The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-06-23
THE TRouBLE THEY HAD
In Committee In Forming n Platform to
VI" suit All.

In Committee In Forming n Platform to
W' suit All.
tmcAoo, June 22.-The making Of
the platform consumed alonger time
than had been anticipated and it was
not until 0 o'clock that the last plank
had been adopted. The silver question
was the stumbling block to the commit.
tee and provoked an earnest discussion
between the absolute free coinage and
their more conservative associates,
Patterson, of Colorado, Davis, OF Vir.
ginia, and tho members from North
Carolina were the speakers in behalf OF
a straight free coinage plank, while
Villas, OF Wisconsin, and Bayard, Of
Delaware, took the other side,
Mr.. Bayard in his speech made a
strong argument in favor OF the use OF
both metals. He said that when seCre.
tary OF state he had done all in HE pow.
er 10 bring about common international
bi-metellic agreement. The discussion
all turned on the use Of the word
"free."
The argument against its use was that
it had come to have meaning at.
tached to its use which must result in
any platform containing the word
being construed popularly in the sense
Of free coinage OF silver proposition in
Its common acceptation as embodied in
the wishes OF the silver states. For
this reason, motion was-carried by
vote Of 80 to Is, including in the
majority side the vote of Mr.. Crafts, Of
Illinois, who was presiding, rejecting
that part of the plank containing the
word "free"
The result in committee was not sat
isfactory to Mr.. Patterson and the other
free coinage men, and notice was given
that they would fight this plank in the
convention. As adopted the plank is
regarded as indicating that the Demo-
cratic party is in favor OF bi-metallism.
The discussion was protracted and it
was long after 5 o'clock before the silver
plank was out OF the way.
The other resolutions caused less de.
bate. On the tariff plank the sub.com-
mittee had some difficulty in framing
the wording OF that section relating to
the labor cost OF protected articles. MIR.
Whitney was called in and gave advice
on the phraseology. In the full com.
mittee Mr.. Lawrence T. Neal, the rep
resentativeof Ohio, made fight fora
tariff for revenue only plank and found
some support, but not enough to come
near winning, and besides there was an
evident disposition shown to bring the
matter to close.
The school plank and the anti.snmp-
tuary legislation plank, went through
smoothly. The insertion Of these reso.
lutions is due principally TO the exer-
tions Of Senator Villas and ex-Speaker
Crafts, Of Illinois. who framed them
They are expected to greatly
strengthen the ticket in Wisconsin and
Illinois and perhaps other parts Of the
northwest, where these questions have
come to be burning issues.
One resolution offered by Governor
Flower was voted down. 1t related to
outrageS and lynchings and was con-
demnatory in its nature. The wording
OF it was not satisfactory and in the
brief time before the committee 1t
could not be so framed rs TO be generally
satisfactory. The southern men pro.
tested against it as by possible implics'
ton casting some reflections on their
state governments, and it was decided
to leave it out Of the platform.