The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-04-20
TOWATCH CROKER
Is Said to Be Bryan's Business
In New York.
Mazet Committee Works Against
Tammany's Boss.
is LOSING HIS POWER.
Tammany Leaders Said to Be
Ready to Revolt
From the Gold Standard to the
Chicago Platform.

New York. April 2O.-According 10 the
leaders of the Chicago platform Demo-
Gratis, Colonel William ]. Bryan did not
come to New York solely to attend
two 81 dinners. He is here to help along
and encourage the work of organizing
those Democrats in the state and city who
believe in free silver and the national plat
form, with view of sending delegates to
the next national convention Colonel
Bryan went to Atlantic City yesterday to
confer with Senator James K. Jones' chair
man of the Democratic national commit
tee, relative to political conditions ir the
east. After speaking at the 81 dinner of
the labor organizations Colonel Bryan will
hold conference with the leaders of the
Chicago platform Democrats before he re-
turns to the west. He is anxious to have
his friends in this state organize a once
and begin a fight against Tammany Hall
and the state machine in order to capture
the delegates to the next national conven-
ton.
It is now well known that the men in
control of the machinery of the Demo-
cratic party in this state expect to send to
the next convention a solid anti-silver del
egation opposed to the nomina ton of
Bryan. According to their present plans,
they expect to hold a state convention in
May, 1900. to elect delegates at large, and,
following the precedent of 1896, have that
convention adopt platform or resolutions
opposing free silver a campaign issue.
If this plan is carried out the Chicago
vention of their own and elect a full dele
cation to the national convention. Colonel
Bryan is here to help perfect plans for
that movement. He wants this conven-
ton, when held, to reaffrm the Chicago
platform of 1896, and elect delegates who
will vote for his denomination.
The development of this movement, with
the presence of Colonel Bryan, has greatly
alarmed the Tammany leaders The start
ling exposures before the Mazet commit
tee have already weakened the political
position OF Iammany, and the leaders re-
aIIze that they have a hard fight ahead
to save their representation in the next
national convention.
the Tammany politicians realize that
BOSS Croker is fast losing political
power and prestige as a result of the
Mazet investigation. They now begin to
fear that if he persists in his fight against
Bryan and the Chicago platform the local
and state machines will be seriously
weakened, if. not disrupted, before the next
national convention.
If this investigation said a promi-
nent politician today, does nothing else
it has destroyed Richard Croker's chance
of controlling the national Democracy. In
view of his admissions on the stand he
can never hope to carry out his trade with
Carter Harrison of Chicago, to capture
and control the next national convention
ization that John c. Sheehan and prob
ably two or three other district leaders
stand ready. to lead a revolt in Tammany
against Crokers attempt to repudiate the
Chicago platform. Thousands of Tam
many men believe in standing bby Bryan
and free silver in order to preserve the
regularity of the organization.