The herald., 1896-07-05

the gold Democrats, he was induced to
jump into the fight at the eleventh hour.
Mr.. Whitney has no hope OF q gold plank
being inserted in the platform. Neither
does he hope for the nomination of a
man with gold views. The best he
hopes to obtain is a compromise. If
anything more Is gained he will be sur
prised.
SCENTS A BIG BATTLE
Mr.. Whitney judges his own political
powers modestly. The day he decided
to take a hand in the struggle he said:
My friends expect me to attain the sue
cess at the Chicago convention that
was credited with having achieved at
the last convention. Then the senti-
ment of the country was so strongly in
favor of Mr.. Cleveland's nomination
that 1t was bound to come about Now
so many delegates have been elected who
have been instructed to support free
coinage plank that the task of turning
the tide Is, to say the least, not encour-
aging. 1t may be accomplished, but IL
SO 1t Will be after great effort Ger
tainly 1 am placed in a trying position"
Mr.. Whitney appreciates the natural
power of the silver men and, knowing
what intelligent political management
can do when backed by majority of
votes, Is anything but hopeful. The
silver men have majority of two on the
national committee, and they will also
control the credentials committee. II
high handed methods, like those adopt-
ed by the Republican national commit
tee, are resorted to it will be within the
power of the silver men to unseat many
gold delegates and award the places to
silver men. This is what may happen to
Michigan If several of the delegates
| are counted out in favor of silver con-
testants. it will give the white metal
men majority in that delegation, and
| under the unit rule the entire twenty
/ eight votes of the state would be cast
Tor silver. In Maryland six votes are
| claimed by the silverites. and in the
| case of numerous other states figuring
in the gold column there will be oppor-
| tunlt1es for the credentials committee
| to make sweeping changes. These are
! samples of the arguments used by Mr.
! whitney to show the magnitude of the
task confronting the eastern Demo-
| Gratis.
| Whitney's right-hand men will be Sem
ator David B. Hill, Ex-Governor Roswell
| P. Flower, William f. Russell of Massa-
chusetts, f. G. Stevenson. head of
Michigan's Big Four" Senator George
| Gray of Delaware, and Chairman Will
| lam Harrity of the national committee.
Mr.. Whitney has engaged suite of
nine rooms at the Auditorium. and these
| will be the headquarters of the gold
| men,
THE SILVER CHIEFTANS.
The most aggressive and skilled poll
tician among the leaders of the silver
men is Senator James h. Jones of Ar
kansas. He will be to the silver men
what Whitney is to the opposing side.
Senator Jones for more than q week has
had a skilled steering committee al
work watching every move of the ex-
| ecutive committee Of the Democratic
national committee and of the full com
mittee itself. No move can be made tc
jeopardize the cause of silver in the COM
mittees without the leaders being warn
ed. The steering committee will also
take charge of all the silver delegates
upon their arrival in Chicago to prevent
any capturing on the part of the enemy
The silver chieftains include the namel
of many men who are making contem.