Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-04-09
NOT NECESSARY.
Ben 7. Cable Sees no Good in
the Hinrichsen Plan.
REGARDS IT AS PREMATURE.

Iatsrviewed In Chicago. the National
Committee man Regards the Illinois
Convention idea rs Unnecessary at the
Present Tlme-v,ews Expressed
Hon. Ben T. Cable of the demo-
cratic national committee, was inter-
viewed in Chicago by a Times-Herald
representative yesterday on the idea
of calling a convention at spring
field June 4, to take a stand on the
money question.
1.-The manner in which this conven-
ton was called is absolutely unpre-
cedented in the history of the demo-
cratic party" said Mr.. Cable shortly
before departing for New York last
night. Eighteen months before the
party is to go before the electors an
attempt is made to outline a policy
upon which the party is to base its
demand for the suffrage of the peo-
pie. The candidates are not chosen,
but despite that fact and though
none can say who they will be, the
proposition is made to prepare a
platform on which they shall ask for
votes. II it is wise to do such thing
eighteen months before a national
convention, why not two years be-
fore? And if two years, why not
three, and if three years why not five?
Il can but think that the member
of the state central committee have 4
right to feel they should have been
advised of the purpose of a meeting
so important as the one at which the
proposed convention was decided
upon. They were not SO advised.
and. being occupied with important
matters, sent proxies to the meeting.
But Twelve Committeeman Present.
Il was in Texas at the time, but
had been advised of the purpose of
the meeting l certainly would have
been present. As result of this
oversight only twelve regular MEM
bers of the committee were present
out of total of thirty-one. All the
other votes were proxies. The prox-
les of regular members who were not
in favor of calling the convention
were. in many instances. in the hands
of men who were in favor of it.
WHOLLY Independent OF my own
position in this matter and wholly
independent of the silver question as
an issue, feel that the matter de-
served more consideration than it re-
ceived. Whatever may be the issue
party will be affected to a vast ex-
tent. Looking at it from the point
of view of mere expediency and par
ty success, it means make or break.
Whatever wav the convention goes,
the result may ALLEVIATE a large body
of electors. 1t will not ALLEVIATE me,
because l am a democrat too deeply
dyed in the wool to be alienated by
merely one phase of party policy
which might not be entirely to my
liking. l believe the democratic
party has a mission-one that.cannot
be lost sight of. Yet l can but be
opposed to having an issue brought
forward that may put the party years
in the background. And always, it
must be remembered, the democratic
party has been the party of sound
money.
| Question May be Settled by Next Year.
'.For these reasons it seems to me
the state central committee acted
unwisely in making the call at all,
and, especially, did it act unwisely
in making the call the way it did.
The whole silver question may be
adjusted to the satisfaction of the
people before the campaign of 1896,
through the medium of an interna-
tional conference. In any case, the
utter folly of an attempt on the part
of this government to coin one metal
without the support of an interna-
tional agreement will have been
proved. Under present conditions
certainly two metals must be coined.
And, in fact, the democratic party is
a bimetallic party. The whole sill
yer question as party issue is a
question for compromise and conces-
sion, just as party itself is the re-
suit of concessions and compromises
so broad and honest as to make it
possible for great bodies of men to
gather under its banner.
The cause which the democratic
P&ty may well espouse at this time
is that of government control OF rail-
ways. telegraphs and street car lines.
That some day will be achieved, and
it will be through the democratic
party.
Under the prevailing hard times.
l suppose the result of the June con-
vcntion may be favorable to silver.
Yet believe that one year hence the
party would hesitate in taking a pro-
nounced stand for silver. When
times are bad men are naturally rad
ical. Blu: the times show signs OF
Improvement. In prosperous times
men are conservative. and action on
so grave an issue as the silver ques-
ton should not hastily be taken"