St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-06-22
IN A MOVEMENT To CALL A
FREE SILVER CONVENTION
IN MINNESOTA.
GLOBE FORECAST VERIFIED
THE DULUTH CONGRESSMAN is
OUT FOR AN OPEN
FIGHT.
REPUBLICANS TO GO 1T ALONE,
And TOwne Says There Are
Enough Silverites for u Big
Gathering.

On April Z last the G o pub
lished an article to the effect that
silver convention would be called to
meet in Minnesota during the pres
ent summer or fall. The assertions
in that article were based on sew
eral significant facts, principal
among which was the open advocacy
of a free and unlimited coinage act
by some of the cleverest workers
with the accent on the work. in
the Republican party in this state.
In the G l o b e article this Ian
guage was used:
Promoters of the idea-the men who
will have the management of the meet
ing-are moving quietly and cautious
ly. Within a month or two, however,
they will have the plan sufficiently
matured to uncover it to the general
public"
The article further stated that it
was proposed to admit Democratic
free silverites to the convention; but
since that time the Republican ma
nipulators have come to feel so sure
of their ground that they have decid-
ed to go it alone. When the G o e
uncovered the scheme, almost at it's
Matching, one of the most incred-
ulous of the Twin City newspapers
was the Minneapolis Journal. 1t
scoffed at the idea as preposterous
and dubbed the article a fake. But
in the Journal of yesterday ap-
peared the following special dis
patch:
UNDER CONSIDERATIONS"
Convention Hall, Cleveland, O., June
N.-With reference to Coin" Harvey S
statement in the Inter Ocean, that
Congressman ToWne had promised to
call silver convention in Minnesota,
Mr.. Towne says that the matter has
been under consideration, but no con-
clusion has been reached. He thinks
it may be done, and if it is, it will
be called as a Republican meeting. E.X-
Lieut.. Gov. A. Barto, of Sauk Center;
Lieut. Gov. Frank Day, of Fairmonti
Senator D. F. Morgan, of Minneapolis,
and others have been consulted and
will join in the call If it is issued
Mr. Towne will have nothing to do
with such a movement outside OF Re-
publican ranks, and he is confident
that IL such a step is taken, it will be
supported by large number of Min
nesota Republicans. He has received
a great many letters since his state
ment. of his position in favor OF Sill
yer from all parts of the state, and
mentions particularly the First and
Second districts, as we'll as his own, as
having strong silver efemeglts. Mr..
Towne has not sought to make his
views prominent here, except by the
introduction of resolutions before the
delegation Wednesday, but has not
fiinched from bold avowal OF his
ynrn ~ q
although he is so far out of line with
the rest of the delegation.
A paragraph from the comment on
Towne's statement reads:
1.-THE first person of prominence out
side of the state to whom he confided
his intentions was w. H. Harvey, the
Coin man, in Chicago. Harvey wrote
a letter to the Chicago Inter Ocean,
which is the silver Republican organ,
showing how the silver cause was pro-
crossing and in the course of 1T let
the cat out of the bag.
In the G b article of April 1t
was stated that there is something
more than a suspicion on which to
base the statement that the declara-
ton of the Illinois Democratic state
central committee was known to be
coming by some men in Minnesota
and Republicans, too-before it was
publicly announced. The G b s
source of information is such, and the
facts in the case are so well authenti-
Gated, that there is little doubt this
silver convention movement will short
ly be heard of elsewhere"
At the time the above was written
Congressman Towne was keeping in
the background, but his controversy
with the Pioneer Press, and the criti-
cisms passed upon him, veXed Mr..
Towne out of all patience, until now
he comes boldly to the front to back
up and sustain Lieut.. Gov. Day, John
Lind and the other Republicans who
have heretofore borne the brunt of the
fight for free silver within the party
in Minnesota.
The G b article of April was
correct, and while it was therein ad-
mitted that the scheme might fall
through, there seems now little reason
to doubt that such a convention will
be called. If it is there will be found
In attendance as delegates all the men
named in the G o b article, except
the Democrats and Populists.