The San Francisco call., 1899-10-09
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NEW YORK, Oct. S.-United States
Senator James x. Jones OF Arkansas,
chairman of the National Demo rate
Committee, and wife We're passengers on
the Cunard liner Lucania, that reached
New York City to-day They have been
travelling in England, Ireland, Scotland.
Switzerland and Wales for several
months. Senator Jones said he had been
greatly improved by his travels. and felt
able to go into the work necessary in get
ting ready for the Pres dental campaign.
Senator Jones, when asked TO give his
views on the political situation, said that
owing to his long absence abroad ne was
not as fully informed as to political con-
ditions as he hoped TO be in few weeks.
When asked his opinion as to the proba-
bility of the Democratic nomination Tor
the Presidency going to W. J. Bryan he
said:
There is no doubt that Bryan will re-
ceive the Democratic nomination for Pres
ident," and added, has anybody any
doubt on that question? Bryan is sure to
win"
on the attitude of Richard Croker as to
the nomination of Bryan for President
Senator Jones had little TO say, merely re-
plying to a direct question: Croker ID al
ready in line"
AS to the possible outcome of the ma
tional campaign of 1900, Senator Jones said
he believed that the free silver idea would
have a greater following than in the cam
paign of 1896. He based this assertion on
the fact that the Democratic party would
receive support in 1890 from a new source
In 1885, he said, there were many ian
when the Republican party declared foT
bmetallism the declaration was made In
all sincerity. These men now doubt the
sincerity of that plank of the Republican
platform"
When asked what effect he thought the
apparent prosperity In the Western States
would have on Democratic issues, Sen
''Yes, | know they say at Washington
that the country is in highly prosperous
condition, and perhaps that is correct
from certain standpoints But | cannot
see that there is any great material pros
perity among the agricultural and SINH
lar classes. 1t does not appear to have
affected the farmer, nor has 1t done much
as yet for the laboring man IN general
Cotton and wheat have not made any ad-
vance to speak of in price. That argu-
ment can be readily answered when the
time comes. OF course, there has been
an increase in the output of gold, and
that is bound to affect politics in some de-
gree, greater or less. But that is only
a proof of the arguments advanced by us
in 1896, that what the country needed was
a greater volume of money in circulation.
When asked what effect he thought the
alleged prosperity would have on the vot-
ers in general, he said, in emphatic tones:
at will affect only those men who are
very narrow in their political and social
views That voter it will influence, but
in reality 1t VIII be an argument III 1aVor
of our party"
He said that it was his opinion that the
opposing Presidential candidate in 1900
would be President Mckinley. The Demo-
cratic platform, he declared, would be
launched in that year on comparatively
the same basis and contain essentially the
same planks as in 1896. The party would
declare for free silver at the same ratio
and he thought about the only addition
to or change in the party platform Of any
moment would be a plank relative to anti
Imperialism. That, he asserted, would un-
doubtedly be one of the important issues
in the campaign. He refused to discuss
wave wa of the hand, Everybody knows
what imperialism means. The question
under discussion means just the reverse. -
during tne aIternoQn ana evening EN- seV-
on Senator Jones. Among them was
George Frederick Williams Of Massachu-
sets, and 1t is presumed there was a con-
ference over political matters and plans
for the coming campaign.