Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-23
nee so DAZ I'll N G
Presidential Hopes Of Populists Are Grow
ing Dim.

The battle being waged by free silver
democrats to capture the Chicago conven-
ton does not please ambitious populists who
have been making calculations their
strength derived from having both the re-
publican and democratic parties adopt
straight gold platforms at their coming con-
ventionS. The populists of the country
have been deriving good deal of satisfac
ton from the belief that their convention
would be the only one of the three held by
the great political parties of the country to
adopt an unequivocal 16-to-1 platform and
to nominate an outspoken free silver man.
They were counting upon the reinforce
ments they would receive from both the
democratic and republican ranks. The
declarations made by Senator Tiliman that
he would at once leave the democratic party
and attend the free silver and populist con-
ventOn, and like intentions of some other
well-krown and influential leaders in both
the democratic and republican parties, made
the leaders of the poDulists believe that
their day of greatness was near.
PETER and Butler Are POutinE.
Since the outcome of the Chicago conven-
ton seems to be doubtful on the question of
silver, these hopes of the populists are much
less sanguine than they were three months
ago. If the Chicago convention adopts a
free silver platform and dominates a free
silver man then the populists fear they
will be out of business.
Both Senators PETER of Kansas and Butler
OF North Carolina are said to be up in arms
at the audacity of the democratic party in
attempting to take their most important
card in the coming elections and allowing
them, as populsts. to play second fiddle to
democratic tune. Senator Butler, it is
said, believes that the adoption of free
silver platform by the democrats would
simply be victory for the gold men, and
he regards the movement looking to the
capturing of that convention by the silver
ties merely a trick of the gold men. 1t is
asserted by popuiiSts that the gold men who
care little for party organization are actual
ly conniving to have the free silver men
capture the Chicago convention, so as to
divide the free silver votes between the
democrats and populists and to make the
republican ticket sure winner, as they do
not think the populists will vote the demo-
cratic ticket.
POpulists Nationally Distrusted.
But there are differences of opinion as to
what he outcome would be If the free sill
yer men prevail at Chicago. A great many
pcpulists say that their leaders are ambi-
tious, and that they want gold to win in
democratic ranks for selfish purposes
Many silver men say that the country
would never think of placing the populists
in power. That party, they assert has
been identified with too many crotchets and
partly developed schemes to permit the peo-
pie to intrust 1t with the conduct of the
government. Inc democratic party, they
say, is not in especially good repute, but
they believe it would stand much better
chance to elect a President on the silver
issue than would the populists. They be
lieve, too, that with the democratic plat
form and nominee thoroughly committed to
the free coinage Of silver the great mass of
populists would give up their party and
vote-th democratic ticket They look upon
the leading populistS as ambitious men who
argue for their own glorification rather
than for the cause Of silver when they say
they fear the consequences of having the
democrats adopt free silver They point to
the failure of the favorite son movement
throughout the country as sufficient evil
dence that the voters will not stick to GER
tain men when they believe that by casting
their ballots for others they will have a
fair chance to get what they regard as the
great issue before the country decided ac-
ding to their IDEAS
Program of The Gold Democrats.
1t is said that the gold men in the Chica-
60 convention will aim to have one of two
courses adopted. They want a sound gold
platform, or the most radical free silver
platform that can be drawn, so that the
issue can be squarely fought. But until
the Chicago convention is over leaders
among the populists will be on the anxious
beLch. In a gold platform at Chicago they
see a great future for their party and for
themselves. A free silver plank will make
them doubtful in the extreme of their own
future as political leaders, at least during
the coming campaign.