The Atlanta constitution., 1900-08-27
THE FLOP OF STEWART;
ITS MEANING AND EFFECT
By Jos: Oil.

By Jos: Oil.
Washington, August A.-(SpeciaLI-
Republican managers profess to nan Win
delight the return to the fold of old sen
ator Stewart. of Nebraska. who supported
Bryan in 1895, but who has since thon
been put down as one of the supporters
Of Wharton Barker. Indications of Sen
ator Stewards purpose TO get back Win
the republicans were given at different
times during the last session OF the sen
ate but there was no declaration to tha'
effect and 1t has been supposed until re-
Gently that he would be found arrayed
with the opponents OF the administration.
While they do not pretend 10 believe that
the old senator has any influence. or that
his utterances count for much, they De
lieve his change of front is or value 10
them as Indicating the general CONDITION
existing in Nevada and perhaps in other
states of the far west. III TINS utter
ence of Senator Stewart is followed by
a similar one from Senator John p. Jones,
as is expected. the republicans VIII feei
that they are certain OF the three elec-
toraI votes from Nevada and that tho
figures they have been making on the
far west are not wrong.
Not from Nevada alone. but from Utah
and wyoming. Idaho and South Dakota'
como reports showing that the men VINO
acted with the democrats in the last cam
paign on account of Jne prominence OF
the silver question, are going back to
the republican party and doing so on the
conviction that silver is not the para
mount Issue of this campaign. lnueeu
they seem to be taking as truth the ut
terances of the republican leaders at the
PHILADELPHIA convention who declared
that the silver question was dedu pe
yond resurrection" and having acteu
with the democrats on that issue aiohe'
they are finding the opportunity to return
70 the PARTY with which they formerly
affiliated.
Some of the democratic leaders who
are here in Washington are inclined 10 ne
lieve that this attitude of the silver re-
publicans of the west will do more harm
TO the republican campaign than 1t VIII
good This change. they claim. is in Its
very nature acknowledgment that anoth
or ouestion is the great one in the eyes
of the American people and 1t cuts the
nrops therefore, from under the EFFORTS
of the republican leaders to make their
camDaign in the doubtful states upon the
silver question. They point out thal III
New York Illinois. Wisconsin, MlchiSah'
indiana Minnesota. Maryland, Delaware,
lican local managers have been given
orders 10 paramount" silver at all haz-
ards and TO claim that the real danger
in tho election of Bryan lies in his posi-
tton on the financial question. To this
end thev are sending out literature TO
prove that If Bryan is elected, 1t VIII be
possibIe for the democrats to convert the
senate into a free silver body ana pass
a silver bill.
secretarv Kerr, Of the democratic con-
rressjoral committee, in discussing the
meaning of the Stewart flop. said: II
is very evident that the republican man
ayers are having hard work impresslhs
the country with the force of their argu-
ment that silver Is the one issue In thlS
carnpaign They raise that cry because
they see danger 20 their party in the up
rising of the people in all parts OF the
country against the administration poll
cy OF Imperialism. They are alIuu W
meet the issue raised by that policy anu
have sought TO divert attention from 1t py
claiming that the one issue OF the cam
paign is silver at l6 to J. IneSe west
ern silver republicans who are imperlal-
lists are lining up for the imperiallst can
didate because they see that imperialism
is the great issue. In the same way you
are going 10 find that the thousands ana
tens of thousands of anti-imperlallstS
who were not with us four years ago. VIII
vote for Bryan this year because they
recognize the real issue of the campaign
and its vast Importance to the repuolc.
Every silver republican vote we lose VIII
ne offset, bv a hundred votes cast by anti
impcrialists VINO voted for Mckinley in
1906 hut who will refuse to follow him
This vear These men live in the states
that are considered doubtful and the net
result of this swapping IS sure to be
decided gain in electoral votes for the
democrats.
The democratic managers say that, from
their standpoint. they viii be Wiling 10
forgive the republicans almost anything
if they will but put old man Stewart on
the stump for Mckinley. During tho
mast four years the democrats have had
to bear the brunt of the Stewart support
Because Stewart in 1896 voted with the
democrats for Bryan. the country has
shown n tendency to class him as dem
ocrat and democrats have. therefore, been
compelled in a sense to allow him TO be
counted as of their number when it came
to committee assignments In the present
congress. but the newspapers have class
ed him as democrat and his mouthings
have been called democratic. There is
no man in public life who possesses the
same ability he in scattering a crowd.
Let him but start to speak and everybody
within range of his voice--and Ii is a good.
husky voice despite his more than seven
ty-five years-makeS n break to escape.
Now II he will but insist upon Senator
Hanna sending him out campaign
orator. ne will add materially to the re-
jocing in the democratic camp