The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-29
SHOULD ACT ON SILVER.
An Immediate Declaration
Would Benefit the
Party.
TWO DISSENTING OPINIONS
General Mathews and Judge Ste
phens Opposed to a Special
Convention.

LOS ANGELES, CAL, June 2S.-Re-
garding the correspondence which has
been exchanged between Chairman Gould
of the Democratic State Central Committee
and J. W. Mitchell of this city, upon the
advisability of calling special meeting of
the committee to consider the holding of
convention to voice the sentiment Of the
Democratic party on the silver question,
number of prominent Democrats were seen
to-day and with two exceptions pro-
nounced in favor of it. Judge Mitchell,
when interviewed said:
1.-THE answer I addressed to Mr. Gould
yesterday contains nearly all care to
bring up at this time. Ny first letter was
prompted by my interest in the party, and
consider the suggestion therein contained
an eminently proper one. That 1t has the
Endorsement of many men of high stand
ing in the party l am amply assured. Be-
fore addressed Mr.. Gould 1 consulted as
many Democrats as could, among them
being Senator White, R. F. del Vale,
c. f. A. Last, Colonel Mesmore and
others, and there was not one of them but
expressed approval of the plan. To nearly
all these gentlemen submitted the text
of my letter, and it was not suggested that
in it.
at is generally recognized that the finan-
cial policy of the Government, especially
on the question of free coinage of silver
and full monetization, or bimetallism, is
paramount to all others, and SO much so
that the Democrats of Illinois called a con-
vention, which was largely attended, and
freely declared for free silver. The same
course is now being agitated in Ohio and
Missouri.
From Mr.. Gould's answer 1 am forced
to the conclusion that his resentment is
due to the possibility of his having to de-
clare himself at this time on the question
which he evaded in his reply"
General John r. Mathews, State Sem
ator, and one who ranks very high in the
party, was very emphatic in his remarks.
81 am opposed to calling a silver conven-
ton" said he, 'for the reason that the
country is now growing and in a prosper
Gus condition in a financial sense. By
the time the National convention
is called all parties will have made
up their minds whas they want on
the fnaacial proposition. The platform
adopted at the last State convention is a
sufficient guarantee as to how the Demo
cratic party in California stands, and 1 see
no necessity for further action. As to
Mitchell's or Gould's personalities, have
nothing to say. Let politics alone for one
year, and let businessmen on the up
grade all along the line-have full sway,
and many of the 'isms' of to-day will be
buried"
C.F.A Last, who is delegate-at large to
the State Central Committee, was heartily
in favor OF calling meeting. Said he:
''Mr. Mitchell submitted the first letter
to Gould to me and it met with my APP
proval. can yet see no reason why twas
not perfectly proper request to make.
believe bimetallism to be the paramount
question of the hour. The tariff is settled
and the commercial world would object to
having it reopened. / am personally in
favor of calling a meeting of the COM
mittee, as suggested by Mr.. Mitchell, as !
think it would benefit the Democratic
party to meet this issue fairly and
squarely."
Judge a. NJ. Stephens, lifelong Demo-
crat and chairman of the County commit
tee, said:
individually am in favor of the free
coinage of silver on the basis of 16 to 1.
The party is already on record in regard to
theIsilver question, and do not think it
necessary at the present time to hold a
convention. More serious and intelligent
consideration of the question can be Sc
cured at the next regular convention OF
the party. In case of a meeting being
called I believe our section would send a
delegation strongly favoring the free coin
age of silver"
Martin @. Marsh, another member of the
State Central Committee and chairman OF
the City Central Committee, said:
Iconcur in Mr.. Mitchell's views as to the
advisability of calling meeting of the
committee. I am for the free and unlim-
tied coinage Of silver, and if the conven-
ton will secure that expression from the
Democratic party let it be called"
eenator Stephen NJ. White has already
expressed himself as favoring Mr.. Mitch.
ellis idea, and the prevailing opinion here
is that the sooner the Democratic party
places itself fairly and squarely before the
people on the silver question the better II
will be for the marty