Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-07-07
SOME SIDE zGLANCES
CONTINUED from Ftrst page.)

get up In BODY and go out.
The sore spot that IS dangerous, how
ever. Is the disposal OF, the Michigan con-
tests. The action of the silver men on the
national committee in voting to seat the
gold men at the meeting last evening was
soothing in it's effect. Tt is not the votes
that the gold men want in this case; /. is
to protect Dickinson from a direct affront
The terrible confusion as to candidates
has given rise to the idea that the silver
men are becoming dsorganized and going
to pieces. The inference Is not warranted.
Their divisions do not extend beyond the
question of candidates. The inherent
weakness of all the candidates In the field
accounts for the inability to unite OH any
OF them. Bland Is still increasing his
strength. but he has not yet enough votes
to warrant confidence in his success His
supporters are anxious, and the opponents
to him In each of the rival camps are pro-
claiming that they surely have him de-
feated. His strongest card is to have a.
caucus of the silver forces for a candidate
This his friends failed in last night. and
started out this morning with little hope of
succeeding in it.
Looking for q Dark Horse
1t is darkly whispered that there must be
field for one. Turpie. Morrison, Hill, Bry-
All and George Fred Williams are mentioned
here and there. and vague intimations are
thrown out of some statesman vet I'M
named. The dark horse that is still in
sight is Teller. This convention does not
seem to be able to get away from him. He
may not be nominated. On the surface his
nomination seems the least probable con-
clusion of the fight.
1t Is a positive fact. however, that
enough secret promises of votes for him
at the proper time have been made to in
sure him. If the promises should he f,I
flled. considerably more than two-thirds
OF the convention. The time for the full
hlment Of these promises NAV not Gonna.
they might be repudiated If the time did
come. The fact is stated simply as it is al
this hour. Many of the managers for
other candidates have ceased to regard
Teller as in any way a factor. They have
been unable to find where his strength is
to come from. He is not to be placed in
nomination. 1t is rot known whore no c.n
get any votes on the first ballot, and. not
having any then, they do not see what
there is going to be to attract votes Ia far
on.
fhls Is the mystery of the convention
story. Its development is the only tangible
thlng ID be held in anticipation II the de-
Neiopment comes 1t will be extremely in
terestlns II not, it will pass into the cloak
room archives Of unpublished political his
tory.
The progress of the plan has been steady
Up 10 tits hour and the prospects of its
success never seemed brighter. But in n
situation as delicate and complicated as
'his the brightest prospects often come to
rothins and well-laid plans often fail
Candidates Besides Bland.
Three men besides Bland seriously hope
Tor success among the large number of
names that are to be presented. They are
Mclean, Blackburn AID Boies. The con-
viction the friends of each have that the
combination against Bland is going to prove
too strong for the Mis- sourian inspires them
with the hope. each for his own candidate,
that TIE prize is within reach. With The.
Teller idea eliminated. asst is practically
In the general superficial view of the case,
there IS every encouragement for any re-
spectacle leader to enter the contest with
q fair hope of success The choice is far
from made. II Bland can be killed off by
the combination the canvass can be begun,
de novo, no one of the candidates starting
with more than hundred votes. In such
a race any one might hope to win.
Tillman thinks this and is going in with
the hope of getting the nomination. Those
who want to nominate Matthews or Turpfe
think it. There are half dozen men who
have not been thought of who believe the
breaking down of Bland will give them a
chance. With this in mind all their guns
are being aimed at Silver Dick"
The action of the Illinois delegation, after
hard fight and many failures. in coming
cut for the Missouri champion, has added
materially to the strength of his boom.
Yet its force is somewhat shaken by the
fact that this declaration was made by a
bare majority under the unit rule, and many
Of the Illinois men are working against
Bland, though they are bound to vote for
him.
Some believe that the attack on the re-
hgion OF Mrs. Bland is going to inJure
BANDS prospects. This Is not apt to prove
true. The feeling of resentment against
such an attack and the very manly man
ner in which Blard replied to it is more
than likely to bring support to him. The
greatest fear Is that the subject being
brought up at all is going to add AN en-
barrassnent to the many with which the
democratic party Is already confronted.
They have been trying to keep all religious
questions out of the convention. Now they
are confronted with demand for decIa-
ration In favor Of religious liberty on the
one hand and for some A. P. A. declaration
on the other.
The course Of the gold men in the con-
vention is likely to prove a great surprise.
MIR. Hill does not approve Of the proposition
to unite or him as their candidate at the
wind up. He does not want q bolt. The
coEclrsion IS that they had better make
the best of bad bargain and try to throw
the nomination to as respectable candi-
date as possible. Another plan has been
proposed for the one which contemplated
casting their votes finally for Mclean.
The leaders think the new plan, which
they carefully guard, is a better one from
a political point Of view, and more dra-
matte as we'll. 1t has In view the success Of
he .orfxI srfl1