The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-06-23

Gave Scventy-two Delegates for silver
and Twenty two for Gold Politicians
Who Will Act
: Important Democratic conventions will
bc held in several States this week which
will definitely decide the financial com
plcNlon of the Chicago convention. Three
OF the most important occur to-day. They
are Texas Ohio and Illinois. Two others,
equally as important, if not more So fol
low ON tomorrow. They are New York
and Indiana. while Georgia holds its con
vention on Thursday.
Great interest ccntcrS in the action of
the Democrats in these States. Whether
it has benefited the silver cause that these
conventions We're slated for such late
day. is Il matter Of doubt. In Ohio it is
believed that the delay has been benefi-
ciai. but in Indiana it has apparently
weakened the silver cause. Had the In
diana convention been held one month
ago silver would have swept the State as
it swept Alabama early in the fight. and
Kentucky later. But within the last few
weeks the friends of the gold standard
through principle, and the Federal office
holders. through policy. have jumped
lulp 1llt ii-Ut di't lil'tt,t Il determined re-
>istancc To the advance OF the silver col
unn, which came upon them unawares
Previously no efforts had been made to
stem the rising tide OF sentiment for sill
yer i'll the State, because. for one reason
the gold men did not believe that il would
amount To much. and. for another. most
OF those who favor the gold standard are
business men who. as It rule. do not take
an active part in politics when it comes
10 organization, and very quiet part
even when it comes to election.
Still though the silver men We're the
aggrcssOrs, and had no opposition until
recently, the path OF their onward march
ha, not been one of level ease The silver
men were somewhat handicapped from
the start. they claim, by the inactivity
Senators Turpic and Voorhees, Both of
these gentlemen are we'll known silver
men. Thousands of copies of their sill
yer speeches in the Senate had frequently
been distributed throughout the State.
but when this campaign for the control
of the Indiana delegation To the Chicago
Democratic convention came on neither
Senator Turpie nor Senator Voorhees, took
IL working part Both were known to
favor the movement only because they
did not oppose it,
The fact also that Indiana had IL favor
NV sun -hfitAbtNS. a. IL tstll'iNtttlt lOI lIt
nomination at Chicago, who was prepared
tn accept the nomination on any kind of
Il plank, further complicated the situa-
ton, and made the work all the harder
for the radical silver men. who were
headed by Allen w. Clark. of Greensburg
Against these odds, however and other
little difficulties. such as Il beggerly
amount of money To dcfrhy legitimate eX-
penscS. and the deadly effect of IL few
doubling Thomases, Mr.. Clark went
ahead and got the State almost entirely
under his control before the gold men
knew what was going ON.
When they finally woke up and called
Il conference at indianapolis IL few weeks
ago. the silver men claimed that it was
too late. Since the conference at Indian
apolis, the gold men have been moving
heaven and earth to stem the tide. and
effect To believe that they will be able To
convince the delegates to the convention
in favor OF silver of their folly. and be
able To change their views after the as
semhling of the convention on Wednesday
TO such an extent as To largely detract
from, if not entirely prevent, their prob
able victory.
Ridiculing this asserted belief, the sill
yer men continue TO claim the State for
silver, and seem to he positive that "A
cago convention from Indiana. Events
within the last week prove that their
ground is perhaps more tenable than that
of the opposition. Chief among these
events favorable to the silver cause was
the silver victory in the indianapolis dis
trict. The gold men have claimed this
district absolutely. and some silver men
conceded the district to their opponents
Much to the surprise of each ii WAS an
undoubted victory for silver.
There appears to he little doubt of an
overwhelming silver victory in Illinois,
and Ohio seems determined TO follow her
sister State into the silver camp. by the
rapidity with which the counties in the
latter State have recently declared for sil
yer, fairly tumbling over each other. -
to speak. To he first in line. Allen W.
Thurman. of Columbus, has been ut the
head of the silver forces i'll Ohio. He has
made remarkable fight and is claiming
victory. What might have happened if
I'rice had taken the part he promised to
take. would he hard to say. When the
announcement was made that Mr. Brice
would defend the policy of the admins
tratiou, the silver men quakcd in their
shoes They had frequently had occasion
to learn the omnipotcnt influence of Mr.
Brice' persuasive powers, against which
'lltA Hdtl no >IlllliI weapon, ana tHtN
Shrank from the contest.
But the weeks wore away and Mr.
Brice was silent as the Canton sphinx.
He was neither seen nor heard.
Thus the Ohio campaign has bounded
along like Il financial football until the
silver men are i'll Il good position to kick
clear goal. That they will win the
game in that State appears to he clearly
indicated in the refusal by open letter.
published Thursday in Cincinnati of
John \. McMahOn to act as temnnrnry