The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-06-26
KANSAS CITY NEXT.

The Democratic National Convention
meets at Kansas City one week from
Wednesday. There is to be no contest, of
course, over the presidential nomination..
There can be none, in fact, for Bryan
already, has more than two thirds OF the
delegates of whom the convention will
be made up pledged TO him. Undoubted-
ly he will be nominated by reclamation.
The vice presidency Is not SO easy u mat
ter. The Popuiists nominated Charles
A. Towne, and Mr.. Towne hopes that
the Democrats will take him along with
Bryan. But there is evidently to be
strong objection to that. 10 take Towne
would putsthe convention practically in
The position of letting the Populists
choose their ticket for them, and the
majority OF the Democrats do not want 30
be Inundated to that extent. There will
therefore, be vigorous and probably
successful effort to substitute somebody
else for Towne. The trend in the East
seems to be toward ex-senator ID. B.
Hill of New York, probably because of u
belief that he could carry New York,
which is likely to again be the pivotal
state 1t is very questionable, however,
II the West takes kindly to him. Ger
tainly ex-Gov. Altgeld and his crowd
cannot swallow him, without being
guilty of the grossest kind of inoonsis-
tency, for AltgeId has repeatedly de-
nounced such Democrats as Hill as
traitors to their party, without whom the
party would be much better of. Hearst
of the New York journal is mentioned,
but he probably has no great strength.
Carter Harrison of Chicago has some at
fractions, but there is a bitter feud be-
tween him and Altgeld, which will GER
tainly initiate greatly againss his
chances for Altgeli is probably the most
influential and in many ways the ablest
leader of the new Democracy. The situa-
ton rs regards the second place on the
ticket resembles in some respects the
situation at Philadelphia. before Roose-
welt was brought into the contest. As 1t
looks none of the candidates will
have enough strength to get the nomina-
ton on the first ballot, and there is like
ly to be a prolonged contest.
The platform will not be adopted, we
imagine without some friction. There
is likely to be an effort made to relegate
IL TO one and the other distinctive planks
in the Chicago platform to n subor Innate
position. Probably no attempt will be
made to ignore them altogether. for that
would be absolutely useless; but good
many Eastern Democrats believe they can
make better showing at the polls this
fall, IL they can obscure the silver ques-
tion, and keep the trusts and Imperialism
conspicuously before the people, and as
one means to that end they look to the
subordinating of the Chicago platform in
the Kansas City deliverance. They have
much weakened their chances of success,
however, by declaring in advance that
they will support the platform, whatever
: it is, and by piedging themselves unre-
seryediy to Bryan.
The question Of trusts will be easy.
Some vigorous slangwhanging, and lot
OF promises which cannot be fulfilled will
make up the plank ON this subject. On
imperialism" the convention has got to
proceed with good deal of caution. The
truth is, Bryan himself Is as much re-
sponsibie for the Philippine business as
any man in the country. 1t was his in
fiuence that turned enough Senators in
favor of the treaty Of Paris to ratify il
without amendments. He did his best to