The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-04-10
MOVEMENT TO
OPPOSE BRYAN
Has Changed In the East Says
a Washington Correspondent.
MODIFICATION OF PLATFORM.
Desired by some Even GoM Democrats
Prefer the chicago Platform And
Bryan to Four Years More OF
McKinieyism.


Bryan to -Four Years More OF
McKinleyism.
Washington, April 5.-According to a
Democratic senator who has always
been a strong partisan of the Chicago
platform, the eastern move to oppose
Bryan for the nomination has changed
the platform so as to make it less rail-
cal on the subject of silver. This, 1t is
said, will bring back thousands of
Democrats who will otherwise find it
difficult to support the ticket. The case
was very well stated by Richard Cro-
ker in private conversation only a
short time before he went to Europe.
The Tammany chleftain said he and his
organization had determined to send q
delegation to the National convention
for Bryan and to support him at the
polls with all their might. But" he
ended, 1--WE want you to make It as easy
as possible for us in the platform"
In informal conferences which have
been held here, and at which prominent
gold Democrats were present, the lat
ter Indicated that If the platform did
not crowd them too hard they would
come back. Indeed one gold Demo
crat of high position said he was so
much outraged by the Mckinley inn
periaaisttc policy he had made UP his
mind to Vote for Bryan, no natter what
kind of a platform he stood upon. The
confident impression in Democratic
circles is that hundreds of thousands of
Democrats throughout the country, who
voted for Mckinley in 1896, like the one
referred to above. are so disgusted with
his course that they viii turn their
backs on MIN this year.
Much Stress continues TO be laid upon
the argument that as the gold standard
has been fixed by law and cannot pos
sibly be changed during the next ad-
mlnistration. the silver plank would be
dead issue. This argument while it
appears naturally enough to be sound,
has not yet had much effect upon those
to whom it is addressed. Possible it
may become stronger, as time rolls on.
Senator Blackburn. of Kentucky who
has always been rearing tearing
silver man, is one of the leaders who
has already expressed the belief that
silver plank as to leave out the ratio
He says. which is true, of course that
it is in the power of congress to fix and
change the ratio at any time. What
should be done Is to open the mints to
the coinage of silver, declare for the
parity of the metals. and leave the ratio
TO be fixed from time to time, according
to circumstances, and keeping the silver
a lyyn I'M s5l
much as the gold dollar.
Considering what appears to be the
unanimous desire of Democrats TO get
together on some common basis which
will permit a united attack to be made
upon the lmperialstic and trust kopjes
the hopes of the Democratic leaders
are running high. They believe, for
instance, that the labor vote will be
for Bryan this year. Dlsucusslng this,
a member Of the National Democratic
committee said: Organized labor was
for Bryan in 1896. We had the most
positive, unmistakable evidence of this |
fact. But when election day came, !
through coercion mostly, we lost what
belonged to us. This cannot be repeat
ed. All our advices are to the effect |
that McKinley's course has Incurred the |
relentless hostility Of the labor unions.
The feeling is running so strong that |
all Mark Hanna's corruption fund and |
all the threats of the protected mono-
poles cannot stem it.
1T has been generally taken for gran |
ted the the Nebraska platform was
consented to by Mr.. Bryan" continued |
the same member but this may. be so |
without his desiring so radical decla-
ration in national document. In Ne
braska there are plenty of Populists and
few gold Democrats. In the east the |
reverse Is the case. yet the national |
platform must provide for both sections
of the country 1t Is possible, there
fore, that the Poplists will in effect be
told: we will go as far as we possibly
can on your lines, but you must remem-
Der there are others to be considered
as well as you. We want to unite all
the elements of opposition to the pre-
sent administration. You can get
nothing from the Republicans, and
whatever we give you is so much made
At any rate, it is safe to say that the
'Altgeld policy will be dropped. That
gentleman was more responsible for the
form than anyone else, and he car
ried everything before him with his
fierce claim of giving the candidate 1OO,-
900 majority in Illinois. Bryan himself
had not much to do with the making of
the platform. He will have more to do
with it this time"
CRITTENDEN MARRIOTT.
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