The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-11-28
SILVER COINAGE.
MEETING OF THE SILVER coNvEN.
TIoN AT ST. LOUIS WITH OVER
800 DELEGATES PRESENT.
speech Of Mr.. Warner, of Ohio, on the
Importance Of the Agitation of
Silver Free Coinage.

OF. LOUIS, November 26.-The National
silver convention met at the Exposition
building this morning with about $50 dele
gates in their seats and a large number of
spectators, Notwithstanding the rain. The
great hall was handsomely and appropri-
ately decorated. Emblems of the charac
ter OF the convention were to be seen on all
sides, while flags and bunting greeted the
visitors from the entrance to the stage. It
was l1:15 when James Campbell called the
convention to order. After briefly reciting
the inception of the project to bring the
silver men of the country together he in
troduced l.. NJ. Rumsey, of st. Louis, as
temporary chairman and Albert Singer
temporary secretary.
Chairman Ramsey was given warm well
come when he rose to make his opening re-
marks. Among other things he said:
"It isfair to presume there is no single
delegate present who does not feel a
weighty responsibility resting upon him as
q representative to this convention for
upon the results of this assembly will de-
pend in large degree the prosperity our
country will eniov in the immediate future
You are not law-maklng body it is true,
but as the laws are the results of the pop
. ular will, and as you have been almost as
popularly sent to represent the people of
the United States as are members Of con-
gress sent to voice the will of the people in
Washington, it follows that the congress of
the United States may find through your
deliberations and conclusions that as you
are the latest representatives from the
people on the question of the silver coinage
laws must obey the will of the
people of the United States
and enact the laws your body can
not enact, which will give the people of the
Tinted States the privilege of coming their
silver as freely as they coin their gold.
Gentlemen who will address you upon the
values to be discussed in this convention,
will make it as clear as MONDAY, so that no
person in the United States who can read
need he ignorant of the untold advantages
such law would give to this country, and
also incidentally to the entire world In SO
large an assembly it would be strange ii
those who have some pet hobby, no doubt
very excellent and desirable IN some other
convention but the time for discussion OF
the monetary question is so brief that it is
hoped no extraneous subjects will be at
tempted to be pushed upon the attention OF
this convention"
At the conclusion of his address various
committees-on credentials, permanent or
ganiZation and resolutiOns-weIe appointed
and the convention took recess till p. nj.
The convention assembled at p. m. and
was called to order by Temporary Chair
man Rumsey. o-,.c
On motion of Mr.. Curtis, of California,
il was decided that the doors OF the con-
yention hall be thrown open to the PUBIC.
THE entire afternoon was spent IN DIS
cuesion of how the convention should vote,
some contending that each delegate present
should be entitled to one vote ana others
that the delegation should vote full strength
bv proxy, no matter how many delegates
were in the convention,
The matter was finally settled by the
adoption of resolution offered by Sena-
tor Stewart of Nevada, that each delega,,
ton should be entitled to twenty votes ana
that all over that number IN any deiega-
CATION should be allowed one Vote eacn:
The committee on permanent organlza,
tion reported the following permanent Oh
ficers: roL;o. vioo
Chairman. ]. NJ. McMichael, of Colorado;
Secretary. Albert Singer, OF Missouri, with
three assistants; VIM. Fitzgerald, OF Col;
orado. Senator Stewart OF Nevada, ana
Congressman Bland, OF missouri were ap-
noinfed committee to conduct Chairman
Warner to the stage. He. was INTRODUCED
TO the Commissioner by Senator stewart
and received with cheers.
Mr.. Warner thanked the convention lor
the O. unexpected honor, and said that a sub
iect. than which none other afiected tne
ypeonIe of the entire world with equal
weiFbt was the silver question. since
GERMANY in 1872, followed later by other
European powers and partly by the United
States. demonetized or limited silyer as
money the question had been vital issue
and in the discussion the bimetalists hau
won the victory. The attempt TO chahge
the money standard from gold and silyer.eo
Gold alone was worse than mistake-ltWas
9Imost a crime. The men who favored sucn
a conrse. knew what the consequences
would be on the debts and the commepce ce
of the nations of the world, and they were YER
aided by men who did not reallze me Tue ld da
reaching results of the change. Inc id oel
monetizatior of silver had made tne gortp
standard different than before inas "a az,
Tbe demonetization of silver was IN Iact
Great crisis and its restoration was ,I now tne
fmnortant question of the world. Inc peU-
ME had suffered more from bad moIeSaaS ao
ieStslation than from any otnec cauee
The first duty was stability OF hlato Oatoro'
What was now asked was resUol"