The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-11
How the Political Lines May Be
Run Next Year.
THE RIVALS ARE AT WORK
Bryan's Forces Keeping in Line. With
the Other Fellows Figuring to
to Get Into the
Control
Washington Bureau of the Standard, }
No. 1145 G Street n w

democratic national convention of 1900
is now about one year away. Its exact
date will not be determined until the
democratic national committee meets
here next winter, but that it will &C.
cur in June is borne out by the prece-
dents of many years, broken only four
years ago, and then largely by accident.
1t is manifest that the battle for the
control of the convention is already on,
and that there will be a determined eff
fort on the part of some Eastern demo-
Gratis to defeat the denomination Of
Bryan. 1t is also as certain as any,
thing that has not actually transpired
that the attempt will be futile The
friends of the leader of the great bat
tie of 1896 should not however, permit
over-confidence to lessen their activity
or their determination to see that the
second battle is fought under the same
leader and along similar lines as that
of 1896.
The Washington Star this week con-
tanned careful statement of the re-
vised claim of the anti-Bryan men who
assert that it will De very easy to hold
400 votes against him, and thus prevent
his nomination. unless the two-thrds'
rule is abrogated. This table is easily
made by Jumping all the Eastern
states against Bryan Except only
Maine and Massachusetts,, adding
Maryland Alabama and Georgia from
the South and picking up Minnesota,
Wisconsin and Iowa in the West, not
to mention Illinois, which Carter Har-
rison II. is to hold with ease against
Bryan.
All this looks very much like rolling
off a log it is so easy. But with the
ell of al n nrt it
wholly impossible of achievement. The
plan, as outlined here, is for anti-Bryan
men to fight everywhere for uninstruct-
ed delegations, on the theory that such
delegations are sure to round up against
the old ticket.
In the list of anti-Bryan delegates
manufactured with such ease in the
Star are the six from the District of
Columbia. They will be the first to he
elected in the United States in 1900,
as they were 1896. The District of Co
lumbia democracy set the pace in 1896
electing six strong silver men at
convention held under almost the caves
of the White House, then the domicile
of President Cleveland At Chicago
these delegates voted first for John r.
Mclean and afterwards for Bryan for
president. and supported the silver
plank solidly in the convention. There
are no evidences that there has been
any change in the sentiments of the
District democracy in the three years
that have elapsed since the delegates
We're last chosen. I have asked a num-
Der of the leading democrats, including
several of the members of the delega-
ton of 1896, and they assert positively
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 the Chicago platform, it had thou
sands of federal officers exerting their
influence against them; it had many
United States senators and represent
tatives who were committed to the
gold standard. 1t had practically
solid East and strong ramitications in
the South against silver. Yet it lost
the battle for control of the convention.
Now there are no democratic federal
officers; there is only one gold demo-
cratic senator and one gold democrat
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 po
litical party. How, then, can there be
serious hopes of success, notWlthstand-
ing all the ti-Bryan propaganda.
The anti-Bryan men seem to be using
the name of that sturdy democrat, eX
Senator A. p. German, to conjure with,
just as his name was used eight years
ago against Grover Cleveland, and APP
parently to as 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 con-
vention of 1896. He is one of the ablest
democrats in the United States, and
easily too able to engage in losing
convention fight. Thus far he is the
only man of presidential proportions
who has been mentioned as possible
opponent of Bryan
The anti-Bryan men confidently place
New York in their column in all the
published tables, but not only is it
doubtful whether the anti-Bryan and
anti-silyer democrats can control the
New York delegation, but it is an open
question whether Tammany itself Will
send a subservient Croker delegation
to the Empire state convention next
year John c. Sheehan has at last
openly defied Croker and there is no
alternativ but war. Sheehan is said
to be prepared to lead the Bryan men
in a vigorous fight inside the Tammany
organization. He also contemplates
the election of Chicago platform con-
testing delegates from every district
III NE" 1Ofh county, "eiiCl tiSiC 10 "a
likelihood of Tammany's selecting rep
resentatives who We're disloyal to the
national ticket in 1896. Sheehan has
announced in an authorized interview
that he intends to fight Croker within
the Tammany organization. Sheehan
intends first to win out in his home dis
trict where Croker's followers have
threatened to supplant him as leader
with Thomas F. Smith, secretary of
the Tammany Hall executive commit
tee. Sheehan says he will remain in
town all summer to conduct his cam
paign Within a day or two he will call
a conference of his Tammany Hall
friends to map out plan of battle.
Sheehan's confidents say that before
the battle ends there will be arrayed
against Croker many leaders who i'm
plored him to make a fight against
Crokpr's return as chief in 1897, to-
gether with John D. Crimmins and 9TH
ers who have within the past two
months denounced Croker publicly.
1t will be remembered that under
Sneehan's leadership Tammany 1e-
NAMED loyal to Bryan in 1896. There
has never been any doubt of the senti-
,,aptS of tho rank and file of the Tam