The age-herald., 1900-07-02
16 TO 1 WILL BE
 IN THE PLATFORM Unless MT. Bryan Changes His
 Present Attitude. STRONG OPPOSITION SHOWN The Southern Delegates Are Indifferent, But Are Inclined to Grant the Con- sessions Demanded By the
 Hill Element
STRONG OPPOSITION SHOWN

Kansas City, July 1.-The platform to be | adopted by the Democratic National Con- vention will contain a declaration for the | free coinage of silver at the ratio of 16 to
 unless MT. Bryan changes his attitude
 and each fresh arrival from Lincoln brings
 renewed assurances that the fore-ordained | nominee of the convention is maintaining
 his position in favor of the declaration | Occasionally a delegate can be found
 who will take the position that not even | MT. Bryan can be allowed to dictate the party's platform, but a majority agree that as all the delegates are practically in- structed for the renomination of the can | didate of 1896 he has an exceptional right l to ask to have the resolutions harmonize
 with his views on any or all subjects. l However the indications point to very l determined opposition to such. a course. 1 This opposition apparently originated with
 Former Senator Hill of New York and his
 following, and it has been taken up by
 other leaders in various sections of the country.
 l The Tammany interest of New York ap- l pears to be entirely reconciled to any sil- l yer plank, however extreme but other fae-
 tions unite in opposing it. Judge Van l Wyck, Elliott Danforth and J. Brisben l Walker all unite with Hill in this position. l though disagreeing with him as to motives. | Mir Danforth agrees with Judge VanWyck ! that there are no other questions more l important for consideration, and while still
 protesting the utmost loyalty to the white metal he contends that in the interest Of
 the party it should no longer be given the | place of paramount importance in the
 declarations of principles.
 | Senator J. K Jones, chairman of the Ma
 tional Committee. and ex-Goyernor Stone
 of Missouri, both of them recognized as | staunch leaders of the silver sentiment,
 are of the opinion that a reaffirmaton of the Chicago platform is all that is neces- l sary. Governor Stone said today that he | considered the differences that have man. | ifested themselves a mere quibble, but he dclined to say whther he would be willing | to stop with the reaffirmation of the declar- | ation of 1896.
 Southern Delegates Indifferent Many Southern delegates express them- | selves as indifferent on the point, and are l inclined to make the concession demanded | by the Hill element. National Committee l man Campau is also inclined to subordi- | nate the question of ratio to other subjects of importance. On the other hand George | Fred Williams announces that the finan. | cial question Is still of the greatest i'm portance, and says he feels confident thai | the New England delegates are practically l solid in that position. 'The free coinage oi l silver at the ratio of Is to was the touch stone of the campaign of 1S96," he said to- day, "and its reiteration will add strength to the cause in the coming campaign" James Kerr, a delegate at large from | Pennsylvania and Secretary of the Con- | gressional Campaign Committee, takes a somewhat different view, but he would moi stop at the mere declaration for the Chi cago platform. He holds that new conditions will render
 it necessary to add something to what was
 said on trusts in 1896, and he says that to | make adoption on that subject and not to make it on the finances would be con- sidered invidious and would result injuri- ously. He would, however, not the
 phrase 16 to l, but would declare for free | coinage at the legal ratio."
 SllVer hepuDucdnb "aht tO 1alk | It is expected that the silver Republican party will ask to be consulted upon the l question of the financial plank. The re- , ports of that party already here express a strong preference for positive declara- ton for the old ratio
 "We want 16 to l." said former Senator
 Dubois of Idaho today, "but if they will put
 Towne on the ticket with Bryan we will
 be willing to make concessions on the
 money plank. If. however, such c man as
 Hill is to be nominated we want an iron
 clad silver platform. Thus you see," the
 ex-Senator added, "the Vice Presidential
 candidate may have a decided influence on
 the platform. Bryan and Towne would be
 a platform in themselves"
 MT. Bryan's position. as outlined by those
 close in touch with him, is this: He holds
 that the popularity of the Democratic tick
 ct in 1896 was due very largely to the pos
 itive position taken on the silver Vues-
 tion, and that to take backward step at
 this time would be ap evidence of falter-
 ing. and would weaken the ticket in its
 own strongholds without strengthening it
 where there is no hope of winning. He
 even goes so far as to say that he regards
 the platform of more importance than the
 ticket. He thinks also that if he should
 take any other position he would be ac-
 cused of vacillation and that in such noth-
 ing is to be lost by naming a change while
 nothing is to be gained by 1t. Those who
 agree with Mir. Bryan on this point con-
 tend that there is no possibility of his
 changing front before the time arrives for
 the party's official declaration, and they (Continued on Third Paoel =