Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-04-05
ON A SILVER BASIS.
Democrats of the Prairie State
to Reorganize.
CONVENTION TO BE HELD IN JUNE.

Declare for the Most Radical Free Silver
Policy. and the National Organization
Will FO,low-Result. That Are Expected
-Minnesota Democrats Have . Free
Trade Plan to Embrace All Opponents
Of Protection.
SPRINGFIELD. Ills, April 1.-The Demo
Sratic state central committee of Illinois,
1t special meeting yesterday, decided to
call a state convention to meet at Spring
field on June next. Chairman Hinrich-
zen in opening the meeting said the OBJ
ject was to take some action on the cur
rency question, in order to give the D.mo-
cratic party of Illinois some expression of
the state central committee on this mo-
mentous question as a guide for voters.
The Democrats Of the state, he said, were
demanding an expression on the silver
question from the committee, and this
special meeting had been called to decide
what ought to be done.
DR.. Watson here introduced a resolu-
ton for a convention, the basis OF repre-
sentation to be one delegate for every 800
votes or fraction of 150 votes Gas, for Gag
gett for treasurer last fall, which was
adopted.
Currency the Only National Issue.
Following is the important part of the
address TO be issued ITO tie Democracy
of Illinois,"
THE only national question Eow before
the American people is that OF the cur
rcncy. The war is over. The force bill! is
repealed, never to be re-enacted. Tariff
legislation of a general character will not
be attempted for several years. The next
national campaign must be fought out
with the currency as the issue between
the parties, and it behooves the Demo-
cratic party as Darty to assume u de-
cidcd position on this question and draw
its parry lines according TO the wishes of
the majority Of its members. The basic
principles of Democracy forbid the de-
cision ot important questions by the party
leaders without instructions from the
people" Therefore the committee calls
on democrats to announce their principles
through precinct. township, and county
meetings. and finally in state convention.
Liinrichsen Outlines the Situation.
Chairman Hinrichsen gave out an in.
tervIcw of some length in regard to the
matter in which he says he is in receipt
OF Information from every county in the
state, outside of Cook, which convinces
him that ~ per cent. of the Democracy
iayors free and unlimited coinage of sill
vcr at the ratio Of l6 to without waiting
for the action of any foreign government.
He thinks tho resolutions VI the county
conventions will be in line with this feel
ing. lie docs not think the plan Will
commit the party to a fat currency or
cause the disappearance of all the gold
from circulation, thus sending IL to q
premium. On the contrary the object of
the movement Is to prevent that very
thing.
How 1t Will he Prevented.
This movement said Hinrichsen.
Twill spread from Illinois to every state
III the Union, and long before the election
comes around 1t will DC evident that the
congress to De chosen in SO Will pass To-
tot tree coinage act. When the capitalists
realize this they will begin to purchase
silver bullion, which can now be bought
for, say, 20 cents Tor 4l2L grains. Sure
profit vi ID cents will BRING out all the
gold from Its hiding places. The result
Will be the price OF silver Will rise steadily
and when The law goes into effect the
question of parity Will be settled"
Will Fall Over Zach Other.
hAiicHsoiA saiu siNer buyers WOulu
fall over each other in their eagerness to
get share of the prospective profit. A
lew leading Democrats might be drive n
out OF the party by the new movement
but most OF them will go with the tide.
Republicans We're pledged to mono
netailism, he said, and thousands would
desert that party Tor the Democracy The
independent silver party was begun at the
wrong end A few men in Washington
could not control l., 0OO,0o0 voters. Free
| silver men of all PARTIES must come to the
Democracy, and with our Objectionable
STATESMEN eliminated the confidence of
the people in the Democratic party will be