Evening star., 1897-04-03
The Silver Combine May Not Long
Hold Together.
DEMOCRATS ARE OUTGENERALED
PopuIists and Silver Republicans
lrritated at Their Allies.
D A n G Err TO DEM RACY

While the democratic leaders are trying
to avoid the tariff as issue lest it divide
the silver forces, break is threatened in
another direction. 1t is a difficult thing
to hold three such elements as the demo-
Gratis, the populists and the silver repubH-
cans together a single issue. 1t re-
quires much more skill than many of the
democratic leaders have in the game OF
politics. The best politicians in the COM
bination are the silver republicans, and
some of the popUlist managers are not far
behind them in shrewdness and observa-
tion while the democrats are inclined to
be theoretc and are prophets after the
fact"
Danger to the Democracy.
The republicans have the business Of the
country to look after just now, and the sew
eral silver factions have little to do but to
scheme for the future and to rub against
each other. In their line they are more
active just now than the country knows
anything about. The three factions are do
ing lot of scheming TO strengthen their
respective positions. An extremely inter-
esting situation is developing, which the
republicans are watching with great In
terest, with the expectation that it may
result in break in the silver ranks and in
Still another party alignment which will
be extremely dangerous to the democracy
Their political methods are so different that
1t is evident that the populists and silver
republicans cannot long remain content to
the course OF the democratic managers
There Is a certain sort of selfish as
sumption of superiority in the democratic
way of doing things which is calculated
to cause trouble. Some of the best obsery-
ers of political events think they see the
prospect of an alliance between the popu-
lists and silver republicans. which will
leave the democrats out, if matters go on
a little while longer as they have since the
| three-headed silver alliance was entered
into last summer. All the present calcuia-
| tions of the silver men are based on the
assumption that this old alliance is going
| to continue, but they are liable at any mo-
ment to awake to a realization that it is
Impossible. Many interested observers
have been looking for the break to come
| on account of the tariff, but this being a
| danger always plainly seen. it has been
| guarded against and allowed for, so that
| 1t is likely to be gotten over without the
trouble that was anticipated. The real
| danger to the alliance lies in the treatment
| of the populists and silver republicans by
! the democrats and the impatience of the
| former at the lack of skill displayed by the
| democratic managers.
| Mistaken Senate Calculations.
| Attention will be called very pointediy to
| this when the allies discover how badly
! they have been mistaken in their calcula-
| cOntrOl lne senate. Ih1S was a
| matter left largely in the hands of the dem
| ocratic national committee and congress
| s:cnal committee. When the allies were
! completely routed at the last election they
| calculated on the Senate a stronghold
| left them. where they could remain, as in
| a bomb-proof fort They had doubt
that the silver combination had control of
| the Senate, and they still seem to think Sc
| They will probably discover, however
when the vote is taken on the tariff and
on the reorganization Of the committees
| that they have been deceiving themselves.
| They have practically lost two senators in
states where they had free silver legisia-
tures-Heitfeld being in the place of Dubois
and Kyle coming back. as 1t is UNDER
| stood. practically a republican. 1t is uncer-
| tain how Hetfeld will vote, but there seems
to be little doubt that Kyle will act with
| the republicans, and his vote will suffice
| 1t IS naturally irritating to the silver re-
| publicans and populists to see how easily
| their democratic allies are outgenerlled,
| especially when their own advice has been
| ignored.
| Kyle's Adroit Play.
AS the facts are represented to be, Kyle
| played it on the democrats and populists
very adroitly so that he had the demo-
cratic national committee helping him up
| to the time that 1t was possible for the re-
| publicans to make the necessary combina-
ton to elect him. Suddenly they found
| MIN reelected, owing MS seat to the re-
| publfcans, and unless he Is misunderstood
Kyle has practically become a republican.
| He assumes an attitude toward the admin
| 1stration such as republican would occupy.
| visiting the White House concerning pa
| tronage. and 1t is represented that appli-
| cants from South Dakota for federal ap-
| pointment have been told to see Kyle about
| the matter and get his Endorsement
This is all very painful to the silver allies,
| who think one of their own sort should
have had this seat in the Senate.
Future Possibilities
What has gone thus far has not caused
split in the silver combine, but all par.
ties are looking forward to the senatorships
| to be filled two years from now If the
combination fail to come to a better under
standing over those places than they had
at the recent election. there is no doub,
about 1t that the populsts and silver repub.
! licans will be forced into an independent
alliance. al the republicans will probably
| gain several seats in the Senate. If this
sort Of alliance is brought about 1t will
| very materially change the situation ir
| the next congressional election and ir
| the presidential struggle four years hence
| The populists are ready for just such q
combination. believing that it would be
practically destructive of the democratic
party In certain southern states and would
| render 1t the most insignificant of the
three silver parties.
|
| CIVIL SEDVUCE