The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-01-14

q Mr.. Henry Watterson, writing ol
"The Political Outlook" in tn
Forum magazine, suggests the pos
sibility, even the probability, of g,
$ quadrilateral contest for the presi
; dency, with candidates correspond
3 ing to Low and Tracy, George anc
Van Wyck."
c So far as the democracy are con
cerned, the reasons leading him tc
such a forecast are, in brief, his as
)sumption that the Bryanites will
bolt if they are not able to control
: the national democratic convention
and that the "more conservative
, democrats, sled by Tammanv, y
will bolt if they are outvoted by the
Bryanites. Neither side, concludes
t; MIR. Watterson, can afford To be
beaten and submit to the domina-
ion of the other in the party organi-
zation. "Can Tammany afford it?''
he asks. "Can men like Hill and
Whitney and German afford it?'
The triumph of Organism in the
convention, lie says, will involve
the "shipwreck of their local organi-
zation, and to "save themselves"
they will have to bolt and go it
alone.
The conflict between the two
wings Of the democracy is the more
inevitable, in the view of Mr.. Wat
terson, because of the late success
of the Democratic candidates in the
election where the Chicago platform
of 1896 was ignored. He foresees,
,,as natural consequence, that an
attempt will be made by "multi-
tude OF democratic counsellorsn to
repeat the ignoring in the new plat
form of 1900. The TRADEMARK"
of Bryanism being free silver, that
factor is committed to the repeti-
ton in 1900 of the campaign of
1896" and, according, is "sure to
bolt the convention" if it cannot
have its way. Thus he brings two
Opposing democratic candidates in
to the field, Organism supporting
the one and Tammany marshalling
the followers of the other. Nor
does he see much better chance
for republican unity, "though not
threatened by such imminent and
obvious perils."
1t is not improbable, that the ap-
parent benefits reaped by the "poli-
cy of evasion" at the late election,
in states which in 1896 turned from
the democratic party to Mckinley,
will induce powerful efforts for its
imitation by the national convention
OF 1900. Nor is it unlikely that
Tammany's influence will be ex-
erted to that end. No indication of
any such irreconcilable discord as
MIR. Watterson predicts, however,
can now be discerned in the demo-
cratic situation. The signs at pres
ent point rather toward harmony.
The delegates from New York to
the national convention Of 1900 are
not likely to repeat the unavailing
protest against the great majority,
made in 1896, but will rather dem
onstra.e their regularity by assent
ing to its will with all cordiality.
No bolt in case of the triumph Of
either Organism or its oppont nts
need be expected from Tammany.
The New York organization may be
'elied upon to remain scrupulously
'egular whichever side obtains the !
in the convention. Nor I
loes there appear at present any in
lication in any state of the possibili-
y Of the election of a delegation
which will bolt Bryanite platform. I
The indications throughout the a
Jnion are that the next national
lemocratic convention will be har- v
if not absolutely unani- y
nous, in its declarations Of policy /
nd principle. b
So far, therefore, as we can dis A
ern the indication Of the political s.
as it is now, they point to n
n even squarer fight between Bry- .
nism and the republican party in b
900 than we had in 1896. The ia
national democrats have alread Isl
isappeared. They have no exist re
nee even as a faction, and the bot 6
I'm has dropped out Of their plat in
,rm. Organism may undergo ol
'me slight changes in its guise, but to
lat there will be any essential NJ
ansformation in it is suggested by To
othing which has yet appeared in D!
he political situation since the g
ection Of 1S96.-New York Sun, W
Rep.) II