Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-10
THE SILVER CONFERENCE
What Senator Harris Says Of the Expected
Gathering Next Week.
Thirty States to BE Represented-Im-
portant Results Expected From
the Deliberations.

Senator Harris of Tennessee Is in the
city and making arrangements for the
conference of free coinage democrats to be
held in this city August IA. The meeting
will be held at the Metropolitan Hotel,
which will be headquarters for those in
attendance. 1t Is possible the delibera-
items of the conference may extend be-
yond the 1lth, but will probably not be
prolonged after the 18th. This meeting
was called several weeks ago, after the
free coinage convention at Memphis. the
call being issued by Senator Harris, Sena-
tor Jones Of Arkansas and Senator Turpie
of Indiana.
Not n Large Attendance Expected.
'It was not proposed that a large at
tendance Of free coinage advocates would
be present upon this OCCASION" said Sena-
tor Harris to a Star reporter today. "On
the contrary, we expressly requested that
few prominent men from each state,
men Of weight end influence in the demo-
cratic party and acceptable to their fellow
democrats as probable members of an
executive committee, should come. The
assemblage, therefore, will not be In the
nature of convention. but business
conference of democrats.
From the returns made to Mr.. Casey
Young Of Memphis who has conducted the
correspondence. it Is expected that about
thirty states will be represented at the
meeting. This is an estimate, as / have
not kept track Of the returns personally.
The object of the conference is fully set
forth in the letter of invitation. which was
prepared by myself and mailed to leading
democrats known to favor silver coinage.
Il expect important results to come from
the conference. but cannot tell at this
time what scope the meeting will take oe-
yond the objects outlined in the letter,
which, of course, will be fully discussed
q a action taken thereon,
The call which vas issued by Senator
Harris and his colleagues after the Mem
phis convention makes the following decla-
rations:
Declarations i'm the Call.
First That the only hope of securing
the free and unlimited coinage of silver
at 16 to Is through the action of the dem
ocratic party.
Second That a large majority of the
democratic party of the country and a
very large majority of the people of the
United States, irrespective Of party. favor
such coinage
Third. That the success of the demo-
cratic party In the campaign Of 1896 large
]y, If not wholly, depends on the earnest
and active advocacy of the free and un-
limited coinage of silver.
of the democrats Of the United States who
favor the free and unlimited coinage OF
both silver and gold on terms OF equality
at ratio OF ID TO IS necessary auO
proper means of controlling the action Of
| the national democratic convention of 1896
upon this vitality important question.
Fifth. That in order to avoid friction
and the complaint of such democrats as
| oppose the free coinage of silver we will
| not invoke the action of the regular ma
| chinery Of the party, whose duty it Is to
| act for the whole party without regard to
| differences Of opinion upon a single ques-
| ton.
Therefore, we. the undersigned. were
| appointed q committee to take such steps
| as may be necessary to thorough ma.
tional organization of the silver democrats
| and for that purpose we respectfully in
vite you to meet US at Washington, D. C..
on the 14th day of August, 1898. in order
| that we may confer and cooperate in es
| tablishing such organization, and you are
requested to bring with you such democratic
! friends as are in full sympathy with this
purpose. 1t is important that democrat
acceptable to the democracy of your STATE
| and willing to represent 1t on a nationa
executive committee should attend this
| conference"