The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-03
Again Mr.. Croker.

~IRST, Mr. Croker was heard from.
r. He said that free coinage is
1 dead and that he Is against sill
yer. This was followed up with inter
views in which the national leaders of
the democratic party and the silver
members Of congress simply remarked
that what Mr.. Croker said was no
news. that he is not known in ma
tienal politics, that he is merely local
boss and that his views one way or
the other change nothing.
After Croker came BILLY" Sheehan.
He is the man who was slated for Gro
ker's place when Croker went to Eng
land, and New York suspected that
he wasn't coming back. Croker re-
| turned and made Sheehan step down
and out in a hurry although the latter
has been, and still is, recognized
| Tammany leader. Sheehan says that
free coinage is all right, and Bryan is
| all right, and that he is for BOTH Shee-
hans remarks, in support of silver and
in commentator Of Bryan. attracted
a good deal of attention, particularly
in Tammany circles, and his talk was,
in some quarters, looked upon as
challenge to Croker.
Then came Croker again, in a second
interview. He said that he is not for sill
yer and that there is no reason why
any New Yorker should I be- Then,
patronizingly, Croker remarked: I'VE
must see to it that the position of our
party on the money question meets the
requirements of every section of the
United States. When, In convention
assembled" concludes Croker, ".hc ma
jority of the delegates demand a GER
tain standard or certain reform, New
York will fall faithfully in line. But
the democratic platform for 1900 has
not yet been written"
That is true, but it is one of the GER
tainties Of the future that Mr.. Croker
will not write the democratic platform
for 1900 When the democratic plat
form of 1896 was written, the leaders
Of the New York democracy wouldn't
have it that way. They bolted the
platform and the ticket That made
no difference with the democratic ma
tional conventional did what it
deemed to be its duty just the same;
and, in view of this desertion, the
SOL 900 votes for Bryan in New York
We're in fact the most splendid tribute
of the campaign to him and to the
cause of free coinage.
This whole matter is revived bv
10 CT "
letter written by Bryan in March
OF last year. 1t was proposed at
that time that Bryan be invited to
New York to make an address under
the auspices of Tammany. Mr. Croker re-
quested Willis J. Abbott to write to BRYAN
asking him if he was willing to speak
in New York and refrain from the dis
cussion of the money question. In his
answer to the letter Bryan said: II
appreciate Mr.. Cookers invitation to
speak in New York, but the national
platform declares the money question is
the paramount issue, and I fully indorse
that declaration. So believing, I could
not directly or indirectly encourage any
state to abandon the national platform.
While the democrats of the West and
South have no right to force the nat
ional platform upon the people of
New York, yet the democracy of the
nation does have right to expect the
democrats of New York to stand by
the platform or announce their hostil-
lty. We ought to know whether the
New York democracy means peace or
war. To ignore the national platform
in the state convention will be notice
that the democrats of New York are
hostile to that platform, but lack the
courage 10 declare it openly"
Continuing his letter, Bryan saws
that in 1900 the platform of 1896 will be
reaffirmed, that he does mot care to
be guest where that platform is de-
MED hearing" that bimetallism will
be strong in New York when it is I'M
derstood there, and that he, BRYAN,
would be beneath contempt if he were
to trade his convictions on the money
question for any political advantage
the New York democracy might be able
to Offers
In conclusion, Mr.. Bryan wrote:
Democracy was defined at Chicago,
and the definition is so satisfactory that
no material change will be made in that
definition for years to come. = hope the
New York democrats-for their own
good as well as for the good of the
party and country at large--will speed