The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-03-30
Bryanites Willing They
Should Have It.
Another Defeat Would Settle
Silver Issue.


Washington, March ee.-The scheme Of
the eastern, or gold wing OF the Demo-
cratic party, 10 10 let Bryan be nominat-
cd for the Presidsney, but 30 try to ss-
cure control Of the party organization In
preparation for 1904. This accounts for
the subm issivs way In which Croker and
Gorman and eastern Democrats general
ly are announcing their willingness to
support Bryan, and In many instsness
their dsslrs to have him nominated. They
are going back into active work In the
party In order to get hold Of ,ts machiD-
cry In readiness for o time when tt Will
be Of some use to them. Strange as 1t
may seem the Bryanitss are not averss
to this scheme. Many OF them would
ike to have Arthur p. Gorman manage
the national campaign In place Of Mr.
Jones Of Arkansas, and 1t IL not at all
unlikely that German may be persuaded
to do so. TIE idea Of the Bryanitss is:
"what is the use going after game that
you already have In your bagf" They
say Bryan's nomination win give them
the Populistiu vots any way. and why
uVb IC0On Out ultNE hAo O11tcAA 1OAAAO
Gratis many OF whom are inclined to slide
back quietly into the party upon one
issue or another. now that free silver
seems less vital as On issue than before.
If Bryan were elected, Of course, the
scheme Of tae gold men to control the
organization would fall through. Bryan
would control 1t himself, as he could
readily do through the fedeERl patronage.
II Bryan "a to be defeated, tha free silver
wing have no objsoticn t) tae machinery
of the party reversing into Its old hands.
since they will consider two failures ss
enough to demonstrats the weakness Of
the free silver experiment They will be
glad to try something elss. This nt least
is the attitude OF the southern Democrats
who are the back bone If tas party. Their
desire is primarily for the ascendency
OF the Democratic Inrty, and free silver
and other issues are OF oniy secondary ac-
count.
IL seems likely that this change will be
the distinguishing feature of the cam.
paign Of 1900. SO far as the Democrats
are concerned. The old-time politicians 8
Woo buik0u IN Aooot Will bo eASA ~
control and In active work, vita the un-
derft tanding that II Bryan fails again
they are to be given o chance to run
things nexT time. 1he more of them
who go back into the organization now,
the easier win IL be to recover the party
machinery, and so the word has gone
out from 4 the old time eastern leaders to
their followers to get In line, to attend
the caucuses, and to give support, out
ward and Visible ut least, to the regular
Democratic ticket. Most Of these men
believe that Bryan stands no chance
Of election. Otherwise some of them
might think this a rather dangerous ex-
pertinent.
A movement is on foot, akin to the
scheme for eastern control Of the orga-
nization. to have Elliot Danforth doomed
for the Vice Presidency. He supported
the Bryan ticket cordially In 1896. and
bears the full stump OF party regulari-
ty, including q participation In some Of
Mr.. Hill's brazen schemes for counting
In q Democratic legislature. Mr.. Dan
forth's nomination will be In ell respects
long step In the direction of placating
the poll ticiAns Of the old guard.