The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-06
VICTORY IN A CAUCUS,
Gold Champions Defeated in
the First Test OF
Strength.
TO-DAY THE CONVENTION OPENS
Over Five Hundred Delegates Are
Instructed to Vote for a
16 to Ratio.

PFRTLE SPRINGS, No, Aug. 5.-The
delegates to the Democratic State Silver
Convention which cOnvenes at this sum-
mer resort tomorrow at noon are slowly
arriving. and tonight there are less than
900 registered at the only hotel in the
place. PertIe Springs is located in the
southwestern part of the State, and is but
two miles from Warrensburg, the home of
Senator Cockrell. The convention, which
will be mainly one of resolutions, promises
to differ from any ever held in Missouri,
inas1nuch as it will be attended by few per-
sons outside Of regularly accredited dele
gates. There are ia counties in Missouri,
and it is estimated that each county has
sent at least five delegates.
A conservative estimate places those
pledged and instructed to vote for silver at
q IS to l ratio at nearly 545. So careful
have the silver leaders been in guarding
their interest that in many cases the
county conventions passed resolutions pro-
hibiting proxies.
Among those who are already on the
ground are: Governor Stone, Senator
Cockrell, Congressman Bland and Dear
mond, State Auditor Seibert, State Treas
urer Stevens, State Secretary LIE Seur,
Railroad Commissioner Hickman, Judge
James G. Gibson of Kansas City; Colonel
Nicholas NJ. Bell of st. Louis, together
with several State Senators, Circuit Judges
and railway men.
The few gold advocates in attendance,
most of whom are members of the State
Committee, were considerably disconnected
tonight by the announcement that Chair
man Maffitt of st. Louis would not be in
attendance on account of the death of a
relative. Mr.. Matfitts absence will be
keenIy felt, as he is said to have influence
over the rural delegates. In the event of
his non-a1riYal, John p. Carroll, legal
counselor OF the Burlington road, viii call
the convention to order.
At to-night's caucus the State Commit
tee decided to ask the convention to double
the number of members of the State Com
mittee, thereby adding to it one mem Der
from each Congressional district. This
action is regarded as an effort to pacify the
clamors of county delegates. The decis-
ion of the caucus was hailed with rejoicing
by the silverites, and they are now busy in
discussing the acceptance of the concession.
They are so jubilant over their victory,
however, that they now declare that moth
ing less than the resignation of the State
Committee will satisfy them. They now
say that resolution viii be offered in the
convention tomorrow demanding that the
State Committee shall be composed of
thirty -four members, one from each Sena-
torial district, and nothing less.
a caucus between Governor Stone Sem
ator CockrelI, Hon. X. P. Bland and few
close and trusted friends is being held at
Senator Cockrell's residence tonight.
. "Siiver Dick' Bland declares that nothing
less than that the control of the Demo
cratic party in Missouri be placed in the
hands of the silverites will satisfy him.
Governor Stone is not so extreme in his
views and, together with Senator Cockrell,
is endeavoring to induce him to modify
his demands. The conference was still
under way at II P NJ, and from the en-
.phatic manner in which Mr.. Bland was
asserting that the time had now come for
the silver men to assume entire control of
the Democratic party of Missouri, it was
apparent that the session would not be
concluded until after midnight, and not
then unless Mr.. BANDS demands had
been agreed to.