The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-06
SILVER IN SOUTH FLORIDA.
Poor Showing Made by the 10 10 !
Convention at Orlando.

convention At OFlamnus
Orlando. Fla. Sept. Son Aug. ls
circular containing the following an
nouncement was freely circulated in Or
landO: Orlando IS highly honored.
Grand free silver encampment convenes
Sept 3. 4th and 5th; speaking day and
night. A grand cowboy parade each day.
Get a horse and join the march for free
silver and prosperity.
Thomas Z. Watson Of Georgia and DR..
George Troup Maxwell Of Jacksonville.
and hosts Of the champions Of the peo-
Pies rights are expected. All silver men,
Irrespective of party. should be there.
ASK your agent for excursion rates
Sept 3, and s."
This looked ominous, and there we're
a few who saw in it danger 10 the ranks
Of the rock-sided democracy Of this sec
ton. They feared that IL was a device
Of the enemy 10 split the Democratic
party and turn over South Florida to the
republicans.
Previously a convention had been called
by several gentlemen of Lake county to
to meet here on Sept. 2 the last day Of
the silver rally. This meeting was de-
clared by the call to be non-partisan and
devoid Of political significanee The OBJ
ject was 20 get the farmers and producers
together and TO devise ways and means
to protect them against the extortions
Of transportation companies and the ras-
calities Of commission men. The fact
that the dates conceded led many to be-
lieve that there was a deeT-seated con-
spiracy between the leaders OF the silver
party and some Of the shrewd political
farmers to break down the formidable
democratic organization Of Florida This
suspicion seems 10 have been groundless
for the silver men have had their day
and subsided and the farmers meeting
has not yet convened.
The results Of the silver rally have not
met the hopes of its projectors and man
ayers. Tom Watson was busy with his
own fences at home: DR.. George Troup
Maxwell Of Jacksonville was detained by
professional duties. The only speaker
from outside was Col. c. e. Merrill,
whose coming was not announced in the
bill.
There is reason to believe that the man
ayers had planed surprise by springing
United States Senator Call and Alex St
Clair Abrams. For at the commencement
of last nights meeting a messenger was
dispatched to the hotel to ascertain if
these gentlemen were in town, if so, to
escort them to the hall. He returned
and reported that they We're not to be
found.
The list Of speakers present had been
run through and their resources seemed
TO be practically exhausted There had
been no meeting in the afternoon, and the
cowboy parade had been no more i'm
posing than that of the day before only
that one Of the horsemen wore a stack
hat. The night was rainy outside. and
the dampness seemed to pervade the at
mosphere of the hall
The chairman of the programme com
mittee announced that he expected two
or three Orlando men to speak last night.
but these failed to appear. and at the
opening of the meeting he moved that as
the farmers convention was 10 meet to-
morrow aad as that body would probably
want the hall, and that no conflict might
occur, when the silver convention ad-
journ tonight II adjourn sine die This
motion prevailed without discussion or
objection.
Rev. 5. D. Smith Of this place was
elected chairman for the night to fill the
vacancy caused by the absence of the
regular chairman, who had gone home
f. Q. Mcguire spoke for a few moments
and then introduced Col Merrill the
speaker of the morning session.
There was little that was new in the col
onels remarks. He threshed over the
straw of the morning. briefly and only
held the floor for half an hour He was
followed by Mr.. Mcguire who certainly
labored earnestly to make the meeting
interesting, and TO contribute to its sue
cess.
The local speakers did not come. and
at the close Of his remarks, Mr. Mcguire
extended an invitation 10 any one present
to speak. There was a brief interval of
waiting and then came the motion to ad-
journ which prevailed, and the end of the
three days grand free silver encampment
came with the close of the second. There
was not enough life in it TO have sus-
tanned it another twenty-four hours
The collapse really begets q feeling of
sympathy for the earnest men who I'M
dCrtook this work. They are really ear
nest and Jealous. and appear to be unset
fish in their desire TO inaugurate move
ment which will promote the prosperity
of their fellowmen But they were at sea-
and the winds were contrary.
All thier efforts TO secure a joint discus
sion with gold standard speakers failed.
The gold men and the leaders of the old
parties seemed to understand that the sur
est way to kill the silver craze in the road
was to leave the thing entirely alone. OPP
position would have acted as a tonic The
medicine was withheld and the patient
grew weaker hour by hour. until the final
collapse last night 1t may rally in the days
to come, but it appears to be corpse in
this locality.