Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-02
SILVER MEN CONFER
Discussing Plans for the Fall Con-
gressional Campaign.
SEEKING EFFECTIVE COOPERATION
Alliance Between Carter Harrison
and Eastern Democrats.
LIE AID f RS IN THE CITY

There is an unuSu?l activity among the
silver n."n in Ger sress and some OF their
leading men outside of Congress Sumer-
Gus conferences : re being held by the lead
ers o. each of The three organizations
which form the silver party. They are
silent about their work and are trying TO
avoid public attention as far as possible
but they are working very actively toward
some end in view. There has never been a
complete cooperation between the silver
organizations, though they have been max
Ing common cause against the republican
party. and what they are trying to do now
Is. undoubtedly, to effect a perfect union
OF their forces for the congressional cleo
ton. which ' Ill bring them more compact
~ together for the presidential election in
1850 There was some sort of conference
last night and again today, though what
its nature was or where it was held is not
Known The only thing that can be got out
OF any OF their co2ferences is that they are
getting together Tor 4 complete co-opera-
tion.
Leaders In the City.
A short time ago dinner was given by
Representative Hartman, the leading sill
Yer republican of the House, which was at
tended by the official leaders of the three
silver organizations. A Gay or two later 4
statement was made that some addresses
were to be issued calling upon the silver
fcrceS 10 stick together
Nearly every day of late there has been
great deal Of passing back and forth be-
tween the House and Senate and between
the committee rooms on the Senate side
over which the silver leaders preside 1t Is
known, too, that Mr.. Bryan has been in
close touch with what has been doing and
that 1t has not related to the Teller reso-
lution or to any legislation before Con-
g4ess.
Chairman Tcwne of the silver republican
natonal committee has been here for two
weeks or more: ex-Representatiye Sibley
the silver leader Of Pennsylvania appeared
day or two ago and has been every day
IN the company of the men of the silver
party in both the House and Senate 1t Is
said that he is on his way to Florida. but
he is making long stop-off and is putting
IN MS time very actively dispatch from
Blackfoot. Idaho. states that ex-senator
Dubois of that state. who is chairman of
the silver republican national executive
committee, has started east and will be
mere TO confer with the other silver lead
erS ON the subject of union. At the same
time. IL is reported that Mr. Bryan is COM
ing east 10 meet with some of these gentle
men, either in Washington or some other
convenient point.
Hooking Eastern Democrats.
The probable significance of all this is
that they are planning to guard against
any effort that may be made by such east
ern democrats as Hill and Murphy ard
Croker and Smith to regain their influence
in the democratic party, so as to overcome
Bryanlsm; and intend to seal the COMPACT
Tor silver by binding more closely together
the three organizations in a union which
while preserving each separate organiZa-
uon, VIII insure perfect cooperation and
guard against multiplicity OF candidates
IN the contest for the next Congress.
Some credence is given to a suggestion
that Croker is trying to break UP the silver
forces in Illinois by playing upon the van
ity OF young Mayor Harrison of Chicago
and that there Is possibility that Harri-
son will cooperate with Croker for a modf-
fication of the Chicago platform and the
defeat of Bryan. 1t is said that Croker
Will De willing TO have the New York dele
gatlon 70 the next democratic national con-
Vention support Harrison as a presidential
candidate against Bryan, and that he will
expect to have the support of delegations
from other eastern states where there Is O.
strong desire TO overthrow Bryan. 1t Is
said that Croker calculates that Harrison
is IN a position where he ought to be able
to get control of the Illinois delegation
and that with this and the big eastern
delegations ne ought to be able TO make a
very strong showing.
Not Taking Chances.
1t is evident, whether there Is anything
IN this or not. that the Bryan and Chicago
people are not going to take any chances,
and that they are working every hour to
make the silver forces so compact that
they can hold together against both in
trisue and assault. The conferences now
tending TO utterly destroy the Influence in
the democratic party of the eastern con-
servatves who would like to break the
bond of sympathy that unites the party
with the populists and silver republicans
and 10 restore the unity of the old demo-
cratic party on more moderate platform