The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-07-16

ST. LOUIS, July by vote of
l. to 2 the Democratic state central
committee, in session today, at the
Southern hotel decided to call d state
silver convention.
The convention will be held at Pertle
Springs. The date fixed was August 6,
1895. j. 3. Thomas, of the Third, and
A c. Steuver, of the Tenth district,
. were the only ones voting against the
4 proposed convention. Chairman Maffit
Yeast his own vote and two proxies
which he held for a convention.
On June l, the committee met and
voted 10 to against holding a conVen-
ton t. consider the financial question,
and this change has been brought
about by the friends of silver, who
have been agitating the question ever
since.
MaGt Explains.
On the assembling of the committee.
Chairman Maffitt in explanation of
course, said:
EARLY il May the chairman read
articles in newspapers stating that the
Democrats of the state wanted the
committee convened to call d conven-
ton to take action on the monetary
( question
ssAs it has been usual to call a meet
ing about the first of June. 1 waited
twenty days to see what course mat
ters would take. I was under fire all
the time.
"On May %, 1 called the meeting for
June l. The question was discussed,
only II counties had responded, and
when the question of holding a con-
Vention was put to a vote 1t was lost,
10 to ). The county conventions were
not in favor OF holding convention.
subsequently,, both by letter, per-
sonal solicitation and through the.
press was requested to reconNene the
convention.
Ion June %, I received a communi-
cation from Chairman J. ". Farris, of
La Clede county, stating that he had
= number of communications he would
like to lay before the state committee.
I met Mr. Farris at the La, Clede house
tina. evening and informed him that
the chairman would not consider any
communication he might have.
Request of a Majority.
II told Mr.. Farris 1 would recon-
gene the committee at the request OF
a majority OF the members. eX-
\ Dlained to him that l would require d
ma iorftv because a majority OF the
holding the convention Furthermore,
as a concession and in a spirit Of fair
ness. L said / would convene the com
mittee as soon as a majority OF the
counties had been heard from.
Il then told Mr.. Farris that on Sat
urday I would issue a circular 10 the
chairman Of the county committee 10
facilitate the work of securing their
desires or this point l was taken
sick, however, and was not able TO
issue the circular until Tuesday. Dur
ing that interval ] was under con-
tinual fire, even though it was known
that l was sick Then the work of
filing out the circulars began and in
a snort time the chairman Of the state
c.1rnmittee received replies from the
Chairman of a majority of the county
committees asking that the committee
be reconvened.
"Without delay and conceding sew
eral points, the chairman Immediately
wired the secretary to reconvene the
committee. The chairman had not
these replies IN his possession an hour
when tie wired instructions to the sec
se-etary This is why 1 called the con-
vention.
August 9th the Date.
The vote was then taken on an ad-
iournment until 3 o'clock. Upon re-
souvening at p. m. S. B. Cook moved
that Tuesday, August 8, be fixed as
the time for holding the convention.
1t was carried unanimously and the
committee then went into executive
session.
In executive session the committee
fixed the basis of representation in the
convention at one delegate to every
500 votes and fraction over $50 of the |
Cleveland vote of 1892. This viii make /
a. convention of about 500 delegates. !
The chairman and secretary were in |
structed to prepare and issue the CT !
fetal call. The committee then ad-
journed.