Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-07-14
THE NEXT BATTLE
It Will Be Fought Next Week at St.
Louis.
POPULISf and SILVER CONVENTIONS
Speculation as to the Former In
dorsing Bryan.
DEALS TO BE ATTEMPTED

| DEALS To BE ATTEMPTED
| The last national political battle in this
| country, before the big one in November
| will be fought next week at ST. Louis,
| when the populist and silver party conven-
| tons assemble to decide what they will do.
| The average citizen is disposed to look
| with lighthcss upon the gathering in that
| big western city, but there is not a politi
| clan in the country, democrat, republican
| or silverite, who does not know and Jeel
| the Importance Of it. 1t can be seen at
once where the Importance comes in. To
the democrats the Endorsement of Bryan by
| the populist convention means much. 1t
means. 1t is urged by all silver men. the
! addition Of several million votes to the
| ticket to replace probably that number
| which will bolt. To the republicans the
| failure to indorse Bryan means that there
| will be a division of the silver vote in the
country and the consequent increase of
chances that the republican nominees will
| be elected. The popalist convention is re-
ferred to as Of more interest than the sill
| yer convention because the latter is almost
| sure to indOrse the nomination.
| Pull ut Populists.
The populists will likely find themselves
ever been in the history of .he country.
They will find themselves waited upon by
| the emissaries OF the democratic and re-
| publican parties. They will realize their
| Importance. There is going to be greater
battle than most people believe 1t is
| thought. The republicans are going to do
| everything in their power, 1t is believed,
! to induce the populists 10 put out sepa-
| rate candidate. The democrats will argue
| to the best OF their ability to prevent such
| an occurrence. 1t is almost certain that
| some of the most prominent democrats in
| the country will quietly turn UP at St.
Louis about the time of the convention.
| To all outward appearances they will be
| there as spectators. but they will proba-
| bly, be clothed with authority that is high
| and powerful. They will represent the
| wishes of the democratic nominee for Pres
| ident and Of Senator jones' the chairman
| They will have power TO deal in a quiet
! way with the populists and to make prom
| ises Senator Jones himself may be there
some Cabinet Positions.
1t has been hinted for some time that
| the populiStic opposition 20 the then prob
able democratic nominee was because the
| poplist leaders wanted promises Of cabi-
| net places for themselves. How many they
J want is question. There is Senator But
| Ter OF North Carolina. for instance He
| declares that Bryan will not be indorsed
by the convention. He and Senator PETER
are practically the only prominent popu-
lists who have made this kind of an an
| nouncement. The others have either said
| they would support Bryan or they have
| kept their mouths SMUT. Now, it is said
| that Senator Butler would like to get into
| the cabinet OF a silver President some
| how. He would like to be Secretary Ct the
| Interior, 1T is said. The same is the case
| with number Of others. Would their op-
position to the nominee cease. the question
n M r
| promised places in Bryans cabinet? The
| silver republicans are also going TO want
some cabinet places before they will agree
| to support the ticket. That matter will
have to be attended TO at st. Louis by the
| representatives Of Mr.. Bryan and the DEM
| ocratic party. The promises will all have
| to be made there. The populists and silver
| men will want TO know what they are GO
| ing to get before they agree to indo:se the
| democratic nominee. 1t has been suggest
ed. and something may be done toward
people four of the nine cabinet positions
| besides making them certain promises as 10
a division of the other offices.
A Sentiment for Indorsement.
Many Of the state populist leaders who
have SO far spoken favor the Endorsement
| Of Bryan. The chairmen Of all parties
| in Colorado Joined in q telegram TO Mr.
| Bryan giving him their support. The pop
| ulists and silver men of Utah and Oregon
have pledged their support, and Gov. Lew
elling says the Nebraska populists will IN
dorse the nomination. In the St. Lois con-
| venticn, therefore, there are a number Of
states which will unanimously support a
| proposition to indorse Bryan.
| What effect the nomination Of Sewall
will have on the populist Endorsement has
been freely discussed. At first it was
thought that his nomination would do
much to scare the populsts away. His
bank and railroad connections would, it
was urged. be against him. The statement
that he is protectionist will. as Senator
| Chandler thinks, probably commend him
| to the populists and western silver republi-
cans. Sewall. however, 1T is believed, will
| be lost sight of in the consideration given
| the matter at st. Louis.
| Calculated to Cement Them,
The bolting Of the gold men in every
| state is calculated. it is said, to cement the
silver men. 1t will do more toward secur-
| ing the populist Endorsement than anything
| else 1t will be apparent to the silver men
| that the gold men are going to unite on
| one ticket. The Importance of their doing
| likewise will appeal to them strongly. The
| probability Of defeat. and Of their respGnsi-
| bilty for it, will be put before the populists
In hundred ways between now and next
| week. Then, on the other hand, the popu-
| lists will be told that they are mere tools
| for the democrats, who are playing with
| them. In this way the st. Louis conven-
| tlOn Will become ABOUT as emotional and
| sensational us the one which has lust clos
| ed in Chicago.
No Administration Support.
| Nobody in administration circles is talk
| ing for publication. but privately, as here
tofore stated In The Star, there are not
fifty men Of any prominence in the various
departments who will support the nominees
of the Chicago convention. They are even
bitter in their feeling toward the ticket
They haven't made up their minds what
they will do. but their course will be de-
cided within the next few weeks. This
feeling Of the administra don will be used
! for all it is worth at st. Louis to bring
| the populists to the program hich is de-
sired of them by the followers of the Boy
| Ora tor Of the Platte.