Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-06-27
AGAINST CALLING A CONVENTION
The State Democratic Committee OF Miss
souri, Decides that it is Not Expedient to
Hold Silver Meeting.

The State Democratic Committee OF Miss
souri, Decides that it is Not Expedient to
Hold Silver Meeting.
st. Louis, Mo-, June 26.-Chairman c.
| C. Maffitt, of the Democratic State Cen
trail Committee, has mailed TO each
county chairman in Missouri an adj
dress of which the following is part:
your State Democratic Committee
having noted through the public press
| that some of the enthusiasts in behalf
of the free unlimited and uncondi-
tional coinage of silver, at ratio of 16
to /, were clamOrous for a convention
of the Democratic party in this State
for the purpose of giving expression of
sentiment upon that to the exclusion
of all other important articles of the
Democratic creed convened on the first
of June, with the view of canyassing
the policy, propriety and wisdom of
committing the party by its action to
such an unusual and unprecedented
project. Upon the assembling of full
committee the general phase of the
subject was considered and thoroughly
canvassed, the arguments for and
against having been patiently heard
and carefully and dispassionately
weighed, the judgment of the commit
tee was registered against the calling
of a convention by the decisive vote Of
ten to five. 1t is due alike to this COM
mittee and 10 you in behalf of the good.
Of the party to briefly outline the rea-
sons which influenced it in deciding
against such a convention. as we'll as
some Of the more important views
urged in its favor, which were consid-
cred by this committee"
The chairman gave as reasons that
to call a convention for the purpose Of
formulating declaration of belief sole
ly upon a single one of the national
issues might be justly construed as an
abandonment of all others; that it would
create schisms, Ostracisms and anarchy;
that neither tradition nor usage afford
ed a PRECEDENT for a convention to pre-
declare upon any subject which must
be dealt with by a regular convention
that puts forth a declaration of princi-
pies for its party candidates; that the
committee did not feel clothed with the
power to call such a convention.
Continuing the address says: at
was argued that If such a convention
declared in favor of the free and un-
limited and unconditional coinage Of
silver at 16 to I, it would give an i'm
petus to that sentiment in other States
and help on the cause. The result of
the election following admonishes us
that we must be careful to be strong at
home before we lend strength to our
neighbOrs.
ut was argued that by a timely
declaration upon the silver question
and in the right way, we might be abld
to reclaim those who had strayed away
from the fold into the POpulist party
II was then answered that if we COM
nit the Democratic party to this sin
gle issue. the one very conspicuous in
the POpulist platform, might not that
party. without arrogance claim that it
had been recruited by the accession of
the Democratic party of the State 1t
is an argument that cuts two ways.
And now, Notwithstanding the pre-
vious decision of the committee, l, as
its executive officer, will again convene
it if it be the sense of the party express
ed through the members of the county
committees that a State convention
ought to be called to consider the sepc-
ial question before indicated"