Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1895-09-06
CLEvELAND'S WORK
Tom Patterson Tells of the Blow
at Silver in 1892.
WAS DONE BY FALSE FRIENDS
Villas, Mcpherson and Bayard Laid the
Trap In the Democratic
Platform Plank.

Denver. Sept. 1.-The Rocky Noun
| tain News today published an editorial
| In which Thomas M. Patterson, editor
| Of that paper, gives a full account of
| the proceedings of the subcommittee
| of the committee on resolutions at the
| last democratic convention relating to
| the financial plank. The subcommittee
| consisted of Mr.. Bayard. Senators Nc
Pherson. Villas and Daniel. John ID. c.
| Atkins of Tennessee, l.. F. Garrard of
| Georgia, Mr.. Jones of Missouri and Mr..
| Patterson of Colorado.
Mr.. Patterson says: when the
plank was first read and analysed /
suggested that it was uncertain and
gave room to cavil about its meaning.
| To remove this uncertainty / requested
that the word free be inserted before
the words coinage of gold and silver,
etc. Senators Villas and Mcpherson
opposed this, and so did Mr.. Bayard.
Each gave his reason. 1t was not that
they were opposed to free coinage-on
The contrary, they favored it-but the
word free as applied to coinage, was
so liable to be misunderstood in the
east and northeast that it would,
through this ignorance, lose the party
many votes, which should not be al
lowed. Mr.. Bayard was particularly
earnest in asserting his fealty to sill
YER"
Mr.. Patterson says that after consid
cradle discussion Mr.. Atkins, profess
ed bimetallist, offered the following
substitution for the monetary plank:
I'VE hold to the use of both gold and
silver as the standard money of the
country, and to the coinage of both
gold and silver for the owners thereof
without discriminating against either
metal or charge for mintage, ETC."
II realized in a moment" continues
Mr.. Patterson, that it was a declara-
ton for free coinage as clear and en-
phatic as though the word free were
used a dozen times, but before commit
ting myself, 1 turned to Senators Villas
and Mcpherson and Mr.. Bayard and
asked: What do you think of 1t, gen.
tlemen? They indicated that they
wished to consider it. l then conferr-
ed with Mr.. Daniel, who approved of
the substitution, and who said in re-
sponse to the assertion that the other
side would not accept it, Yes they
will. They are honorable gentlemen,
and when they say they favor free
coinage. and would declare openly for
it but that the word free is danger
Gus and will lose the party many votes
In the east and northeast, they meant
1t. This amendment avoids their only
objection, and they will adopt it, Mr..
Daniel then urged the acceptance of
the substitution, and was much surpris-
ed when Senator Villas announced that
they had decided against accepting it,
claiming that the original plank was a
declaration for free silver. Mr.. Atkins
also voted against the substitution"
WHITNEY FAILED.
Mr.. Patterson says that Mr., Whitney
came to the committee room, and in
answer to a question was told of the
effort to have the word free" inserted
in the monetary plank. Mr.. Patterson
continues:
He studied the proposition a moment
or two, and in a very decided tone
exclaimed: That's a vote-getter; they
should not object to that; let me talk
with them about it, He called the
| senators aside and talked with them
| quite earnestly for fully five minutes.
He returned apparently quite disap-
| pointed, and said, It's no use, they OBJ
| ject to the word free being a very
| Objectionable word in the northwest in
connection with money. and to adopt it
would lose the democracy of that sec
| ton of the country.
| Il then explained the Atkins amend
ment, whereupon he again said in most
| emphatic language, They will certain
ly consent to that 1 will talk to them
about it Again he held an earnest con-
versation with the senators, when. re-
| turning, looking more crestfalIen than
at first, he remarked, It's no use: they
will consent to no change The fight
before the full committee was reported
| in the press at the time. / advocated
the amendment inserting the word
free in the plank. Mr.. Bayard and
Senator Villas made several earnest
speeches against it. The amendment
was lost. l carried the amendment
into the convention. 1t was again de-
feated. l became convinced that Sena-
tors Villas and Mcpherson, with ex-
| Secretary of State Bayard, represented
Mr.. Cleveland's views, and that they
fully understood each other The mon
ey plank was a trap with which to
catch free coinage democrats for Mr..
Cleveland. made up my mind would
not walk into the trap with my eyes
| open. and so, as soon as possible /
| repudiated Mr.. Cleveland, and did what
| could for General Weaver"