The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1896-07-24
THE BRYAN MEN LEAD
DEEM TO HAVE THE UPPER HAND AT
ST. LOUIS.

| Suver convention what 1t IL
There For-Populists More Cut Up, But
the Men Who Are Managing the Chicago
Nominees Campaign Are the Generals of
Politics Present.
Silver conventions convene today, the
former in the hall in which the Republic
can national convention was held five
weeks ago, and the latter in the Music
I Hall, where Grover Cleveland was re-nom-
mated in 1883. Interest in the Silver con-
vention has been completely eclipsed by
the bitter struggle among the Populists
over the question of nominating or indoors
Ing Bryan. The programme of the Silver
| convention Is cut and dried. There Is no
| division of sentiment. Congressman
| Francis Newlands, Of Nevada, will be
temporary chairman, and William p St.
John, the New York ex-banker, permanent
chairman. They will deliver their speech
es, platform of a single plank in favor
Of the free coinage of silver at 16-to-1 will
be adopted, Bryan and Sewall will be in
dorsed, and the convention will adjourn.
Different with the Populists.
The Populists, on the other hand, are
rent and torn by internal discussions, and
the contending factions will plunge i'm
mediately into a fierce and determined
| fight which may be prolonged for four or
five days, and which from present indica-
tions will probably result in bolt no
matter which faction prevails. The hetro-
geneous composition of the convention,
comprising as 1t does many whose opin-
ions ON all questions are Numerically OPP
posed and who hold and advocate those
opinions with q bulldog tenacity that
nothing can shake; tho conflicting inter
ests and the conditions that hedge the
situation about, would stagger the oldest
political prophet were he to attempt to
forecast the result with anything like do
tail.
Bryan Men Have Majority.
The Bryan men still appear to be in con-
troll and the leaders are very confident that
they are in the majority. Practically all
the trained and experienced generals are
aligned with them They have the advice
and counsel of Senator Jones and the
shrewd Democratic managers who are
vigilantly watching every point in the
BATTLE and able allies in the Republican
silver boilers and the delegates to the sill
yer convention. They have very thor
ough organization for systematic and ef-
fective work. Yesterday they were rein
forced by the arrival of 800 Bryan Populist
shouters from Nebraska, headed by Gov
ernor Holcomb 100 energetic Populist
workers from Kansas, and many from
other parts of the west.
Must Either BE Mckinley or Bryan.
They are pressing upon the "middle-of-
the-road" delegates the view that the sit
uation presents the single issue-McKin-
ley or Bryan; that the western Populists
insist upon grasping the opportunity to
vote on the silver issue where their votes
will count and that failure to nominate
Bryan will split the party wide open and
cause discussions that will never heal.
They confront the southern delegates and
scattering squads from other sections, who
want to keep in the middle of the road and
have "no truck" as some of them express
1t, with either of the old parties, especially
the Democratic party, with which they
have been at war.
Claim Majority of 400.
While strong of conviction and vocifer-
Gus in their declarations that they will
never surrender the 'middle-of-the- road"
delegates are practically disorganized
crowd. They keep up great deal of en-
thusiasm at their meetings, and loudly
claim as high as 400 majority in the con-
vention. The hotel corridors ring with
their oratory and the applause of their fol-
lowers; but their claims of victory cannot
be figured out on paper. In. certain quar-
tiers, however, they appear to have I'M
questionably gained strength. In Wash
ington state, for instance, out Of seventeen
Bryan men who came in the delegation
they claim to have captured all but two.
PRESS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.
PopuIist Editors Doing Their Best to De-
feat Fusion of Any Kind.
The National Reform Press association