The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-07-03
Towne and Sulzer Lead
ing Candidates.
Yet Great Deal of Talk is Made
in Connection With Hill.

Kansas City, Mo-, July 2.-The vice
presidential situation has not cleared up
during the day and tonight it is appar-
emily in as much doubt as it was when
the delegates to the national Democratic
convention were chosen. There. was a
shifting of the scene today when Benja
min T Shiveley of Indiana was taken out
of the race by his emphatic declaration to
the Indiana delegation. AS the contest
stands after Shiveley' retirement the two
leading candidates seem to be Charles A.
Towne and William Sulzer, with some
men from New York like Judge Van
Wyck or Elliott Danforth as possibilities
under certain contingencies.
The fact is that the vice presidential
situation is interviewer with the plat
form.
II there is a simple reaffirmatiOn of the
Chicago platform some New York man
may be selected for vice president in the
hope that he Will assist in carrying that
state. If there is a specific declaration for
16 to l Towne may be made Bryan's
mate.
1t is conceded by all the Democratic
leaders that Towne's strength is in the
West and on a silver platform and that he
would not be strong in the East and on a
modified platform.
New York is still the uncertain quanti-
ty in the field. 1t is sUill asserted that
she has no candidate, although there is
more genuine activity in the Sulzer can
vass than in any other that is being
made. Mr.. Sulzer is not the candidate
of New York and is making his canvass
outside of that delegation. That the dele.
cation under favorable circumstances
such as concessions in the platform would
unite on some other man seems to be per-
fectly understood, but it would undoubt-
edly be brought about by a movement
from the outside of the state Whether
the convention would unite on Danforth
or Van Wyck is uncertain because of the
personality of Hill. There is yet a great
deal of talk about the ex-senator in con-
nection with the vice presidential nomi-
nation and in case Of a modified platform
he might be rushed upon the convention.
AT the same time it is well understood
that his nom nation would not be salts
factory to Mr.. Bryan, less satisfactory
perhaps, than the other New York men
mentioned. Mr.. Hill himself insists that
he is not to be considered. There may be
some dark horses in the stable, some men
who have not yet been considered avail.
able, some men like Sewall, the presenta.
ton of whose name four years ago was a
surprise and whose nomination was not
o ven surmised.
Ex-senator Hill returned from Lincoln
today and it may be said that his return
did not cause as great a sensation as did
his departure The mysterious siIe nee
which he maintained and which he ex-
planned by saying: ''Mr Bryan and my
self agreed that nothing should be said
regarding the conference between u.s.:
did not serve to whet the political appe-
tite very much. When asked a direct
question as to his fight against a 10 to 1
declaration, be said the convention would
not meet for two days. 1t might not act
upon the platform for three DAYS. there
fore there was no reason to now discuss
the question as to what it would contain
10 some visitors Mr.. Hill said his con-
ference with Mr.. Bryan was very salts
factory, but in what particular he did
not disclose. When the matter of his
connection with the vice presidency was
mentioned he dismissed it in a manner
indicating that there was not the least
possibility of his being selected.