The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-01-14
NATIoyAL DEMOCRAT RIO CoMMTrTEE
Search for n Chairman to Succeed senator
~Jones-ReYIew Of the PossiblIlties

search Tor n Chairman To succcsu oe""'"'
Jones-Reyiew Of the Possibiilties.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 1?.-Three national cleo
lions were won for the Democratic party WIN
respectively. Senator Barnum OF CONNECTICUT
senator German OF Maryland and state Secre-
tary Harrity OF Pennsylvania. three Eastern
statesmen. a. chairmen Of the National Demo-
cratic Committee. Senator Jones OF Arkhhsas'
who became national chairman In lso". was
tho first Western or Southwestern Democrat
TO occupy that post. His retention In l"oo
has become uncertain through personal ana
factlonal differences.
Jones halls from q State OVERWHELMINGLY
Democratic. from a section OF country In when
there are no doubtful electoral votos, ana MS
MANAGEMENT" OF the 1895 canvass was not
brilliant. This may have been due to his lack
OF funds. but that doesn't enter into caicuia-
tons. The selection OF another chairman must
be. from present Appearances. no easy task. ior
there have been a most unusually large num-
Der Of political fatalities since 1893 among
those whose qualifications for the post were
accepted as at least serious.
Goebel OF Kentucky. who seemed likely to 20
tho Democratic man on horseback" 40 an
effective leader and manipulation. sustained IN
his own State a defeat which makes in.praeti-
cable his further promotion. irrespective Of
any action taken by the Frankfort Legislature
or its members.
Mclean OF Ohio. whose recommendations as
almoner Of campaign funds for q party In great
need Of them in 1900. and whose strategetic
ability was highly priced till practically tested.
failed utterly In the handling Of his own can
vass and was overwhelmed with disaster In
Ohio, Altgeld OF Illinois. whose undoubted
aLilItiaa - nm aans, AND an ~ pntUn man..
ager were generally recognized in 1893. when
he was Governor. was q candidate for Mayor OF
Chicago. In April. 1899. and was disastrously
defeated, failing to carry a single ward OF that
city OF many wards. and a~rousing antaeon!sms
which would make dangerous his selection for
the post, except by deliberate sacrifice. In ad.
vance. OF the electoral vote Of Illinois.
The Democratic party In the New England
States. decadent IN character and diminished
in membership. is without available leaders
for the national contest. The last hope was
blasted when. at the recent election in Boston.
Gen. Collins. the Democratic candidate for
Mayor. was defeated In that Democratic city.
The obstacles to Democratic success in New
Jersey have been numerous and increasing
since Is ). Former Senator Smith staked
everything for the Democrats upon the cleo
ton OF 1893 for Governors; they fell far short Of
the vote required. and Smith went down.
In Missouri. from which former Gov. stone
halls. there has recently sprung up a contest
long deferred between the two wings OF the
Democratic party there. one representing a pro-
gressive faction OF voters in the northern coun-
ties, and the other Confederate soldiers and
their successors In the southern tier OF counties
and in the backwoods districts. The acceptance
Of any Missouri chairman for the Democratic
National Committee. while bringing nothing OF
benefit to the Democratic fight in 1900. would
put in peril the support OF the State which gave
Bryan his largest electoral vote and which the
Republicans are hopeful Of carrying this year.
There are no longer any representative Dem
ocrats-no successors to Hendricks. Williams.
Mcdonald. Landers or Voorhees-in Indiana.
now for the first line in popular recollection
represented by two Republican United States
Senators. Indiana has been politically over
Swallowed. since she ceased being an October
State. by the two neighboring States OF Ohio
and Illinois.
The disastrous defeat Of the Democrats in
Iowa, the return OF Kansas to tho Republican
column and the manifest impracticability Of
tho acceptance OF any rans-Mississippi chair
man on any other issue but hat OF radical
silverism. reduces the Democratic party to the
alternative OF either retaining Jones as chair
man or OF seeking as q campaign manager
Martin Of Virginia. recently reelected BY the
Legislature OF that State after O hard
battle In which his qualities as a political leader
we're put TO a serious test. Martin 10 q Democrat
OF conservative proclivitiss and Eastern connec-
tions. He Is OF middle age. will be a Sen ator
until 1907. and is certain TO have the support
OF the Maryland Democrats. who have a vic
tory to their credit In that State and control
not only its administration but the municipal
affairs Of Baltimore as well.
The Western and Southwest radicals, the
foes OF railroads. trusts and all combinations
Of capital. have little use for Martin. however.
and the proposition Is made that. In addition
to being the candidate. Bryan will be asked to
take the craftsmanship Of the Democratic Ma
tional Committee and to become at once the
party's Presidential candidate, the chief advo-
cate OF his own election. and the manager Of
the political details connected with 1.-THE arch
itect, so to speak. OF his own political fortunes
and. to use q New York ~colloQulalism. tho
whole shooting gallery"
What Is much more probable than this. how
ever. is that Jones Of Arkansas. Hampstead
county. into the capital township OF which two
railroad trains run daily. will remain In charge.
The search though for a better chairman
Of the Democratic National Committee than
Jones for 800 is not likely to be abandoned
until after the meeting OF the convention,
Meanwhile the existing committee meets here
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