Evening star., 1896-06-18

republican or populist.
There is no intention on their part to
make an Independent nomination and ask
Endorsement. The most they will do is to
issue an address. and, perhaps, meet and
pass resolutions, declaring that Teller Is
the best man for the silver men to support,
because he can get more votes than could
any other. They profess to be willing to
support any thoroughly good silver man
the democrats nominate at Chicago, but
Teller would be the easiest man to elect.
Representative Hartman presented a very
complete argument on this point this morn
ing. which fully represents the views of the
rest, except Teller, Of course.
1 asked if 1t was the intention Of the
silver men who have separated from the
republican party to work for the defeat of
Mckinley.
Mr.. Hartman replied that it surely was
their intention. not because they did not
like the nominee of the party personally,
but because he was a gold man running on
a gold platform.
1--WE are fighting for silver" he said; 1--WE
do not consider individuals, and are willing
to sacrifice ourselves, if necessary, to
bring success to the cause"
l asked if he thought it possible to beat
Mckinley.
His reply was prompt. 1--WE shall beat
him.
In response to an inquiry as to the
proposition of urging Teller for the demo-
cratic nomination he made careful and
elaborate analysis of the situation from
the point of the silver boilers. which he
had evidently prepared to meet just such
question Hhen asked
'.ITrify nf ought n demand and
receive unity of action. After many months
of careful attention to the varying phases
and degrees of sentiment in support of the
RECOMMENDATION of silver he said, las a
result of Caily interviews with leading
bimetallists in all political parties and
quite an extensive correspondence with
bimetallists in all parts of the United
States, l have come to the conclusion that
there is reasonable nope that all of the
bimetallic strength Of the country could be
centered upon one ticket, and if SO center
ed, and judic;ous choice of a ticket is
made. that the full bimetallic strength of
the nation would be held for it,
That conclusion necessarily led up to
the inquiry, Who is the most available
man to head the ticket, and who will
bring the greatest strength and greatest
credit to our cause?
From the correspondence and interviews 5
mentioned, containing expressions OF nigh
regard for the character and service OF Mr..
Teller. l was led to make as best l could
analysis of the relative strength which
could be brought to our ticket by the men
whose names have been suggested through
the public press probable nominees. The
republican convention declares for the
straight gold standard and will nominate
a gold standard man upon that platform
Il shall support any good silver man the
democratic convention nominates But 1t is
not d question of what l will DO or what
any other man will do who is thoroughly
impressed with the Importance of this ques
ton and is ready to make it paramount to
all others. The question is. what man will
bring that ticket the greatest number of
electoral votes. My judgmt mt is that Mr..
Teller, above aall Others, is infinitely the
strongest man We can nominate.
And for these reasons:
'First-It has been conceded by a large
majority of all the democratic bimetallists
both in and out of Congress with whom l
have conversed (and l have talked to
very large number of them), that Mr. Tel
Ter. by reason of his bold. courageous and
patriotic stand against the force BILL can
carry every southern state with the excep-
ton of Maryland and West Virginia, and
with that concession l am content. Any
enc of the many prominent and distinguish
ed democrats mentioned to head the ticket
could do the same: therefore, thus far
their strength is equal.
In the West.
Now take the states lying west of the
Missouri river. Any one of these democrat
ic bimetallists on bimetallic platform can
carry the states Of Montana, Idaho Utah.
Colorado and Nevada, possessing 16 cleo
toral votes. but he would lose California,
Oregon, Washington. Wyoming, Kansas,
Nebraska, North and South Dakota. pos
sessing 45 electoral votes Mr.. Teller would
carry all of the states west of the Missouri
river. and therefore would have forty-five
more electoral votes at this stage of the
analysis than the democrats could possibly
hope to have.
Now let take the belt of states living
between the Missouri river and the ALLIE
gheny mountains. The democratic bimetaI-
list with all forces centered upon him
would certainly carry Missouri, would car
ry Indiana. would stand fair show of
carrying Illinois, would stand no show of
carrying Minnesota and little show to carry
Michigan.
MIR. Teller. on the contrary, would carry
Michigan. Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, and
am advised by number of prominent BIZ
metallic republicans in Minnesota that he
would stand more thar an equal show of
carrying that state. So that figuring Oh
What ere as near certainties as anything in
politics can be, Mr.. Teller would have II
electoral votes from Michigan which the
democratic nomr ee could not get, which,
added to the 45 surplus of the states west
of the Missouri river, would give him a
clear certain advantage of 50 electoral
votes over any democratic himetall:st that
we could head the ticket with. With Min
nesota Mr.. Teller would have IS more cleo
toral votes than any democratic bimetal-
list could hope to receive or an aggregate
vote for Mr.. Teller of 265 against 197, the
very most that a demo crat could hope to
receive.
Therefore. the question which presents
itself to democratic bmetallists, if nv
analysis is correct, is will democrats ex-
change what is practically certainty of
success for what, to say the best of it, is
strong probability of defeat? By such a
union Of f, rces the duties ard responsible
ties Of the administration Of the affairs of
the government would naturally and prop
erly rest proportionately upon the respec-