The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-04
MISSISSIPPI DEMOCRATS.
What Governor Vardaman and Other
 Prominent Men Say.

N. o Els Jackson letter to Brooklyn
 Eagle.
 Governor Vardaman's opinion on the subjects discussed are the opinions of Mississippi Democracy, with modtfc ltions only as to the canal and to the status of ex-President Cleveland The canal is as publican origination could well be. The Mississippians will smile little at the gross characterization of the administra- ton, but they will continue to hope that the canal will be built. There are many who prefer the Nicaragua route. but a large majority is impatient over the policy of obstruction cOunseled by Senator Cor man. Senators McLaurin and Money are expected to vote for 1t, notwithstanding their present hesitation,
 MT. Cieveland's nomination for Presi- dent IS opposed by most of the important Mississippi Democrats as an unnecessary snront to Mir. Bryan and as bad prece- dent in organization politics. The pro- Bryan Democracy of the State opposes MT. Cleveland also on the ground that he Is conservative. not in harmony with and expansion questions. It is to be said: however, that most of the Mississippi leaders admit readily that MT. ClNveland will get the electoral vote of the State If he is nominated
 Governor Vardamans remarks on the silver coinage question are in effect an i'm portant concession to the conservative ele-.
 nent of the national Democracy. He h gone step further than MT Bryan him. self. If he were speaking for MT. Bryan the matter of Democratic harmony in the National campaign would be settled.
 There are essential differences of opin- ion between the conservatives and the radicals, other than that relating to sil- yer. but there is none except silver upon which the Democracy would split. Noth- ing Is so clear as the fact that the con servative Democrats will not support the free coinage proposition. The abandon ment of silver demand, even though such an abandonment be, as Governor Varda- man suggests, nothing more than a tenn porary neglect to press the issue. is un- doubtedly the most important step to- ward Democratic reconciliation.
 Governor Vardaman's relations to MT. Bryan are so close as to give his words especial significance in that direction. From them it is entirely reasonable in the absence of explicit statements on the subject by MT. Bryan, to judge that MT. Bryan himself has no hope of a ra-affir- nation of the silver plank. Some of the silver leaders intimate and Mississippi izatton to the effect that the Kans2S City platform Is good enough Democracy to be re-afiirmed is nothing more than a mani festation of his intense desire to appear consistent, and that he really entertains no hope for the life of the silver Is ue. Views kindred to those of Governor Vardaman on the silver question have been expressed by Represente tive Will Washington. A poll of the Mississippi Legislature made on Thursday shows that body to be overwhelmingly against tNe re-affirmation of the silver plank. Speak CT E. N. Thomas of the lower H House,
 who will probably be a delegate to the National Convention, has announced that he Is unalterably opposed to the rNcogni- ] ton of MT. Bryan as the party leader. Mississippi will undoubtedly cooperate ! with the conservative element if friction | which cannot now be foreseen does not If Chief Judge Parker and ex-Governor Francis of Missouri. It does not take kindly to ex-Secretary O'ney or to Judge Gray of Delaware for the same reasons il has advanced in opposition to MT. Cleve- land. Senator German Is not here con. | sidered an available candidate.