Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-09
LEADE RS
Plans for a Ticket to Represent the
White Metal.
WHAT The P0PULISTS EXPECT
Large fccessions From the Disat-
fected in Both Parties.
POSSIBLE DEMOCRATIC SPLIT

l.
The conference of silver leaders to be
he'd in this city this month will, it is said,
decide great deal as to the course to be
pursued by the silver men IN the comm 6
rational fight. 1t is not supposed that it
will result in a withdrawal of the silver
men from the old parties at this time, but
it VII result in ascertaining what they VIII
do when the pinch comes An effort will
thinks Of the situation, and how he will
act.
1t is said that the conference will be
composed largely Of popusts but that the
leaders of that party will not try to force
the silver men of other parties into be-
heving that the fight for silver this year
must be made by the popuist party. There
IS a wel-defined feeling among the popu-
list leaders that the party bearing that
name will never control national affairs
and that the only possible way to sue Iced
IS by an amalgama ton Of the free silver
1crces under new name. 1T makes no
difference what name we give it," said
popuist leader at the Capitol to a Star re-
porter, a rose under any other name smells
as sweet Then he went on to say that
1t made no difference to him what the
name Is; all that was wanted was a
change in the financial system of the coun-
try and other reforms" He admitted that
ne did not believe that the vast majority of
the free silver democrats in The south and
the free silver republicans in the est
would leave their parties to join the popu-
list ranks. In the fights in the past, in
which these men We're loyal to their re-
spectiVe parties, good deal OF i'll feeling
was enSendered between them and the pop
ullsts. There was also objection to the
lack of eonservatsm among the populist
frna s,slx
stood ready to join a new party, wanted to
see 1t under different leaders. He reiterated
tfat SC far as he was concerned, any Lame
would suit him.
4 Silver Love Feast.
1t is learned on undoubted authority that
the national convention of the popu,ists
Will be held SOME time after both the old
parties have met and adjourned and that
some western city, probably ST. Louis, will
be selected as the meeting place. At the
same place and time meetings of the var-
Gus silver organizations of the country will
be held. There will be a general love
feast for several days" leader said
"and then we viii get down to business"
1t is hoped to arouse SO much enthusiasm
that all the silver men will unite Lnuer one
flag and one name, and then and there
put out a ticket. One great object will
be to try to unite the south and west in q
political organization. This is known to be
a pet scheme with many of the southern
ard western men, who have their own
axes to grind. and who want free silver as
a side line. All animosities will be wiped
out. The old soldiers Of South Carolina
and Kansas will rush into each others
arms and swear to forget all that is gone
and to spill their ballots and their blood
for free silver only. Something along this
line was accomplished several years ago,
it is claimed, when a free silver love feast
was held at ST. Louis. Tillman and Lew
cling embraced each other and closed up
some other western man fell into each
others arms and declared everlasting love.
1nasmuch this love feast of the silver
men is to be held after the conventions of
all the other parties it is expected to re-
ceive carloads of recruits in the way of
the disaffected. The foregoing, in a nut
shell. is the plan of the populists.
'knives Up Their Sleeves
"These silver men in the old parties might
well leave the ranks now,' said prom
inent silver man to the reporter. They've
all got knives up their sleeves, and are
using them secretly every day. They are
guilty at heart of treason and they know
it. Common sense ought to teach them
that all this time wasted in feeling around
each other and in waiting to see what is
going to be done, could be utilized in Or
ganizing for the fray. The way it stands
now it looks like they are afraid. There
are but few outspoken men among them"
Conferences are getting to be very stylish
among the silver leaders. 1t is learned
that a regular conference of the populists
is held one night in each week at Senator
Stewards house besides extra sessions IN
case of extraordinary news to discuss.
The home Of Senator Harris of Ten
nessee is a popular gathering place for the
democratic silver men. They talk and plan
as much they like and matters never
leak out.
Tired of the East.
A startling statement was made few
days ago. 1t was to the effect that the
silver democrats in the national convention
will make an effort to have the represen-
tation in that body appropriated on the
basis of the democratic representation in the
House and Senate. In other words, they
will ask that two delegates be allowed in
the national convention for every demo-
cratic Representative and Senator from a
state, and that one be allowed for every
republican Representative and Senator.
The object of this is clearly seen. 1t is
blow at eastern domination Of the conven-
ton. A silver man said that it would be
hard for the states, which always send
democrats to Congress, to be outvoted by
states which send no democrats. No one
would consider it square, he thought, that
4 state like Maine should have the same
power in the convention as a state like
mississippi. The silver men from the south
and west recognize that they are likely to
,e outvoted in the national convention by
he east and northwest. Those sections of
he country, they think, did not prove their
democratic zeal in the last elections, and
ire not likely to accomplish much this
year. If the plan could be carried out it
WOULD give the men from the south and
vest control of the convention.
The question may be sprung at the meet
.ng of the national democratic committee
this month, but it is recognized that the
ommittee will have no power to settle it.
rhe convention is higher than the commit
tee.
VIII 1t BE Wedge:
1t is asserted that the plan outlined may
be the wedge which will split the national
convention without the question of money
having anything to do with it. The an
tagonism between the silver men and the
gold standard men of the east will be still
NC re increased. The convention will refuse
to accede to the proposition, and the silver
men will walk out, either to put out. a
ticket of their own or to join with the sill
yer men Of other parties.
West Point Cadets Appointed.
Appointments of cadets to the Military
Academy have been made as follows: Mar
I, T,-Sly