 1894 were 7,43O.404. ont Of
11.427.352 in all the States and IO4G.II3 were
Republican, against 3.3S3,63l for all other can
didatcs The votes cast in the slver-produclnS
and other States west Of those just named were
ON both sides 1.33S, 323. Of which G'2.3O were
Republican. The votes east in the remaining
Southern States on both sides amounted TO not
more than 2.G5s,62j. The plain truth Is that
the silver agitation embodies an effort Of less
than million voters to dictate TO nearly eleven
millions and 1t is not likely TO succeed The
States between the Atlantic ana the Nebraska
line. above mentioned, east IA electoral votes
and it must be apparent to any shrcwd leader on
the silver side that the chance Of defeating the
Republican party in any Of these States will
only be lcssened by formal union OF the silver
forces to grasp the control Of the Government