Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1896-04-24
ASSURED MAJORITY.
rRmAnrY A rwo-rmRss MAJOR
IT, ron FREE COINAGE.
Is the Way IN. Leading Western
Champions of cleveland size up
the Democratic National conven-
uou.

The Chicago Tlmes-Herald has taken
the lead OF Metropolitan papers or the
West In the fight for endorsement OF
Cleveland and the gold standard by
the Democratic national convention.
This letter from one OF It's leading stan
correspondents, printed last Saturday,
Is pretty clear statement OF this adj
ILLUSTRATIONS chances from the gold
STANDARD point OF view:
In undertaking to make the Demo-
or tic party hide the asses cara of free
silver under the Hon skin OF sound mon
ey. Grover Cleveland has on hand a
Job compared with which anything else
That no has undertaken is chlld's play
The sound money mon are waking up
none too soon. sitting in the ofiieeS
ana countlug-roomH or by their fire.
sides and living In Republican, made
atmosphere OF sound money. Eastern
Democrats have bsan ahsurdly indiff-
erent to tho extent TO which Tho Demo-
cratic masses OF the South and West
ana OF the Psci1c slope. IN fact OF every
part OF the country except New Eng
land md the middle states. arc deter
mined upon fight TO tho death for the
Tree and unlimited coinage of silver Mt
the ratio OF 10 TO /. and with an entire
disregard OF whit other nations may
do.
Weeks ago pointed out in these
columns. somewhat to the surprise OF
Eastern Democratic newspapers. that
the free silver men were already pretty
wen assured Of majority in the Chit
cago convention. A majority would
mean the adoption OF FREQ silver
platform upon which no administration
man could consistently stand The on
ly question In my mind was whether
the free silver men could secure the
two-thirds vote which ls required I'M
der Democratic rules for presidential
nomination. Tint question 10 stlll I'M
settled. but the probabilities arc decid-
odly in favor OF the twp-thirds being
secured. That end attained, Mr.. Clevc-
land might as well give up hope Of
nominating either himself, Carlisle,
Russell, Olney. Pattison or any other
Eastern Democrat except Whitney. Mr..
Whitney might indeed get the nomina-
tlon by the lavish use OF money, supple
mentlng the pressure Of the hdminis-
tration on the ofiiceholdera and pledge
to knock the bung out OF his barrel
during the campaign; but even that IL
doubtful in View Of the present Rggres-
slve temper OF tho free Ellverltea un-
less he stultifes himself by accepting
the nomination on their terms
"Under the operation of the unit rule
tho frea sllverites confidently count IN
the following states in the Chicago
conventions;
Alabama. Missouri, Tennessee. Ar
kansas. Montana. Colorado. North Car
oline. Utah. Georgia, North Dakota.
virginia, Idaho. Oregon. Washington.
Mississippi. South Dakota, the Territo-
ries, Minnesota. Texas. Kansas, South
Carolina and Wyoming
"These states, I repeat, they claim
with confidence. hut the list does not
all -. IA.
good reason. Illinois In honeycombed
with financial heresy. Gable and his
are making a gallant fight.
but 80 far they are not making any
Roadway. What effect Carlisle has had
remains to be seen. The state organi-
cation is in the hands, Of Altgeld and
and even Senator Palmer
der their influence Is likely to declare
for free coinage. Iowa In almost sure
ly OF the same way OF thinking, and
II declares for FREQ coinage
without reserve depends entirely upon
whether Ex-Governor Boios. who Is a
candidate for president. believes II
worth while 20 burn his bridges behind
him. In other words, the Democracy
alike In Illinois and Iowa IL for free
silver. and II Is only n question Of ex-
pcdiency whether II shall be so declar-
ed, Indiana f. more in doubt. but there
II an even chance tnut IL VIII follow
the suit OF Illinois and Iowa whichever
way they 20.
minnesota and Kentucky are fairly
deba table; 80 are Kansas aud Miehi-
gan, but the Democratic party In those
states is thoroughly saturated with
silverism. and l see no reason why the
sound money men should claim them
with and degree Of certainty. In fact
you may set II down as fair even bet-
ting proposition that with the possi-
BILE exception OF Ohio. which may be
ptifled by Brice, IN every state west OF
Pennsylvania the FREQ silver sentiment
IL dominant and can only be kept under
by the lavish use Of money and patron
age, Perhaps ought also 10 except
California, but only in abundant eau
ton.
with an assured majority OF free sill
yer delegates at Chicago and every So
called doubtful state AT heart for free
silver Mr.. Cleveiand's determination to
make the party bend to his VIII In eth
err platform or ticket. or both. Is heroic
to the point OF foolhardiness: but he
Is not the man TO be daunted by tho
prospect He believes In himself. and
his destiny and experience has shown
that he can make the Democratic party
swallow anything when he once has the
spoon in its mouth"