Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-06-12
OF Democracy In Next Cam
paign Not Yet Decided
COMMITTEEMEN'S VIEWS
Some Favor Silver Plank, Others
Antitrust and Still Others Have
Leanings Toward Other Matters
They Think Should be Issue.

Chicago, June 12.-The Times Herald
has been asking members of the demo-
cratic national committee what should be
| their partys battle cry in 1900-whether
i free silver or down with the trusts
or both. The answers Of those that have
been received are published in the Times
Herald today as follows:
While only one of the replies of these
democratic leaders, the representative for
Maine, the home state of Mr.. Bryan's
running mate in 1896, says drop free
silver" they are all but unanimous in
giving the trusts a prominence it never
has had in the pla atform of their own or
any other party. With one exception all
speak freely that some other issue divide
the stage with free silver. Some say ''im-
periaism'' or "militarism,' will be one of
| the prominent issues. One says to frank
ly emphasize the trust question is the big
thing. Still others speak for a twin bat
! tie cry.
| Just one committeeman says fatty:
THE issues Of 1896 should be the issues Of
1900" This one exception is Alexander
Trout of Connecticut. Half dozen of
the committeeman are either non commit
tai or refuse to be quoted. They are:
George Fred Williams of Massachusetts;
D. j. Campeau, Michigan; B. B. Sballey,
Vermont; Frank Campbell New York;
T. ID. OBrien, Minnesota: j. G. Dudley,
Texas. A statement from Thomas Gahan,
national committeeman for Illinois cam
not be obtained because he is not in the
city and cannot be reached by telegraph.
His attitude is, however, pretty we'll
known.
The committeeman who say free silver
must have place in the platform, although
generously combined with the questions
of trusts. militarism and so on, are in
Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Arkansas
and Indian territory. while the latter does
not vote for president. All the others
either put the trust question foremost
or lay much stress upon the questions pre-
sented by the Spanish war. Some of
the statements of the committeeman re-
ceived by the Times Herald are in part
as follows:
Thomas McRae Arkansas--In my
opinion the national democratic conven-
ton Should reaf1irm the Chicago plat
form and in addition denounce trusts, inn
perialism and extravaganza. The neces-
sity for the free coinage of silver is great
er now than it was in 1896 because as we
have more taxes and a larger national
debt to pay we need more redemption
money with which to make payments.
J. j. Dwyer. California-No man can tell
where we will be in 1900. Predictions
must therefore be based on ifs If the
Philippine war is still in progress in 1900
or if the president and his pretorian
guard are then actively engaged in car
rying out their conspiracy to steal Cuba
and especially if both these foreign ques-
tons remain unsolved, there will be but
one issue and that will be imperialism.
In that event the democratic party will,
in my opinion, declare against imperial
ism and will win easily. It's platform will
be the Constitution, the Declaration of
Independence and the Ten Command
ments. Domestic questions will be side
tracked. In the absence of the foreign
issues the battle will be on the same lines
as in 1896. / do not think the anti tru It
issue will be allowed to obscure the sill
yer issue. 1t will be fight of democracy
against plutocracy, with the financial
question in the forefront.
Mr. Wilson, Colorado-ln my opinion
there is no doubt that in the next presi-
dental campaign the money question
will be the leading question as it was in
the last and that bimetallism--the res
toration of silver coinage a. a ratio of 16
to Twill be the battle cry of the demo-
cracy. The democratic party has always
opposed trusts and possibly, in view of
recent events. in its platform of 1900 pub
lie attention may be more forcibly called
to this question. but in no such sense as
to supplant the financial issue. The form
er IS in fact embraced in the latter-is
only the natural outgrowth Of the pres
ent financial policy of the government. If
you wish to destroy an evil you mus,
strike at its source. Hence to crush the
trusts, restore bimetallism. The para
mount issue in the campaign of 1900 will
be the same as it was in 1885,
Alexander Troup, Connecticut-Person
ally favor the Chicago platform of 1896
as the paramount issue in the campaign
Of 1900. The vote for Bryan in Connecti-
cut and New England in my opinion will
be largely increased in 1900 and the issue.