Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-26
Misapprehension Regarding the St.
Louis Conference.
CALLED STRENGTHEN BRYAN'S HAND
Allowing the Gold Wing of the
Party to Be Deceived.
SILVER MEN IN HARMONY

Newspaper. dispatches concerning the
democratic conference at st. Louis indicate
a very general misapprehension of what the
Bryantes are up to. 1t suits the purposes
of the latter just well TO have the false
impression go abroad in the land, but the
fact is that the alleged hostile sentiment
toward Bryan and the free silver plank
which has been the subject of commont
does not exist among the men participa ling
in that conference, and, far from there be-
ing any design in calling the conference for
ralegating silver 20 the rear and shifting the
issues, its real purpose was to perfect plans
whereby the absolute control of the next
democratic national convention shall be pre-
served to the Bryan Chicago platform peo-
pie. Much more work in that direction is
being done than the public generally IS
aware of, and by stories of dissensions ard
a purpose to shift brush the republicans
and conservative sound money democrats
are unwittingly being deceived. Hope is
being held out to the sound money men for
merly associated with the democratic party
that by renewing their association with the
party they may be able to counteract the
radicalism which characterized the issues
of go
Attitude of the Bryan People.
The Bryan people themselves are not
holding out any such hope, but they are
perfectly willing that the commen by the
opposition press should convey that idea
They are too actively at work and their
plans are too well understood within their
own circle for them to have any fear of
being discredited with the radical element
of their party, and, therefore, they are will
ing that the conservatives and the opposi
ton party should be deceived and possibly
disarmed. The truth is that the BRYAN
people are in no way less radical in their
MIR tl,a,r
expectation is that the next national con-
ventfon of their party will be practically
unanimous in faVOring the nomination of
Bryan and re-enacting the Chicago plat
form.
No Thought of Changing the Issue.
The conference at ST. Louis was called
for the purpose of aiding in bringing this
about and there was absolutely no thought
in it of changing or modifying issues Their
failure to take any action on the subject
of issues or to make any sort of recast of
their zines is not surprise to those who
knew the purpose of the conference
Chairman Jones was engaged on a line of
work calculated to strengthen the BRYAN
forces at the next national convention when
he was taken ill and had to drop all work
On going to Europe Mr.. Jones designated
Johnson to act as secretary of the national
committee, because ne was thorouGhly ia
miliar with this work and could carry it
out. No acting chairman was designated,
but johnson, on being designated as secre-
tary, was given Instructions which actually
made him the representative of the chair
man, with full discretion. Gov, Stone is
not acting chairman of the national COM
mittee, but is acting as the head of the
ways and means committee, which is not a
part of the national committee. Johnson,
Stone and Bryan are in perfect accord with
the absent chairman of the committee. and
one of the things they are particularly anx-
1ons to avoid is the retirement of Jones.
Ihey expect him to resume his duties as
soon as his health will permit.
Acting In Harmony.
The conference a st. Louis was for the
purpose OF securing more active co-opera-
ton on the part of the radical free silver
Bryan members of the national committee,
in furtherance of the plans laid out hy MIR.
Jones, and to give them a better under
standing Of what is expected of them
1he letter which Bryan wrote to Perry
beimont with reference to the $40 dinner in
New York was IN harmony with the work
that mas been outlined. The people who
are IN control and who are responsible for
the st. Louis conference are acting in per-
rect harmony, and those who ind satisfac-
ton and security in the belief that the
democratic party is going to modify its po-
Slllon with reference to money and other
radical features of the Chicago platform are
foolirg themselves and mwittingly serving
the ends of the Bryan people There is al
PiSSeAit d bSttSE organization and more har-
mony OF action to the end of adopting the
Chicago platform and adhering firmly to
the most radical issues presented than
there was on the assembling of the demo-
cratic national convention in 90
Efforts are being made by the few gold
democrats who voted for Bryan in '96 and
by those who then bolted the party to over
throw the platform, and, If possible, get a
new candidate, but this work is all outside
the organization, and the entire party ma
chinery is being used to counteract it and
to hold the party to the SO issues with such
new features added as the interval has de-
yej0ne1