Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-09
SENATOR JONES RETURNS
Chairman Democratic National Committee
Discusses the Situation.
Says Mckinley and Bryan Will he the
Nominees AEain-Vicws as
TO Silver.

United States Senator James K. Jones OF
Arkansas, chairman of the democratic ma
tional committee and wife were passengers
on the Cunard line steamer Lucana, that
reached New York city yesterday. They
have been travelling in England, Ireland,
Scotland, Switzerland and Wales for sew
eral months. Senator Jones said that his
health had been much benefited by his
lengthy European travels, and he felt ready
to go into the hard work necessary in get
ting ready for the presidential campaign.
Senator Jones, when asked to give his
views on the political situation, said that
owing to his long absence abroad he
not as fully informed as to political condi-
tons as he hoped to be in a few weeks.
When asked his opinion to the proba
bility of the democratic nomination for
President going to William j. Bryan, he
said:
There is no doubt that Bryan will re-
ceive the democratic nomination for Prest-
dent. Has anybody any doubt on that
question? Bryan is sure to win
On the attitude of Richard Croker as
to the nomination of Bryan for President
Senator Jones had little to say. merely
replying to a direct question: Croker is
already in line
AS to the possible outcome of the ma
tional campaign of 1900 Senator Jones said
he believed that the free silver idea would
have greater following than in the cam
paign of 1896. He based this assertion on
the fact that the democratic party would
receive support in 1900 from a new source.
I'm 1885, he said, there were many
republicans and others who believed that
when the republican party declared for
bimetallism the declaration was made in
al sincerity. These same men now doubt
the sincerity of that plank of the republic
can PLATFORM
When asked what effect he thought the
apparent prosperity in the western states
would nave on democratic issues, Senator
Jones said.
Eyes. I know they say at WASHINGTON
that the country is in a highly prosperous
condition. and perhaps that is correct from
certain standpoints. But cannot see that
there Is any great material prosperity
among the agricultural and similar class
es. 1t does not appear to have affected
the farmer, nor has 1t done much as yet
for the laboring man in general. Cotton
and wheat nave not made any advance to
speak of in price. That argument can be
readily answered when the time comes.
OF course there has been an increase in the
output of gold, and that Is bound to affect
politics In some degree, greater or less.
But that is only a proof of the arguments
advanced by us in 1896 that what the coun-
try needed was a greater volume Of money
in circulation
alleged prosperity would have on the voter
in general. he said in emphatic tones:
1T will affect only those men who are
very narrow in their political and social
views. That voter it will influence. but in
reality it will be an argument in favor Of
our party.
He said that it was his opinion that the
opposing presidential candidates in 1900
would be Bryan and Mckinley. The demo-
cratic platform. he declared. would be
launched in that year on comparatively the
same basis and contain essentially the same
planks as in 1896. The party would de-
clare for free silver at the same ratio and
he thought about the only addition to or
change in the party platform of any mo-
ment would be a plank relative to anti-im-
perialism. That, he asserted, would I'M
doubtedly be one of the important issues
in the campaign. He refused to discuss
the matter any mere than to say. with a
wave of the hand: Everybody knows what
Imperialism means. The question under
discussion means Just the reverse"
Senator Jones said he did not know how
long he would remain in New York. His
plans are still uniformed. He said. however,
he might go to Washington on Tuesday
on business matters. During the afternoon
and evening several men prominent in po-
ntieal life called on Senator Jones at his
hotel Among them was George Fred VIII
liams Of Massachusetts,. member Of the ma
tional committee, and It is presumed there
was a conference over political matters
and plans for the coming campaign prepa-
rations