The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-01-25
And the Chances Are That He
Will be the Nominee
OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
On a Compromise Platform as
to Finance.
VIEWS OF A FREE SILVER MAN
Though Col. Morrison Wants Sound
Money he Wants Plenty of it and
Would Not Veto Free
Silver Bill.


\ well-known and intelligent Nortl
Carolinian, who is in Office here, Che
is free silver MANI, has written dowr
his views upon the situation with great
elearness. 1t will interest North Caro-
lima readers to know how things look
TO an otfice-holder (they are very
scarce), and so / give his letter in full:
~ recent poll of forty members OF
the Democratic National Committee
representing forty States, made by q
leading Eastern paper, showed that
Col. Morrison, of Illinois, was the
favorite of the members of the com
mittee who were willing to express any
choice.
add to this the lncompromlsing OF
position of the silver members OF the
comittee to New York city as place
for holding the convention, the fact
that Mr.. Whitney only had four votes
and that nine committeeman express
ed opposition to third term for Mr.
Cleveland. and the 'straws' indicate
that there is little likelihood that an
Eastern man will head the Democratic
ticket for President.
ssThat two members of the commit
tee favored Gov. Matthews, of Indiana
two Nice-President Stevenson, five a
silver man., indicates that Western
man will be chosen, and that neither q
pronounced gold standard nor radi-
cal silver platform will be adopted, but
that n compromise will he necessary
as five were snon-committal,' as &c
platform and candidates.
.In the event of conservative fin
ancial plank, Col. Morrison will be the
most available man. for. while he IA
vors good money, and enough OF it to
supply the needs OF fast increasing
population and growing commerce
his friends say that he says he does not
consider himself greater or wiser
than his party, and would not
veto a free-coinage message passed by
a Democratic Congress; that he is ~
sympathy and touch with the princi-
pies and the masses Of his party. His
candidacy, therefore would be an as
surance to the East that we would have
a sound currency, 10 the West that
the fate of silver would he wholly III
the hands OF the Representatives OF the
people, and to the South that she
would get what she most needs more
money.
IF Democracy is wise enough TO nom
mate some free silver Southern man
like Senator Morgan. as Nice-Presi-
dent. with a conservative man like Col
Morrison to lead the ticket. the South
would again be solid
'sCol. Morrison has other elements OF
strength and popularity. He is him
self good platform. He is honest
fearless and clean.
AWAY back yonder with Vance. Rob
bins, Scales, WaddeIi and others, he
was the champion Of tariff reform
long before Mr.. Cleveland was known
to fame.
As q Union SOLDIER he is popular
with the Grand Army of the Republic
and while always having favored lib.
eraI pensions while in Congress. he has
strength in the great pension drawing
States of New York, Ohio. Illinois and
Indiana.
f'From a vote-getting viewpoint, this
is very important. In the South con
trolling issue is whether State shall
be ruled by the intelligent and proper
ty-owning whites, or be turned over 10
negroes, and few shiftless and vis-
ionary whites, led by oifice-seekers.
"But an Indiana Congressman told
Hon. Il. M. Simmons some years ago,
that the issue in his district was pen
sions: that tariff, silver and other
issuse amounted to little This is
difficult for some of your readers to
fully appreciate, perhaps, but is not
surprising when we reflect upon the
everyday of the ordinary
voter, and consider how sensitive is his
pocket-nerYe!
1T is fortunate for Democracy that
Chicago was selected as the next Demo
cratic convention city, not only be-
cause the candidates she has nomi-
mated there have been successful, but
because local sympathy there will be
divided between at least two promi-
nent contradictions of Illinois-as
If will also be on the financial custom.
'.The dominating. commercial, influ-
ence in Chicago, as in most cities, viii
probably be for a single standard, but
thelocal organization of Democracy is
controlled by the free silver element OF
the party.
"As truth often occupies middle
ground between two extremes, let us
hope for platform and candidate that
will answer, even il they don't satisfy
all, and trust that the platform will
be broad enough to comfortably seat
every Democrat in the United States,
with at least standing room for all
PopuIists and free silver Republicans.
Nominated on such platform, Col.
Morrison would win. For if this is,
and it is to be, do-nothing Congress,
as Mr.. Reed intimated when he said
rest is often as healthful as exercise
and as Senator Allison thinks, if
the Republicans do nothing for silver,
while increasing tariff burdens, the
people viii drive them from power.
The plain people believe that silver
ought To be restored"