Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1895-08-23
OHI0'S DEMOCRACY
Some of the Peculiar CirCum-
stances Atte nding the Pres.
ent Convention.
NO ONE OUT FOR OFFICES
Considerable Number of Pos
Sible Candidates Having
Declined in Advance.


SPRINGFIELD, O., Aug. 22.-The
Democratic state convention assembled
under peculiar circumstances. Usually
the contests are for the nominations.
At this convention the contests are be-
tween rival delegations for seats, be.
tween fighting factions for platform
planks, and between other elements for
almost everything except the places on
the Sicl1et The silver men realized
they were in the minority, but when
the committee on credentials during
the night reduced their number SO ma
terialIy by seating what were known
as the ''Brice bolters," from Cleveland,
the silver men
Resolved to Make Trouble
on the reports of the credentials, reso-
lutions aud everything else. AS the
there were no favorites for the ticket,
and the interest centered in the ex-
tent Of the trouble that the limited
majority OF unlimited silver men might
make. Ex-Governor Campbell and
other leaders were up all night. Be-
tween 2 and 3, a. H., Ex-Governor
Campbell gave out statement that he
would get up in the convention and de.
cline the nomination if it was rendered
him. Ex-Congressman Mcmahon,
from his bedroom, Congressman Sorg
through his secretary, Colonel Kilborn,
through his friends, and others who
had been mentioned for standard bear
ers, also gave out that they would not
accept. The silver men met and re.
solved not to have a free coinage man
on the ticket if they could prevent it.
Several personal encounters were fea.
lures of the night meetings and the
feeling was no better when the dele.
gates assembled
Wanted to Avoid Further Trouble.
The Brice men had every thing and
their only consideration was that of
avoiding further trouble. They were
conciliatory but the minority insisted
that they had offered the olive branch
and that it had been refused. This
spell was broken temporarily when
Senator Brice entered the hall on time,
and received an ovation.
Ex-Governor Campbell afterward
was received with rounds of applause.
The hall was elaborately decorated,
but too small to accommodate all hold
ing tickets. It was 1880 when the
chairman Of the state committee, M. A.
Smalley, called the convention to order.
Prayer was offered by Professor Breck.
inridge, after which Senator Brice was
introduced as the presiding officer.
Senator Brice, after touching upon
the defeat Of the party last fall and the
causes therefor, took up the money
question. On this point he said:
attended my first state convention
in 1868, in the heat of the war, when
we nominated Clement L. Valanding.
ham and George E. Pugh. I partici.
pated in the discussions from 1869 tc
1876 on another branch of this money
question, constantly endeavoring in all
these years to have my fellow Demo
Gratis come where we all finally did
come, to a sound money platform,
under the wise and able leadership OF
Samuel J. Tilden. in 1876, and when
see today efforts being made to divide
the great Democratic party just on the
eve of it's revival and resumption OF
power, on theoretical and academical
question in which no practical result il
possible, come to this convention tc
ask full consideration before taking pas.
sionate action. I come to urge the party
in Ohio to stand on the platform oi
1892 on the money question, to let the
currency remain as it now is, and not
to change our ground without full
deliberation at national convention
and deliverance from that body.
come to urge that declaration for free
coinage would be foolish because il
would be impotent, an idle declaration
It would separate us from the national
Democracy. It would drive from oul
support thousands, hundreds of thou
sands of men who otherwise would
act with US. A declaration in favor ot
free and unlimited coinage of silver
II to l, made by this convention would
have no practical effect, and it woulc
mean an abandonment and disclaimer
OF the splendid results Of your Demo
cratic administration.
The Record of Cleveland.
You have heard the Republican war.
cry. Their statement that while botf
the tariff and silver question will bt
discussed. neither will be the issue il