The representative., 1900-09-20
illinois Man Put on the Demo
cratic Ticket as a Bait to
Catch the Gold Men.
Nomination Planned a Year AGO,
With Mr.. Bryan a Party
to the Deal.
ny Wire From Warrington, Sept. II.

When Adlai e. Stevenson was chosen az
running mate with Bryan at the Kansas
City national Democratic convention II
looked on the surface as If his nomination
was a sort Of spontaneous affair.
1t was claimed at the time-and several
of the speakers who seconded Stevenson &
nomination swore to it-that it was a clear
case of the Office seeking the man.
But it was nothing Of the sort. Steven
sons nomination was a cut -and-dried af-
fair. 1t was fixed up as a compromise to
satisfy the conservative wing of the party.
and above all to bring great many Of the
Cleveland Gold Democrats into line for
Bryan.
Bryan himself knew It would not do to
nominate a man for second place who was
rs rank and rabid for 16 to / as he. While
apparently giving encouragement to Towne
and his friends, 1t has developed during
the progress of this campaign that Bryan
never wanted Towne.
COMBINATION TICKET WANTED.
What was wanted was a combination
ticket, something like hard and soft
money proposition, and there were strong
Influences at work for Stevenson from the
Gold Democratic forces.
Last winter Stevenson was invited to
Omaha to deliver an address on Jackson
day. He accepted and now . Nebraska man
is authority for the statement that Steven
sons nomination was then and there talked
OF and that 1t was agreed that It should be
kept q political secret.
Bryan knew of It, but entered into the
agreement to remain perfectly neutral, and
cater towards an Eastern man for vice.
president for the purpose Of preventing any
contest against his own candidacy for dele
gates to the national convention.
1t has been pointed out in former dis
patches to The Tribune that Stevenson was
about as strong a gold man as Cleveland
himself. Whatever he could do when presi-
dent of the senate to bring about vote
for the repeal Of the Sherman silver pur-
chasing clause was done.
FAVORED GOLD MEN.
He ruled in favor Of Voorhees,, who was
leading the fight for gold every time there
was a favorable opportunity. Mr. Steven
son did not present but single petition
for free silver during the famous extra ses-
sion of 1893.
On the contrary, he did present a great
many petitions for the repeal Of the silver
purchasing act, and in favor of the gold
standard.
While Vice-President Stevenson was pre-
scnting these various petitions in the SEN
ate William J. Bryan, over in the house,
was loudly proclaiming against the repeal
OF the silver purchasing act, and boldly as
sailing the administration of Cleveland for
betraying the interests of the people.
Bryan led filibuster for two days, and
did all in his power to prevent the bill
from ever becoming a law. Those were the
dark days Of panic and disaster, but the
free silver advocates paid no heed to that.
In fact, they insisted the hard times were
caused by the threatened destruction of
silver, and insisted that a gold standard
policy would ruin the people Of the United
States.
ON THE SAME PLATFORM.
Today Bryan and Stevenson are on the
same platform seeking votes. The nomi-
nation CT Mr.. Stevenson was part Of a COM
promise whereby 1t was agreed that al i.
though silver should be indorsed. It wa,
not to be an issue.
But the Democrats are finding it very
much OF an issue, for the very moment that
1t became apparent to the radical free
silver men that Bryan was not going to
talk silver they made . protest which COM
PEELED him to hedge and again spout about
Is to I.
Mr.. Stevenson has done fairly well in
fulhlling his part OF the contract By bring
ing some sound money Democrats over to
the support Of Bryan.
But the understanding was that silver was
rot to be the leading issue. and there 10
liable to be trouble in keeping the latest
converts to Bryan from breaking away. as
they did In 1895.
GERALD