Evening star., 1896-08-01
PINGREE CLAIMS IT
Says He viii Get the Gubernatorial
Nomination in Michigan.
THIS ASSERTION IS CONTROVERTED
A Lively Political Time Promised in
the Wolverine State.
REVIEW OF CONDITIONS
correspondence Of The Evening Star.

Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
GRAND RAPIDS. Mich, July 30 1896.
Judge Victor A. Gore Of Benton Harbor
will preside over the republican state NOM
mating convention as temporary chairman
Wednesday. He was selected by the state
central committee a month ago. and as it
is known that he is sound" on the finan-
cial question, and fully in accord with the
declarations OF the ST. Louis platform, a
vigorous indorst ment- Of the platform may
be expected. The convention itself, al
though 1t will contain a large silver ele-
ment. will undoubtedly indorse the national
platform without qualifications and any
effort to secure a more favorable declara-
ton for silver will be frowned upon. The
politica, situation in the state is such that
any other action by the republicans has
become Impossible. however much several
oficet olders who realize the strength of
the silver sentiment may wish 1t other
wise. The democrats, free silver folks and
pcpulists will put up union ticket, and
In this combination 1t Is expected all the
levers of free silver will be enlisted.
Silver Sentiment Widespread.
With national platform declaring for
gold, the republicans are forced to face the
music. No other course is open to them.
and they must depend upon subsidence
of the silver sentiment in the state and
vigorous campaign Of education to pull
them through. The silver sentiment will
undoubtedly subside; in fact, indications of
it are already discernible. For two years
silver has had a clear field. while the gold
side Of the question has been scarcely
touched upon. Now that the issue between
the two metals is Squarely drawn silver
will have hotter competitor for public at
tention, and will not make SO everlsstingly
q full sweep Of things as the SllVerlteS nave
fGndly hoped for.
The convention will convene at noon
and after the appointment of the usual
committees will adjourn for dinner. 1t has
always been customary to proceed with
business, letting the committee on resolu-
tiOns bring in its report when ready. but
this time the resolutions will be demanded
before anything further is done. and then
the nominee of the convention will be OBJ
liged to indorse them without qualificatio
or eQuivocatioa.
Claims and Counter Claims.
When 1t comes to making the nomina-
tions the fight between Col A. T. Bliss of
Saginaw and Mayor Pingree of Detroit will
be close and exciting Pingree claims enough
delegates already elected to nominate him
on the first ballot. but Bliss is not willing
to concede this. According to the Bliss
figures Pinsree will lead with a vote of
about $50 on the first ballot, while Bliss
will have $40 or $50, and the remaining
votes will be scattered among O'Donnell
Aitken, Conant and Wheeler. The friends
of Bliss think they can see where the scat
tering vote will go after the compliments
have heen paid to favorite sons. and figure
that their man will get enough of them to
nominate. Pingree's lieutenants are equal
ly confident that things will come their
way, and the fact that the first vote will
be a big one. leading the list. will help them
to carry Pingree through with whoop
On the eve Of the convention Pingree's 8
chances are decidedly the brightest es-
pecially as he has big trading stock for
combination purposes with Wayne county's
SOLD n1nety-Seven votes in his pocket
No Other Bitter Contests.
The other places on the ticket will be
quickly filled. and with very little friction.
Thomas B. Dunstan of Houghton will be
nominated for lieutenant governor by ac-
clamation, although Milo D. Campbell of
Branch has been mentioned as a Pingree
candidate. Fred A. Maynard will receive
the nomination for attorney general with
out opposition. and Rev. Washngto on Gard
ner will be renominated for secretary of
state without the formality of vote. The
candidates for auditor general are G. S
IhompklnS. at present state accountant in
the auditors office: Roscoe D. Dix of Ber-
rien, S. Perry Young of Montcalm. Nj.
March of Hillsdale and E. A. Wildey of
Van Buren. The nomination probably lies
between Thompkins and Dix. For state
treasurer the candidates are George A
Steele of st. Johns. E. F. Weadock Of Niles
and Joseph NJ Gaige of Sanilac. For SUI
perintendcnt of public instruction the en-
tries are Jason e. Hammond, c. F. r. Bel
lows. d. r. Mcclure and E. w. Ewing No
candidates are prominently mentioned for
member of the state board of education,
but the office will not be allowed to go beg
ging.
Democrats, Populists and Silverites.
The democratic state nominating conven-
ton has been called to be held in Bay City
August %. The free silver and populst
state conventions will undoubtedly be call
ed for the same time and place, and a
Union of the three elements on a basis of
division of the offices may be looked
Tor The three conventions will either meet
as single joint convention after each has
erected an organization by ITSELF or the
three conventions will appoint committees
to arrange a division of the ticket The
latter course was always adopted at the
old greenback-democratic conventions a de-
cade ago, and the conference committees
We're often out for hours endeavorinp to
NIX Up the slate. In the democratic-s c-sreen-
DICK combinations the greenbackers were
given the head of the ticket three times
COY. Begole being chosen first and elected,
ana then renominated and defeated at the
polls. George l.. Yaple, the boy of Men.
don another such man as Bryan is today,
was nominated at the third fusion and
was defeated by Gov. Luce. Yaple. not
Wlthstanding his political prominence a
1eW years ago and his meteoric career
defeating Julius Caesar Burrows for Con.
gress In the old third district, is now out
OF politics. judge on the circuit bench
and almost forgotten. The fourth and last
fusion gave the nomination to Welling-
ton r. Burt Of Saginaw, and he was de-
feated at the polls.
Mr.. WhitinE's Political Constituency.
In the coming combination Of the three
elements the nomination will probabaly go
to Justin R. Whiting. former republican.
an enthusiastic greenbacker and later of
the democracy. Charles R. Sigh, a silver
republican, is also mentioned. After the
head of the ticket is disposed of, the other
places will be distributed among the differ
ent parties, and although the syndicated
politicians are confident that they will
sweep the state no candidates have vet
been mentioned for the several places on
the ticket.
The democratic convention will adopt free
and unlimited silver resolutions in accord
with the Chicago platform, and may inject
Tito it some Of the favorjte doctrines of the
populists to insure the hearty cooperation
of that element.
The candidacy of Watson for the vice