The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-06-16
LAMPASAS CONVENTION.
Elk GOVERNOR THRoCKMoRToN ELECT.
ED PERMANENT CHAIRMAN.
A Big Fight Over Free Silver and Endorse
ment of Cleveland, and the Convention
Finally Refused to Instruct-A
Strong Delegation to Chicago.
Special to The Statesman.


doing nothing. The committee on
credentials was not ready to report
until 11:30 and at that time the con-
vention had adjourned until 2:30 p. m.
On re-assembling at that hour it
adopted the report of the committee
on permanent organization and the
committee on credentials without de-
bate. j. w. Throckmorton was made
chairman and E. Kaufman secretary.
1t was thought fight would be made
on the decision of the Bexar county
case by moving to seat the Callaghan
delegation but not man opened his
mouth. J. w. Throckmorton was
made permanent chairman and con-
Quoted to the stand. There has been
some question of his health in view of
the fact that he may be dark horse
at the Houston convention, but he
never looked stronger and his voice
was never clearer. He made a
straightforward talk, occupying some
fifty minutes, in which he thanked
the convention for the honors confer
red. He reviewed the Democratic
situation and named the various men
who might secure the nomination.
The mention of each was greeted with
fair applause. Hill, Boies and Morri-
son all received recognition, but when
l. To nf
land the convention broke into
tumultous cheering. Mr.. Throckmor-
ton advised conservatism and felt
that upon vigorous, outspoken
Democratic platform the party was
assured of success. The warmth with
which Mr.. Throckmorton was re-
ceived and the close attention paid
to his remarks were evidence of the
esteem in which he is held by the
members of the convention.
When he had ceased Mr.. J. S. Clark
of Lampasas county was chosen as
sistant sergeant at arms, and d. G.
Giddings chairman.
The committee on resolutions and
platform proceeded to read the instru-
ment, which was published in the pa
pers this morning.
The free silver plank was greeted
with cheers, as was also the motion
calling for the election of the presi-
dent and United States senators by
direct vote of the people. AS Gid
dings ceased he moved the previous
question upon the adoption of the
platform, and it went through with
but one dissenting vote AS the
the daily papers had not arrived 1t is
safe to say that not more than one
half the delegates know what it was.
Giddings then read resolution en-
dorsing Grover Cleveland and in
structing the delegates to vote for
him.
A substitute was offered by a
minority endorsing Mr.. Cleveland's
administration, but leaving the dele
gates free to vote for the Democrat
whom they judged the most certain
to carry the banner of the party to
success. An amendment to the sub
stitute was offered instructing the
delegation to vote for a tariff reform
and free silver man and to vote as q
unite.
Mcdonald of Lamar, says
important to come before
the convention. The substitute OBJ
jected to Grover Cleveland because he
was free silver man, neither for that
matter was Carlisle or Thomas Bay
ard. Free silver or not free silver was
a policy, not principle, and was
merely temporary. The Democrats
had the right to disagree on it. The
parties were divided by a clearer and
broader line than question of finance.
Grover Cleveland stood as the chief
representative of those principles, and
they were the life hood of the Democ-
racy. Goodman of Brown county
said the delegates of Chicago could
be trusted to vote for, a Democrat,
an honest man, man in
in whom the destinies of the party
might be safely intrusted. Therefore
he was opposed to instructing the
delegates. A platform had been
adopted which conf aimed a ringing
free silver plank. 1t was we'll known
that Cleveland was unalterably OPP
posed to the policy Endorsed by that
plank. Each congressional district
in Texas contained 1000 or 5000 men
who were wavering. The moment
they heard that the Democratic con-
vention had instructed for Grover
Cleveland, who was opposed to free
coinage, they would step into the
Third party, in which case goodbye
to Democratic delegation at Wash
ington.
d. G. Giddings said that in COMPARE
son with tariff reform free silver was
a very small issue. The platform sub
mitted today was practically the same
as those adopted by the Georgia and
Kentucky conventions. One conven-
tion had instructed for Carlisle and the
other for Cleveland, both of whom
were so-called anti-siver men. A fell
ure to instruct for Cleveland would
be equivalent to slapping him in the
face and was opposed to it.
Douglass of Hill said that silver was
a pretty big issue. To adopt a free
coinage plank and instruct for Grover
Cleveland amounted simply to self
qualification.
Wooten said the amendment was
not merely to send delegates but was
in fact instructing them and bound
them to vote as unit against Cleve-
| land