The record-union., 1899-06-13
Interviews With Prominent Members
Of the Party
On the Question Of Platform P|anks for
Next Campaign.
Shall It be Free Silver" or down
With the Trusts" OF Both?-
But Four Of the States Repre-
scented by Committeeman Inter
viewed Put Silver First.

CHICAGO, June 1.-THE Times
Herald" has been asking members of
the Democratic National Committee
what should be their party's battle-cry
in l9OO-whether free silver" or down
with the trusts" or both.
The answers of those that have been
received are published in the Times
Herald" to-day, as follows:
While only one Of the replies of these
Democratic leaders, the representative
from Maine, the home State Of Mr..
organs running mate in 1896, says
''drop free silver; they are all but
unanimous in giving the trust question
a prominence it has never had in the
platform of their own or any other
party. With one exception, all who
speak freely suggest that some other
issue will divide the stage equally With
free silver
Some say ''mihtarism' or imperial
ISM will be one of the prominent is
sues Others-a few-frankly empha-
size the trust question as the big thing.
Still others speak for twin battle-cry.
just one committeeman says fatty:
1.-THE issues of 1896 should be the is
sues of 1900" This one exception is
Alexander Troup of Connecticut. Eaif
a dozen men are either -comllit,al
or refuse to be quoted. They are George
Fred Williams of Massachusetts,, Z. j.
Campau of Michigan, r. B. Smalley of
Vermont, Frank Campbell of New
York, T. d. O'Brien of Minnesota and
j. G. Dudley of Texas.
A statement from Thomas Gahan,
National Commit teeman for Illinois,
cannot be obtained, because he is not in
the city and cannot be reached W tele-
L., hon ~aff u
we'll known.
The committeeman who say that free
silver must have first place in the
platform, although generously COM
bined with the questions Of trusts,
miitarism' and so on, ara in Colo
RADIO, Kansas, Nebraska, Arkansas and
Indian Territory, which latter does not
vote for President. All the others eth
er put the trust question first and Jay
much stress upon issues pro luced by
the Spanish war.
The signed statements of the com
mitteemen received by the Times
Herald are in part, as follows
Thomas c. McRae (AIkanSa5 SIN my
opinion. the National Democratic Con-
vention should reaffirm the Chicago
platform, and, in addition. denou ice
trusts, imperialism and extravaganza.
The necessity for the free coinage If
silver is greater now than ii was in
1896 beca use, as we have more taxes
and a larger national debt TO pay, We
need more redemption money with
which to make payments.
]. j. Dwyer (CaTfornia)--No man can
tell whore we will be in 1900 Predic-
lions must therefore be based on ifs. >
If the Philippine war is still: in active
progress IN 1900, or if the President
lively engaged in carrying out their con-
Epi.acv to steal Cuba, ami especially if
both these foreign questions remain I'M
solved, there will be but one issue, ana
that will be imperialism In that
event the Democratic part? Will, in
my OPINION, declare against imperialism
ard will win easily. It's platform will
be The Constitution, the Declaration Of
independence and the Ten Command
ments. Domestic questions Will be
eidetracked In the absence of foreign
issues, the battle will be on the same
lines as 1896. I do not think the anti
trust issue will be allowed to obscure
the silver issue It will be fight of
Democracy versus plutocracy, with the
financial question in the forefront.
Adair Wilson (Colouado)-In my opin-
ion, there is no doubt that in the next
Presidential campaign the money
question will be the leading issue. as it
was in the last, and that bimetallism-
the restoration of silver coinage at
ratio Of 16 to Twill be the battlecry
of the Democracy. The Democratic