The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-07
SILVER MEMS SLIM SHOW.
WHAT THEY LACK IN NUMBERS
MADE UP IN NOISE.

Only 100 Present at the IOwa Con-
fcrence-They Declare Themselves
I'm Favor of Free Coinage at 10 tn
L Regardless of Party-A Fight 60
BE Made to secure Control of the
state Democratic Convention.
Des Moines. Ia, June 6.-The conference
of silver democrats held here to-day took
a course which makes it important in the
political history of the state
While the attendance was not large. only
about 100 being present at any time. those
who did attend were thoroughly in earn
est and represented the party workers of
their respective sections.
Some of them came with credentials
which could not be ignored. State Senator
Taylor, for instance, brought petitions
from each township in his district, in
structing him as TO his course.
The speeches were radically in favor of
free silver and Indicate determination
to make that the leading issue, regardless
of party action.
What amounts to practically new
state central committee was named, and
the well informed politicians regard to-
days action as practically the formation
of a new political party. The fight is now
on for the control Of the regular state con-
vention, which will meet at Marshall
town on Aug. Z. and the silver men express
themselves as certain of being able to have
their own way.
The meeting was called to order by F.
c. Steuart of Charlton, who declared that
the state central committee in calling the
conference of six weeks ago had taken
advantage of the party workers by not
making distinctly known the objects of
the meeting, and had made promulga-
tion in favor of so-called "sound money"
which did not represent the party views.
The utterances of that conference, he de-
clared, only represented the views of the
federal officeholders of the state.
Ex-Lieut. Gov. S L. Bestow of Charlton
was made chairman and W. I. Alexander
of Grundy Center, secretary. Mr.. Bestow
and Senator Taylor spoke briefly, declar-
ing themselves in favor of free silver above
all other political considerations.
A resolution was adopted under which
a state central committee was elected,
with j. j. Shea of Council Bluffs, candi-
date for clerk of the supreme court last
fall, as chairman, and a representative
from each district. The duty of this COM
mittee is to organize the silver sentiment
throughout their districts and to see that
the silver men do not neglect to secure
their proper representation at the state
convention.
Reports were received showing that pop
ular sentiment on the money question in
the various districts was overwhelmingly
in favor Of free coinage regardless of party.
The following resolutions were then adopt
ed:
Resolved, That the democrats of the
state of Iowa in conference assembled do
declare and affirm that gold and silver
coins are the constitutional money of the
country; that we are in favor of the free
coinage of both on terms of equality, and
reaffirm that the free and unlimited coin
age of both silver and gold at the ratio Of
16 to / without waiting for the action OF
other nations is a cardinal principle OF
the democratic faith, and that such coin
age shall be a legal tender for all debts,
both public and private.
Prominent local democrats made speech
es in which they declared that the time had
come to abandon party, II necessary. in
order to secure free coinage and the con-
vention adjourned amid continuous ap-
Dlause.