Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-08-17
COMMENT
Nomination of Fred White Regarded
As Victory For Long Whisk-
cred Element.
Not Regarded as the Real Choice Of
the Convention-Silver's
Candidate.
Populists Dictated the Nomination
and Platform Sells Was Popu.
lar With Wiser Element.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Aug. 17.-Cato Sells could
have had the democratic nomination
had signified a willingness to accept.
That he did not do so is due alone to
the demand of the populist elements for
a radical 16 to platform. Mr.. Sells was
willing to be the nominee on platform |
which would not offend the gold ele-
ment of the party and would permit |
him to unite all democrats in the COM
ing campaign. He could have had the
nomination without an effort, but he
could not win in the convention when it |
came to the fight over the PLATFORM: or
at least If he had won it would have
left an irreparable breach in the party
lorganiZation. 1t was a battle of whisk- |
ers against brains and the whiskers
won.
The real leaders of the party We're for
Sells and silence on silver This was
good politics. Mr.. Bryan saw it and
urged his intimates to work for the
nomination of Mr.. Sells. Here was the
man who could unite the party in Iowa,
| at least reduce the republican plurality
and leave the party in excellent shape
| for Mr.. Bryan's interests in the ma
tional convention next year. The radi-
cal 16 to men wouldn't stand for it.
! They insisted that Sells has been a
gold man and did not represent them.
4 They demanded that if Sells was nom
Inated specific l6 to plank should go
Into the platform Mr.. Sells would not
lconsent to this. He insisted that if the
lparty intended to do anything this yeai
and to prepare itself for the national
| contest next year all elements of the
organize ton must be placated and ce
| fnented. This. he declared, could not
be done with a specific declaration on
silver. The populists We're obdurate.
Although he realized that he could win
the nomination and possibly the plat
form, he decided to retire from the con-
test in the interests of the party. He
4 Recommended that the silver be left out
lof the platform ana such a man as Fred
White be nominated. This was agreed
Ito. White as.nominated, but the ultra
silverites didn't keep their agreement.
4 Although silver isn't mentioned in the
platform, the Chicago platform is en-
Idorsed ..as to every detail" This is
taken to be a direct reference to the
silver ratio of 16 to 1. The delegates
thought so and cheered accordingly.
There is no doubt about the majority
of the delegates being for free silver All
l6 to l. They howled with delight when
such thing was mentioned. But
Bryans interests are paramount with
the populists to any other thing on the
face of the earth. I'VE don't care for
officers or party names or recognition
by the democrats said Cen Weaver
in the democratic-populist convention
yesterday, which was held separate
from the democratic convention. ..for
our sole interest is In furthering the in
terests of William jennings Bryan. We
want him nominated for the presidency
Inext year. We are willing to sacrifice
|anything for that end 1t was on ac-
lcount of this sentiment that the popu-
lists We're willing to forego specific
mention of silver in the platform il
they could have satisfactory nomi-
nee. Rather than split the party Sells
withdrew, White was nominated and
then the element which wanted to com
promise SO as to induce the gold demo-
lcrats to return to the party were fooled
by the insertion in the platform of the
plank which refers unquestionably to
silver at 16 to l.
The opinion is prevalent that Mr..
Sells would have been a much stronger
candidate than is Mr.. White A single
democrat brought a check for $4,000 TO
the city yesterday to contribute it to the
democratic campaign fund He carried
HIT home with him because Sells wasn't
named.
The democratic state central COM
mittee organized last evening by elect
Ing George Huffman, of Des Moines, an
insurance man. to succeed Fred Town
lsend as chairman of the committee.
Mr.. Huffman was formerly a printer.
but got into politics and has now got
1 into insurance. He is but one degree
removed from the species Bashor. He
began as preacher. e. II. Bickford.
lof Greenfield, Adair county, was elected
secretary to succeed Mr.. Huffman.
An interesting development took
place in the Tenth district caucus
/ Wednesday when the silver men got
lleft in the contest for the district mem
ber of the committee on resolutions.
i Solomon Johnson, of Greene county.
i w. 1. Brannigan, of Palo Alto county.
and j. w. Hinchon, of Kossuth county.
We're candidates. They were called on
to express themselves with reference to
silver. Mr.. Hinchon in fear and trem-
bling said that he didn't believe that
Il the party could win this year on a silver
A plank of 16 to 1. He was astonished at
the applause he got. When it came to
IA vote Hinchon got So votes, johnson
% and Brannigan Al. This indicates
that the Tenth district is not for silver
at 16 to l.
cummins ut Council Bluffs.