The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-07-24
TWO CONVENTIONS
Silver Party and Populists Meet
To-day at ST. Louis.
SMOOTH SAILING FOR THE FORMER
Rut the Populists Are Still Divided on
the Question of Endorsing Bryan
and sewall-BOth Sides Confident
and Fun Is Expected.


and sewaIl-BOth Sides Confident
and Fun Is Expected.
81. Louis, July 22.-The Siamese
twin conventions which meet here
to-day in different halls, but at the
same hour, have as the ligature that
binds them together in a settled pur-
nose only the free silver plank of the
Chicago platform. There is no attempt
to disguise the truth that on all other
issues the two conventions will be
bopelessly divided. The national sill
YER party whose call, issued Jan. 4,
1896, stated that the paramount issue
it had to consider was: tThe gold
standard, gold bonds aud bank cur
rencv ON the one side, and the bi-met-
talic standard, no bonds and govern
ment currency on the other" On this
platform a presentation of 1913
votes was proposed for the national
silver convention" but n not more than
300 of these straight silver delegates
are recorded as present in the city, and
scarcely more than that number was
present when DIR. Mott of North Caro-
lima cal led the convention of the silver
men TO order.
smooth sailing for Silver Party.
The presentation of the peoples
party, or as it is generally termed the
populist party of the United States,
should have yielded 1855 delegates
and CSC delegates a total of 2,014.
Chairman Taubeneclk, who is not the
least sanguine of the executive officers
Of the peoples party, said this morn
ing before the convention met that he
did not expect a larger attendance
than 1000 delegates and alternates.
The national silver party meets in
what is known as the Music hall. It's
course will be all plain sailing. 1t has
only one purpose in view, the endorse
ment of free coinage of silver. 1t will
listen with more or less attention to
long scholarly addresses from Francis
c. Newlands of Nevada, the silverite
congressman. it's chosen temporary
president, and from William p. St.
John of New York, ex-banker, who
will be the permanent president. This
body will in all proba bility follow its
programme, which is to indorse the
Chicago nominees on a silver plat
form, issue an address to the people,
and either adjourn promptly or pro-
long the convention by long speeches
until its more turbulent neighbor has
concluded its proceedings.
Popu!ists Divided.
The peoples party assemble in the
same hall which recently echoed with
the name of Mckinley as the republi-
can nominee. AS to what it's course of
procedure will be the claims of the
two factions were this morning quite
as divergent as they have ever been.
The presence of Senator Jones of Ar
kansas, chairman of the democratic
national executive committee, and his
frequent interviews with prominent
populist delegates has naturally given
rise to rumors that a ''deaP' was on
which would secure the endorsement
of Bryan and Sewall 6y the populists
and such recognition of the peoples
party as would induce them to sink
for the time being their own identity.
Against this theory Mr.. Taubeneck,
chairman of the peoples party, inter-
poses the strongest kind of disclaim-
er, asserting with vehemence that the
populists intend to nominate candi-
dates of their own upon a platform of
their own.
Roth Sidas CouAdent
There has been strong talk of nomi
mating a southern populist for the
second place on the ticket, even if
Bryon should secure sufficient strength
to be endorsed for first place. But
shrewd manipulators who are man.
aging matters say that 'the tail goes
with the hide" and that if they carry
Bryan through, of which they have no
doubt, Sewe1l will follow. The mid
dle-of-the-road' men, on the other
hand, are claiming to have carried
everything before them. They held
meeting last night and counted twenty
states as with them in determination
not to endorse the Chicago ticket
But their opponents say that they
counted all the recalcitrant Bryan
men as representing their states,
whereas the full delegation, if polled.
would have been adverse to them.
Picturesque Gathering.
Both sides seem at loss to estimate
the significance of the selection OF
senator Marion Butler of North Caro-
Ina bv the national committee as the