The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-06

1ne coinmlIUee appointed TO seleCo Io"A
delegates at large to the National Silver
| Convention met during recess. John +.
Hopkins of Chicago, Secretary of State W..
FL. Hinrichsen, George B. Fithian OF Jas
per County and General Lewis B. Parsons
| of Clay County were elected by acclama-
ton. John Warner of Peoria, John Wat
son of Knox County. General Alfred
Orendorff of Sangamon and l.. o. Whltneil
of Johnson County were chosen alternates.
Judge Mcconnell made vigorous
| speech, which was enthusiastically APP
plauded. Judge Mcconnell said:
This convention has most peculiar and
most impor tant significance. Heretofore man.
ayers Of political parties have so arranged that
party politics should be declared only at the
time candidates were chosen, and only short
time before the gathering of the representa-
tives of the people. The result has been that
often our conventions have put forth mere
assertion of general principles, and on the live
| issues expressed themselves in meaningless
com promises. Colorless candidates have been
presented to the people, or candidates unsym-
pathetic with the real purposes of the party
This convention makes departure and is
intended not only to allow a free discussion
before the next political enga cement, but to
define our party position with distinctness and
definitepess, so that no voters shall fail to
understand US, and no candidate-if chosen to
ofice-have a chance or excuse to defeat our
command.
Congressman William j. Bryan of Ne
braska was called upon to address the con-
yention. Bryan's appearance was the sig
nal for tremendous applause. his speech
wss facetious and cutting, and occasioned
almost continuous applause, the delegates
throwing their hats in the air. He COM
pllmented Chicago for having as citizen
such man as Judge Mcconnell, who
would march at the head of the Demo-
rratic party with the double shield. He
said that this was the most Democratic
audience he had seen in long time. No
party is fair to be factor in politics which
has no opinion on every public question.
He said that there were men in the party
who wanted the Democratic party to strad-
die question.
He said that there was time when
Cleveland had to face the question of turn
ing to the plutocracy or Democracy, and
said had he been Jackson or jefferson
he would have turned to the common peo-
pie, and there would be no need of your
convention here to-day to repudiate Re
publican principles. [Applause.l
eff he had not faltered, the Democracy
would have continued in power for years
to come No man who is in favor of the
gold standard can talk bimetallism and be
honest. If the double standard is right,
then recommendation is crime against
society. [Applause.l You had just as
we'll have an English general at the head
of our army as an English admiral at the
head of our navy, as an English bank at
the head of the Treasury Department"
said he.
'In 1896 the people of the United States
will be called upon to decide whether the
influence of this Nation shall be cast on
the side of bi-metallism or in favor of a
universal gold standard. This question
will moi be finally settled until the great
common people of the United States de-
eide it. If, as all admit the money ques-
| ton is now the question of supreme i'm
portance, it must follow thae the people
will trust that party with its settlement
which first fearlessly espouses the truth.
The Democratic party must take its posi-
ton upon this question and by the cor
rectness of that position will rise or fall.
No coward, whether an individual or
| party, can long retain the confidence of the
people. Not only is it necessary for the
Democratic party to take a position, but
the sooner it defines it's position, the greater
will be its opportunities to win success in
! 1896.
1t is to be regretted that the first Demo
come the tool or instrument in the hands
of concentrated wealth, the official head of
the Communism OF pelf." Grover Cleve-
| T., = ~
ocracy is greater than any man. 1t will
exalt him who rightly interprets its truths,
but will cast him down who seeks to wear
his livery and yet serves plutocraoy. Silver
must be restored to its place and the United
| States must do its part in the work of re-
stering.
There is no end to the appreciation of
money which a universal gold standard
would cause, and we are compelled to
choose between return to the double
standard and continuation of financial
distress for an indefinite period and to an
unlimited extent. If the restoration of
silver is imperative the means are import
ant. If it is restoration at all it must be
restored at the present legal ratio of 16 to
1. prolonged applause.]
| After reasserting his belief in the power
OF the United States to maintain the
double standard while opening its minis
to silver, the speaker spoke at length of
| the necessity of maintaining the ratio of
| 16 to 1, and concluded as follows: Illinois
| is the imperial State of the West and the
Democracy of This day, by meeting in this
convention, has earned the right to lead in
the fight of 1896. The platform adopted
| by this convention will be in substance the
Democratic platform of 1896. If we are
right, as we believe we are, they will be
for US more than they will be against US.
Truth is unlimited and will prevail.
| [Cheers.l
When Mr. Bryan had concluded Judge
Hunter spoke, and then Governor Altgeld
was called upon. He spoke at some
length, saying in part:
1t is an irrevocable principle that when you
increase the volume of money in the world
you increase the selling price of products in
the world. (Applause). On the contrary it is
also the principle when you reduce the money
Of the world, then instantly the selling price