Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-03
Democratic Hostiles, Led by Hill, Had
De,p-Laid Plot.
TO GET RID OF MAN and HOBBY
Based Their Hopes on Modifying
the Silver Plank.
THEIR EFFORTS FAILED
Special From a Staff Correspondent.

play of the antt-free coinage democrats to
overreach Bryan was arranged for at this
convention. 1t is confessedly failure but
they are themselves surprised at having
come so close to success- There has been
no time since Bryan was defeated at the
polls in 1896 when 1t has not been the con-
stanty considered aim and object of those
opposed to the Chicago platform to get rid
of him as the party leader. Every device
the ingenuity of practical politicians could
suggest has been resorted to. One scheme
after another failed, end his opponents
sank into despair only to be asairf aroused
to activity by some new plan being sug-
gested.
There has been a constant campaign go
ing on for four years within the Democrat tic
party, and internal vigilance on the part
OF Bryan men has been the price Of Bry-
antsm. The Bryan organization has been
constantly on the alert to hold party con-
troll, which has been threatened in many
ways. When the Dewey move was made
that was thought to be the last effort In the
way of antagonism to Bryan. and when
more than tWo-thir1s OF the delegates to
the Kansas City convention were instructed
for the Nebraska candidate. 1t was thought
that the members of the opposition had
surely reached the end Of their efforts.
Flank Move of the Bryanites.
This certainty of control in the conven-
ton and the perfect confidence which it
inspired among the Bryan people. furnished
the opportunity for ono final and more
nearly successful plan of overthrow Of
ter idol. The members Of the
opposition surrendered with the priv
ilege of carrying their sido arms and
coming into the camp There has been
much rejoicing at the peaceful bearing of
lately hostile chiefs and. being in camp at
Kansas City in great force. they have been
called into council and their advice has
been listened to as words OF wisdom There
have been rejoicing over Hill and words Of
compliment for the absent German. Wis.,
iors Of a united and Triumphant democracy
marching through Msl-ylan nd and New York
have been pictured in the Imagination.
Perry Belmont. with whom Bryan refused
to sit down at dinner. has been welcomed
at Kansas City. The returning hostiles
with faces bearing the mask OF humiliation
which silently pleads for forgiveness, and
voices full of gentler.ess asked moth
ing-that is. next to nothing. Very little:
the mldest sort of a modification of the
platform. would suffice not to secure their
loyalty, which was already secured, but 10
render more certain the victory which they
promised in states where victory has seem
ed impossible since 80. They asked so
little, indeed that they Won the sympathy
of and the support of their claims among
some of the most artent Bryan people
There have been expressions of impatience
at the stubbornness of those who have been
unyieidtns. Men I'hose eyes arc dazzled
by the giitterlng promise Of party success
and whose hearts are set upon success
above all things, have declared that they
could see no sense In rejecting the legal
ratio as substitute for the phrase '.1G
to l."
Plan to Eliminate Bryan.
This impattence is now being played upon
to accomplish greater results. The object
has not been and is not alone to render the
platform more acceptable to the anti-Bryan
element. but far more important, to elm
mate Bryan. Bryan has in many ways
committed himself to the declaration that
he would not accept a nomination on
platform which inclined backward from the
advanced position of SO. It has become
clear that the inspiration Of the determined
effort OF Hill to secure a modification of
the pletform a modification which would
still leave 1t unsatisfactory to him, was
found In the belief that Bryan could not be
nominated after such notifications were
made In the platform. Now that Bryan
has made it plain that he will not accept
the proposed notifications under any cir
cumstances, he Is being made the center of
attack by advocates of these notifications.
strong effort was made to organize for
the adoption of platform without specific
reference to "16 to T. in spite Of his oppo-
sition. In making this effort 1t was not
pathy with it, that the success of the move
ment would mean the retirement Of Bryan,
When Mr.. Hill returned from Lincoln he
declined to reveal to any one, except, per-
haps his most trusted lieutenants what
transpred at his interview with Bryan. He
said that both Bryan and himself had
agreed that nothing should be disclosed.
Discomfort at Bryan's attitude assid-
uously cultivated. however, and the sug
gestion was adroitly circulated that the
convention had a right to decide for Itself
what the platform should be, and that the
importance of party success should be con-
sidered even above the personal wishes of
Mr. Bryan This view was pressed most
assiduously on the southern members who
had readily taken to the suggestion of Hill
as vice presidential candidate. The work
Of organizing for a fight to secure control
Of the platform committee and to get
modified silver plank through the conven-
tion was taken up with great visor by the
Eill element among the New York people
by Pennsylvania. Maryland, West Virginia
and Connecticut, and 1t was said that it
had strong sympathy In Alabama, Tennes-
see and among other Of the southern dele
cations.
Agitators Have Been Active.
The rank and file Of the delegates are not
here in great numbers yet. but among the
advance leaders the agitation has been very
sctive wherever encouragement enough was
received to make 1t appear safe to do so.
'"
Bryan was assuming too much and that the
convention should assert itself, and when
such information was sure to be welcome
1t was added that there was no doubt that
Bryan would get out of the way If the con-
vention went back on silver at all. The
most extreme talk emanated from IRE
sponsible sources in the lobbies but 1t was
easily traceable to the Hill camp. It was
asserted that a number Of strong delega-
tions. including Ohio and Indiana, in addi-
ton to those from which the agitation
against silver emanated. would vote to
modify the silver plank. Some Of those who
are as determined as Mr.. Bryan that "16 to
1" must go into the platform. expressed the
opinion that there was danger Of the modi-
fiers getting majority of the committee on
resolutions. In such an event there would
be two reports from the committee and the
convention would surely stand by 16 to l.
The immediate result Of the outbreak of
hostile complaints Of Bryan's persistence
in not yielding to Hill was an awakening
on the part OF the men who have been
shouting Bryan for the past four years to a
realization of what the anti-silver men were
seeking The reaction from q discovery
that they had been guilty of weakness in
being tempted to yield the very thing they
had been fighting for 20 long. found sx-