The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-06-11
THE CHANCES OF BRYAN
SOME FASTENERS WILL TRY
TO DEFEAT HIM.
Necessary That Friends of the White
Metal Should Get Actively to
Work and See That the Battle Is
Fought Along Lines Similar to
Those In 1896.

IiOL DE determined until the DemOcrallc
national committee meets here next win
ter. but that it will occur in June is
borne out by the precedents of many
years. broken only four years ago. and
then largely by accident. 1t is manifest
that the battle for the control of the con-
Nention Is already on, and that there Will
De a determined effort on the part of
some eastern Democrats to defeat the re-
nomination of Bryan. 1t is also as GER
tain as anything that has not actually
trassDlred that the attempt will be fu-
tie The friends of the leader of the great
battle OF 1886 should not however, permit
oVer-confdence to lessen their activity
or their determination to see that the sec
ond battle is fought under the same lead
er o. and along similar lines as that of
The Washington Star this week contain
ed a careful statement of the revised
Claims of the anti-Bryan men who assert
that 1t VIII be very easy to hold 400 votes
against Inn and thus prevent his nomi-
nation, unless the two-thirds rule is alb
rogated. This table is easily made by
jumping all the eastern states against
Sryan, except only Maine and Massa-
shusetts, adding Maryland, Alabama and
Georgia from the south and picking I'D
Minnesota. Wisconsin and Iowa in the
west, not to mention Illinois, which Car
Bryan.
All this looks very much like rolling
on log, il is so easy But with the
silver men on the alert. it is a result Who'll
~ impossible of achievement. The plan
- OAllAAA@u mere, Is LOT dntl-brNan men 10
nght everywhere for uninstructed dele
cations on the theory that such deleea-
tons are sure to round up against the old
ticket.
No Change In Sentiment
In the list of anti-Bryan delegates man.
ufactured with such ease in the Star are
the six from the District of Columbia
They viii be the first to be elected in the
1895. The District of Columbia Democ
racy set the pace in 1896 by electing six
sirong silver men at convention held
almost under the caves of the White
House. then the domicile of President
Cleveland. At Chicago these delegates
voted first for John R. Mclean and after
ported the silver plank soEdly in the con-
Nention. There are no evidences that
there has been any change in the senti-
ments of the district Democracy in the
three years that have elapsed since the
delegates We're last chosen. / have asked
a number of the leading local Democrats,
lncluulng several of the members of the
delegation of 1896. and they assert posi-
lively that the attitude of the delegation
from here will be the same as in 1896.
AT the time of the Chicago national
convention of 1896 the Democratic party
had the national administration which
was actively opposed to the principles of
OF federal officers eXerting- their influence
against them; it had many United States
senators and representatives. who were
committed TO the gold standard; ii had
practically solid east and strong ram
tficatons in the south against silver Yet
1t lost the battle for control of the con-
Nenton. Now there are no Democratic
federal officers there is only one gold
Democratic senator and one gold Demo.
crat in the house The men who made
the great fight for the gold standard in
1896 are either outlawed Democrats or are
actually members of the opposite political
party. How. then. can there be serious
hopes of success, notwithstanding all the
anti-Bryan propaganda?
me anu-Bryan men seem to be using
the name of that sturdy Democratic ex-
senator, A p. German, to conjure with
Just as his name was used eight years
ago against Grover Cleveland and ap-
parently to little purpose German is
a devoted Democrat and supported the
ticket with genuine loyalty in 1896 He is
strong in the east. but there is no more
prospect that he can win in 1900 than that
he could carry the convention of 1896. He
Is one of the ablest Democrats in the
United States. and easily too able to en-
gage in a losing convention fight Thus
far he is the only man of presidential
proportions who has been mentioned as |
possible opponent Of Bryan.
They Claim New York.
The anti Bryan men confidently place
New York in their column in all the pub |
lished tables but not only is ii doubtful !
whether the anti-Bryan and anti-silver |
Democrats can control the New York del /
egation. but it is an open question wheth- |
or Tammany itself will send a subservi- /
ent Croker delegation to the Empire state |
convention next year. John G Sheehan !
has at last openly defied Croker and there
Is no alternative but war. Sheehan is
said to be prepared to lead the BRIAN
men in a vigorous fight inside the Tam
many orSaniza ton. He also contemplates
the election of Chicago platform contest
ing delegates from every district in New
York county where there is a likelihood
or Tammanys selecting representatives, (
"ho were disloyal to the national ticket
ia 1896
Sheehan has announced in an authorized
interview that he intends to fight Croker
10
han intends first TO win out in his home
district where crokers followers have
Inreatened TO supplant him as leader with
lnomaS F. Smith, secretary of the Tam
many hall executive committee Sheehan
says he will remain in town all summer
TO conduct his campaign. Within day
or two lie will call a conference of his
Tammany hall friends 10 map out A plan
Of battle. Sheehan'S confidanteS saw that
before the battle ends there will be ar
rayed against Croker many leaders who
implored him to make a fight against
Crokers return as chief in 1897. together :
with John D. Crimmins and others who
nave within the past two months de- !
nounced Croker. publicly. ,
II will be remembered that under Shee- ,
loyal to Bryan in 1896. There has never
been any doubt of the sentiments of the ;
rank and file of the Tammany organiZa-
ton. vast ma jority of Tammanv's
were as willing as they were
loyal in 1896. and ii the fight is carried to
the last ditch next year. it might be very ,
control Under
these conditions.
Strong In Pennsylvania.
Silver and Bryan are also very strong in Q
Pennsylvania. Quite a large portion of :
he keystone delegation of 1896 voted for
Bryan. the present state organization is e
strongly silver while the two most con-
spicuous Democrats in the state National
Committeeman James VI. Guffey and | 6
Congressman Joseph 5. Sibey. are both |
strongly for the reaffirmation of the Chi d
ago platform. There is no truth in the n
reports that Gufey has in any way al y
cred his position. II
1t IS undoubtedly true that portions of
he New York and Pennsylvania deleea- e.
ions, Connecticut and New Jersey solid -
md perhaps Rhode Island and Vermont ,
Will be against the old ticket and plat %
orm. Add to these the majority of the 81
delegation from Wisconsin and the op- e.
)onents TO Bryan have used up everything In
n their culver. At the most they will NOT -
lave to exceed 1J5 delegates even if they :;
ire Unexpectedly successful in the two ~
,reat states of New York and PennsyI- 81
'ania. "
quite off the same piece with this claim
" the gold Democrats is the assertion | o,
low freely made by the Republican lead 81
rs. that next fall their party will carry :,
very Rocky mountain state except one ! IL
The exception varies somewhat according w
o the inclination OF the claimant, but is Id
lways either Colorado or Montana. Utah
IDAHO and Wyoming are all regarded as
too easy for the Republicans. The Re
ublican managers who have the distri- !
ution Of the patronage in these states OF
ave succeeded in strongly impressing c.
heir views on the president and Senator RI
lama. 1t is pointed out by these a.
'orthies: -
First, that the silver Republican party i n,
as ceased to exist in Utah. and Wyo- Di
ling 10 what amOuntS c0-OneratiOn | in