The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-07-05
AND Mr.. BRYAN Is FIRM
Principle of Americanism Stands First
In the Platform.
THEN COMES DENUNCIATIoE OF TRUSTS
The Third Plank VIII Attack the Republican
Currency Law, and the Fourth Will be
the Financial Plank, Declaring
for Free Coinage at Is 10 |.
for Free Coinage at l6 to !.

The Kansas City correspondent of the
Springfield Republican (Ind.) writes inter-
estingly of the convention. He says:
cit is plain as anything can be that this
convention is to be in its leadership con-
tinuation of the Chicago convention; the
men and the forces that dominated there
are in control now. They are conscious OF
power and can do what they will with 1t.
But they will not exercise it to move the
previous question or to cut Off discussion.
That is why the settlement of the plat
form and vice presidential nomination will
take time 1t is to be a Democratic con-
yention Many of the delegates and the
newspaper men are predicting Hills nom
ination, and that 16 to l will be ruled out.
Such is the drift in the hotel lohbies But
ex-Gov. Altgeld openly announces his op-
position to Hill. That is significant MI.
BRYAN will not indicate his preference Tor
a running mate, but he will have the
veto power He would not like Hill any
more than President Mckinley did Roose-
welt
1.-THE only way Hill could win would be
for the delegations to run away with the
leaders That is a contingency not now
looked for. What Bryan Gov. Stone, OF
Missouri. Altgcld, Jones, of Arkansas,
Williams and a few others want VIII De
done. Hills visit to Bryan does not mat
ter much, except to make talk. lie an
not go on Bryans invitation. He propos-
cd that Bryan yield the ratio OF 10 TO l.
and failed in his mission. On that matter
Bryan's Jaw grows set ana MS race
resolute. The man is rooted and grounded
in the faith that he is hghtlng the
neonle's cause One Of the things he be-
leves essential in the long run IS the
double standard. He will stand to it. But
this battle of 1900 will be fought upon the
immediate and supreme questions-impe-
rialism and militarism. That being So
and it is a fact that will be proved by
BRYAN and all the Democratic speakers
what is the best way to lay this silver
question on the shelf?
"Tbe men who have shaped this plat
form as it now is, subject to the action Oh
the convention. argue that if you want to
have 16 to 1 at the front, leave 1t out OF
the PLATFORM if you don't want it to
dominate. leave it in. Take it out, and
BRYAN will show himself to be an evasive,
~
be asked if he was still in favor of 10 to l..
and afraid to say SO. Leave it in, and
II will shield itself when the whole hght
is on Imperialism and militarism. as it
must be. This is the argument. Against
this view there is much protest. 1t will be
voiced in the convention, but inLrthe end
rs to / will appear in the fourth plank or
the platform.
nd those close are
agreed that this issue of liberty, and free
dom and true Americanism stands first,
and to it the first plank Of the platform
will be devoted. 1t will be a strong decla-
ration. The second plank will take up the
trust question and declare that a monopo-
ly in privateNhands is dangerous, and de-
mapd the adjustment of special prlvil-
eyes The Republican currency law Will
be next attacked as delegating to the
banks governmental function.
with 16 to 1, the principles of the Chi
cago platform will be affirmed The
next plank is a sort of omnium gatherum
It will call for direct legislation, municip-
al ownership of natural monopolies, cleo
lions of senators by direct vote OF the
people, and declare against government
by Injunction. There you have the meat
of the resolutions and the way in which
things are to come out, unless the dele
gates run away with the program. That
would be an event something like the fall
of the heaven, when all can catch political
larks. Against such a possibility as this
is the fact that the boiling element prac-
tically left the Democratic party in 1896
The new men as yet stand together.
"Now for the vice. presidency. Here
there is no slate. Perhaps ex-Congress-
man B. f. Shveiy, of Indiana, might have
had it, but he announced today that he
could not and would not be a candidate.
If George Fred Williams would but nod
his head he could be nominated on the
second ballot. The man who gets the
place must be devoted to the things in
which Mr.. Bryan believes, and which TO
him embody the cause of the people. Mr..
Williams would be agreeable to the head
OF the ticket But Mr.. Williams has not
yet nodded. He has stood by what he
early told the Massachusetts delegation.
and tonight discourages any use of his
name for the e-presidency. He does this
with positiveness.