The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-16
FARMERS AND FREE COINAGE.
THE CONGRESS MIsREPREsENTED
By AN ATLANTA PAPER.

The Delegates Voted Down the I6 tn
FaIIacy by Almost Two TO One.
They Favor Free COinnge Only ON
such "a Ratio between Gold and
silver an international Con-
gress of the Powers May Agree
Upon.
Atlanta. Ca. Oct. 15.-The National
Farmers Congress, which took a barbe-
cue dinner to-day. had its feast some-
what soured by the report which appear
ed In the Atlanta Constitution this morn
ing and which was sent throughout the
country over the wires Of the Southern
Associated Press to the effect that the
congress yesterday passed resolutions
favoring the free coinage OF silver at a
ratio Of l6 to 1 by an overwhelming vote.
As stated in these dispatches the ac-
tion OF the congress was directly the op-
posite, the farmers by a decisive vote
having passed resolutions without the
l6 to clause. There was hot fight by
the silver minority in the convention TO
have the l6 to l clause inserted In tha
resolutions. but the majority were un-
alterably opposed to such a policy and
twice voted 1t down by a strong MAJOR
ity. They are Tor sound money and
wanted TO go on record before the world
as SUCH In the face of this. however,
the Constitution, In a sensational article
with head lines half a column deep, pub
lished that the congress had gone on
record for the free coinage of silver at
l6 to ! fallacy, which has been as a thorn
in the side of that paper for months past
In addition to this gross misrepresenta-
tion OF one of the most important con-
ventlons that ever assembled In the state
the Constitution further circulated the re-
port through the Southern Associated
HTpgg and farmers
indignant. They feel that this misrepre-
sentation of their position on such vital
the paper that was guilty of the misrepre-
sentation was roundly criticized among
the delegates to-day.
There was some confusion about the res-
olutions yesterday, but before the con gress
was put on record for sound money, as
reported In these dispatches, the matter
OF the congress about whose knowledge
OF the transactions there could be no
doubt.
To-day Secretary WILDLY of the con-
Eress, who Is personally known to
great many people in the state, further
confirms this report certifying that the
! resolution, but voted IL down by a de-
cisiVe vote, the resolution passed being
one that favored an international congress
which should provide for the coinage OF
gold and silver at an agreed ratio.
In speaking of the matter, Secretary
WILDLY said the impression that the Is
to ] resolution was passed was probably
due to a confusion of the resolution. Tho
one that provided for the IS to / ratio was
submitted by the minority report OF the
committee on resolutions, and was mark
ed on the back by J, G. Ramsden of the
minority Adopted" signifying that IL
had been adopted by the minority of tho
committee at their meeting, not by tho
convention, for Il never left the secre-
tarys desk TO be placed before the con-
gress. The minority also submitted an
other report containing the l6 to / clause,
which was indcrsed on the back, Sub
mitted without recommendation" and it
was this one which was acted upon by
the congress-, the words l6 10 / being
one and the words AT any agreed ratio'A
There was no session OF the congress
to-day. 1t Is possible that tomorrow
there viii be some action taken 10 Off
cially correct the false impression that
has been sent out as to the position OF
the congress on the financial question.
The following is the real text of the res
olution, as adopted in full and by an
overwhelming majority by the convention
yesterday:
Resolved That we favor the free and un-
limited coinage of both silver and gold at
an agreed ratio, guarded by an import duty
upon foreign bullion and foreign coin
equal to the difference between the buI-
lion value and the coinage value OF this
ever the bullion value of the metal -
less than it's coin value.
The farmers went on an excursion to-
day TO Fruithurst, Ala. to see a model
southern fruit farm. They returned to4
night.