The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-08-03
ME BiMEIALLHIS.
Ex-senator Reagan Wards OFF a
Partisan Controversy.
THURMAN OPPOSES FIAT MONEY.

Tho Chairman insists on "Stable Cur
rency" In the Shape of Gold and si,-
vor-sonator Stewards Harsh Criticism
of Secretary Carlisle.
CHICAGO, Aug. 2-The attendance at
the national convention of the American
Bimetalc league is larger than at any
previous assembly of a like character in
the history Of financial legislation. The
First Methodist church, where the open
Ing sessions were held, proved much too
small to accommodate the delegates, and
today the convention met in Central
Music hall, where the future sessions will
be held
After the address of welcome by Mayor
Harrison Chairman Warner. of the BIZ
metallic league. delivered his opening adj
dress, in the course of which he said,
speaking Of the Sherman silver purchase
law:
THE members of congress, the speaker
of the house, who signed that bill, the
president who approved it. never knew
that it demonetized silver. There was but
one man in the United States senate who
knew that the act of 1873 demonetized sill.
yer, and yet he has never been hung or
shot for treason. That act will be- known
in history as the crime of 1873 Let the
memories of those who stand connected
with it rot in oblivion"
AT the afternoon session tho COMMITTEES
on permanent organization reported M
follows: Chairman, Allen w. Thurman, nf
Ohio; secretary, Joseph Hutchinson, OF
Colorado; assistant secretaries. Lee Gran.
dell, OF Washington. and Amos Simpson.
OF Illinois; sergeant-at-arms. Champion S.
Chase. Of Nebraska. The slate went
through with Il whoop
While waiting for the report Of the com
mittee on credentials Delegate J. Schill-
ing, the Wisconsin labor leader, proposed
that Governor Waite be invited to speak
This was greeted with cries of yes" and
mo-" about equally divided. The chair
suggested that it would be better to pro
coed in proper order, but Schilling per-
sisted and made n formal resolution that
Waite be invited to take the platform. In
the midst of the confusion Governor Waite
arose and in good natured manner said
he was ready to speak for himself, and
that if he was wanted to talk he would he
glad to do so in the proper time and when
the machinery of the convention was in
proper order. The delegates gave the gray
headed governor n round Of applause.
Schlling subsidized and the episode ended.
The Illinois delegation had con siderable
trouble in selecting its member of the
committee on order of business and finally
Hon ~. j. Streator, the venerable ex-
Greenbacker, and eXpresdential candi-
date was selected. After this the roll was
called for members of the committee on
resolutions
just before the call of the roll was be-
gun, however, the convention came dan
gerously near splitting upon a rock, and
for while it looked as though All after
Moons turmoil WAS in sight. The contro-
verSy was precipitated by Delegate
Thomas, of Colorado, who, in behalf of tho
delegation, moved that the committee on
resolutions be selected one from each po-
litical party in each delegation [Slight
applause, Kisses and confusion. and cries
of I'VE want no party lines"l Securing
permission to speak to the proposition, he
said that the convention might be charged
with belonging to or being under the dom
ination OF one of the three great political
parties, and it WAS more than important
that no such impression should 90 out
from that hall. They wanted an Ameri.
can party of free coinage, one having no
suspicion of being under the control of
English gold or of the Rothschilds.
Donald Fletcher. of Nebraska, declared
that they wanted n new party, under n
new name, and with new flag. Re
peated Kissing and cries of mo" were the
response Paul Vandercook, of Nebraska.
cX-commander-in-c chief of the Grand Army
of the Republic, denied that the delegates
were there TO form new party They had
already party-the Peoples party. the
only party that had n plank in It's dcclarn-
ton of principles for free coinage This
party was not going to throw over all the
rest of its principles for silver, it was not
going into new party, and if that was the
Af h is.a ..
attempt TO carry it would result in !.
showing of very many empty seats.
Hearty applause greeted this sentiment,
and then Senator Reagan. of Texas, an.
peared upon the platform in the role of
peacemaker. He said that he had been
called here, as had been the rest of his col
leagues. without any reference to any po-
litical party, but simply as citizens of the
United States for the purpose of arrcstinc
tho course of the bondholders and gold
men, and restoring the money of the peo-
pie TO Its proper position. The moment
they introduced politics it would produce
strife anu confusion; it would mar har-
mony of action and render nugatory what
ever might be accomplished by the conven-
ton. He appealed TO them TO let politics
alone.
Senator Reagan's talk had its effect and
Delegate Thomas withdrew his resolution.
From the committee on credentials came
report that $40 delegates were entitled
to vote, and that they came from forty
TWO states and territories. By this time
the decks had been cleared for the perma-
nent organization, and Allen w. Thur
man was welcomed with rousing cheers
when escorted to the platform. Chairman
Thurman plunged into his address with.
out preface, and nearly every sentiment
evoked applause and other evidence of en-
thusiasm. Mr.. Thurman said in mart.