The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-18

1t is very we'll for Mr.. Bryan and his per-
sonal friends to affect Indifference toward
the combinations making in New York,
Washington and probably quietly in Chi
cago and other centers in the West by those
hostile to a 1s-to-1 campaign in 1860 Mr.
Bryan is very strong with his followers but
thousands of them have not so far parted
with their wits that they cannot see that
while his popularity with the mass of his
party may continue, he will convince thou
sands that he is not the man to he made
President. Whatever enthusiasts may de-
clare, every man of observation knows that
Mr.. Bryan cannot carry New York, New
Jersey or Maryland upon 16-to-1 declara-
ton as the main issue of the campaign OF
1909. The Democrats who have judgment
now realize that New York is of more inn
portance to the party candidate than the
entire vote of the silver-producing States
in the Electoral College The votes last fall
in Kansas and North Dakota indicate to
such thoughtful Democrats that the chances
are that they will lose them on 16-to-1
issue in 1900, while the votes of Iowa and
Ohio show that in the next presidential
election they will vote against is to as in
1886 Those leaders can count upon the sill
yer States almost as certainly with an
evasive silver plank as with an out-and-
out 16-to-1 declaration. If they could devise
a silver plank like the two-sided tariff plank
of the Democratic convention of 1884, which
could be held to mean a full-value silver
coinage in the East and a ratio of 16 to l
md all al n ( II
to cheap dollars, they might have hopes.
Richard Croker, the magnate of Tammany
Hail. is the great man of the Democracy in
the East. He is SO recognized. He has
been comforting with the more conservative
men and those who have some political
sagaeity. Mr.. Croker has new club in
New York city. One day last week the
chairman of the Democratic national
committee, the chairman of the con-
gressionhl Democratic committee and
one other leading Democrat called
on Mr.. Croker at his clubhouse.
About that time the great silver organ in
New York, the Journal had three-coumn
attack upon Mr.. Bryan and the folly of
making campaign on the ratio of Is to l.
Three weeks ago the bumptious Hinrichsen,
of Illinois, seemed to have a walkover for
chairman of the Democratic congressional
committee. To-day Mr.. Hinrichsen is not
so much as member of that committee.
The average Democrat in this State who
is sure that he knows all about matters
does not know how far this secret move
ment against 16 to has extended. 1t might
possibly be a most surprising revelation If
a number of up-to-date Democrats in In
diana should make a death-bed, clean breast
confession. Already there Is talk of bring
ing the party together. Some of the leaders
have been in New York. They will con-
tinue to talk Chicago platform of 1896, but
it is two and half years until the next
Democratic national convention-a long time
for the conservative leaders to instill into
the minds of those who control local con-
ventions the Importance of conservative ac-
ton. In the convention of 1886 had New
York been in a position to have given any
assurance that the State could have been
carried upon a less radical platform It, might
have been different but Tammany was in
the dust and the party had been beaten
by 900 votes in 1894. Tammany was never
so powerful as now. The patronage in its
control and the wealth upon which it
can levy are immense. Between the aid OF
Tammany freely offered and the possibility
of personal advantage from the free coin
age of the silver mine trusts silver bullion
alta profit to them of 30 per cent the local
Democratic shouters of the recent silver
''push' will turn to Tammany.
1t is idle to assert that such change of
front is impossible, since the history of the
Democratic party during the past thirty
years proves that any face-about can be
made when the order shall be given. The
party which turned it's back upon its tradi-
lions and voted for Horace Greeley, who
had spent lifetime in reviling it, is equal
to any new departure.