Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-09-30
MASSACHUSETTS,.
THE DEMOCRATS RENoMlNArE RUS
SELL BY ACcLAMATION.
Ringing Speech from Pat Collins The
Platform Adopted-Strsightout OPP
position to Free Silver.


IBy telegraph TO the Dispatoh.l
WoRcrsrER, Mass. September 2o--The
Democratic State Convention opened at
Mechanics Hall with music by the band
which accompanied the Lowell delegation
from the CITY of spindlcs. The main floor
OF the nall was entirely occupied by dele
gates and the galleries were also well filed
with spectators. II was nearly quarter
past II when Hon. j. W. Corcoran. chair
| man OF the Democratic State Committee.
called the assemblage to order. and he
made brief address. which was frantical-
" applauded. On motion of John e.. Me
DOnough, of Boston, II was voted that the
Chairman and the Secretary OF the State
Committee serve as temporary officers OF
| the convention. and the usual committees
were then appointed IN the customary
manner. In connection with the appoint
| ment Of the Committee on Resolutions il
was voted that all resolutions presented
be referred to that committee without
| reading and without debate.
COLLINS PERMANENT PRESIDENT.
The convention was permanently organ
zed by the choice OF Hon. T. A. Collins. of
| Boston. rs president, with IA long list Of
vice-presidents William j. Dale was elect
| cd secretary.
On making his appearance Mr. Collins
was given rousing welcome. He acknow-
lodged his iiattering reception in few
words. in which be announced that be had
| been present at Twenty-Five Democratic
| State conventions and was TO-DAY cee-
brating his conventional silver anniversa-
| ~. Hethen proceeded to deliver his adj
| dress. He sand:
The Republican party have assumedso
| long an arrogant air OF propretorsbip OF
| everything good they have so persistent
| ly proclaimed the Republican party and
the republic ~ convertible terms: they
| have so coolly considered long success.
whether gained by fair means or foul, as
| the matured and accettcd claim TO per-
| petuai power, however undeserved, that
| Denocrat Is regarded Us a common enemy
and Mugwump as a follower of Lucifer.
| THE nEPuBLIcAM DEMAND.
I'm this spirit the Republican party Of to.
| day. In the mass, having allenated ana
| driven ont all leading men of free mind:
| having repealed and insulted the younger
generation. being convicted of cowardly
| treason 10 the industrial interests OF the
Commonwealth III the supreme hour of
| trial. and yet writing i'll agony from the
mighty blow dealt them last November,
| the Republican party, or, 20 speak more
| accurately, the group of men who have
usurped its management, not only ask but
| demand return 10 full power upon their
own terms.
I'VE approach the people in no such
evil spirit in no no such hangh'y o, teh-
| through whose open doors every honest
man may enter and be welcomed. The
Republicans appear not To comprehend
what the people meant by their votes last
year. They say sentiment has changed
| since then; that tho people have forgiven
| the pending of a billion dollars By the
| last Congress: that they are used 70 the
Mckinley bill. aud that all ought TO be for
given because that Congress passed the
copyright bill. Reed ran the House rs he
would circus, and they passed bill
| through that body TO strangle liberty and
create civil war III the South. There Is no
| violence of 1t. All these things wore
known year ago. and the popular mind
| has not SINCE changed.
THE SILVER QUESTION.
THE present complaint isithat there has
been too large u coinage OF silver dollars
worth AS bullion or as merchandise only
| eighty cents apiece and the fear Is that
| continued coinage of these dollars, or
worse. that large coinage of them, Will
dangerously initiate the currency and uitl-
J mately drive gold ont of circulation. This
/ was the situation year ago last July, and
| it is the situation to-day. At that time
| the Treasury was coming ut the
| rate of two million dollars a month
| these eighty-cent silver dollars. and
| the demand on the part OF sound
| fnanclers was that the coinage should
| cease or that something should be done to
| insure "a parity Of silver dollars with gold.
| But an administration debt was due to the
| silver men Of the far West, as well as to
| the iron men and the wool men and TO
| other monopolists. So the silver men de-
handed payment. The result Is the
| Sherman act so-called, OF July H. lS.O
| The clamorlng now was Tor SOUND cur
| rencv, and the Republican representatives
| of Massachusetts, voted for the measure,
| while Andrew and ONeill protested and
| voted against il. It was denounced III
| every conservative quarter, aud even the
| thick and thin Republican press OF this
State was outspoken against it.
| 1T will be noticed that our Republican
| friends at Their late convention took good
| care not to refer to this act which the pre-
| siding officer and the Chairman Of the
| Committee on Resolutions voted for with
| the rest for pure politics and to pay. "A
| political debt under pressure. The ONO
| kepublicans were less tilnid and perhaps
| more honest.
| LODGES CHEEK.
| Nov for specimen of Lodges fable and
| cheeky speculation. He admits the sound
| ness of our two representatives In the last
| House: he does not deny that our Demo-
/ cratic seven in the next House about TO
| meet are equally strong and equally sound,
but he throws out vague hints that they
are innocent and susceptible. and will he
swung around 10y bad silver men when
| they reach their seats. and he refers 10 the
| resolutions of the Boston Common Coun-
| ell and to other signs as indicating great
| wayering of our opinions.
mo administration could be moro un,
fortunate. The Boston Common Council
| il a Democratic body. and when. endorse
| ment of free silver was pressed there II
was voted down-62 to 8.
The Republican resolution, coupled with
the votes of their representatives IN the
last Congress, means that the Republican
| nosition here is not hostile to any silver
bill short OF free coinage. THIS position
| i a. dangerous in the view of conserva-
five men here as the more frank and con-
sistent declaration of the Republicans III
the West.
| ept position, and the vote OF Massachu-
| setts this tail If cast for our candidates
| will strengthen the hands and enlarge the
| influence of the seven Democrats who take
| their seats i'll the House next December
| The speaker concluded with reference
10 Mir. Aliens fighting reputation, and
| I;kened him to the character OF Bob Acres
| in The Rivals. The last sentences OF III, ,