The age-herald., 1899-08-17
WHAT MEANS THIS
 SUDDEN CHANGE? All Look With Suspicion on CrOker'S KaleidalG)piC Conversion. S0MET THING IS BACK OF IT Fr. Bryal'S Friends See in It Form
 of Bribery TO KEEP SILVER OUT OF PLATFORM Others Figure It That the Tammany Boss Saw Bryan's Nomination
 Was Inevitable and Got
 in Band Wagon
SOMETHING IS BACK OF 1T
TO KEEP SILVER OUT OF PLATFORM

l Washington, August 16.-(Special.)--Th democratic politicians do not know exactly what to make of Croker's unstinted praise of Mr Bryan or how far to put faith in his words. In New York he is thought to be sincere and this thought is very annoy ing to the Whitney wing of the New York democracy. Some of the Bryanites were, however, an element of danger in MT. Croker's friendship and find a string at taehed to his support of the Nebraskan The formers statement that the silver question can safely be left to congress is taken by some to mean that he and the Saratoga plotters will be willing to accept MT. Bryan and to work for his election if the Bryantes will agree to leave silver out of the platform. The few suspicious ones see in this statement hidden bribe and they profess to believe that many of the Bryan democrats are having this proposition put to them in their secret journeyings to Saratoga. But the generally accepted opinion is that Mr Croker, seeing that nothing can pos sibly defeat the nomination of MT. Bryan, has decided to join in his following and still have Tammany the recognized demo- cratic power in the state of New York. MT Croker does not want to have a con- testing delegation seated in the next demo- cratic convention and thus see Tammany discredited in the State by the national party.
 Canver, ion fo nti-, imperialism
 MT Crokers conversion to the anti imperialistic view is as astounding as his conversion to MT. Bryan. Had MT, Croker studied for year to make a sensational entrance or return to this country the re- suit could not have been more successful than what has actually occurred. He left here violent expansionist and opposed to the Chicago platform and to the nominee The New York democrats have been figur- ing on his position such and the confer- ence to be held at Saratoga was largely i the outcome of his supposed convictions l lie returns and without word of warn- l ing reverses his position and sets all pre- 1 Vlously conceived plans floating in midair l The expansionsts had begun to look upon him as a strong ally and to discover virt- ues In him that they never saw before They looked for him to keep the democracy l split into factions. Their disappointment Is Keen. They now charge that he still was ln taVor of expansion when he left England, but that on the way over he came under the hypnotic influence of Tom Reed and convinced by the logic of the speaker expressed his conversion immed- lately upon reaching these shores
 The Bryanites, however, see in this sud- oeh 1op determination to support the democratic ticket and to give his fealty to the Chicago platform His conversion is more to Bryan than to anti-imperialism ana IS possibly more to save Tammany than his conversion to either.
 Wal Keed Reconsider
 There is probably no truth in the report that Speaker Reed has reconsidered his determination to retire from congress and to enter upon the practice of law in The city of New York. Still the report that he has so decided has given a scare to Gen eral Henderson and his friends and greatly alarmed those of his own following who were eager to leave him for a new leader MT. Reed has never committed himself publicly to resigning his seat and all that he has ever said was privately to friends that he would not be speaker again. His supposed new law partners have said the rest
 It is possible, therefore, that Mr. Reed may have reconsidered his determination to retire to private life, and will, while de- c1ning to be a candidate for the speaker ship, still remain in the house and fight the administration and expansion from the floor, joining his intellectual force with that of the democrats. He has been strongly urged to follow this course As speaker he is unable to enter the fight and all he can do Is to encourage those to fight who agree with him. But by remaining in congress, unhampered by the authority of the speakership he would lend great weight to the anti-expansion side by his oratory and wit Still this course is most unlikely. His secretary, MT. Allen, is an applicant for the secretaryship under Gen eral Henderson, and certainly MT. Allen would not withdraw from the service of Mr. Reed if the latter intended to remain in congress at all.
 Hanna-Payne Subsidy Bil
 The friends of the Hanna-Payne subsidy bill are preparing for the struggle to pass that measure through congress in the coming session. As an evidence of the im- portance of the bill finally to them they are prepared to expend any amount of money almost to secure its passage. AL ready they are equipping themselves with. legal talent, which is another and less re- volting term than lobbyists. In order to get the bill passed the attempt has got to