The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-25
HIS REQUEST IGNORED
A Special Democratic Con-
Vention Will Not Be
Called.
BELIEVED TO BE IMPoLITIC
Reasons Given for the Refusal to
Make an Immediate Stand
on the Issue.

STOCKTON, CAL, June 4.-Frank
Gould, chairman of the Democratic State
Central Committee, to-day sent the fol
lowing answer to the letter recently sent
him by John w. Mitchell of Los Angeles.
asking that meeting of the State Central
Committee be held to consider the adyisa-
bility of converting a Democratic State
Convention on the silver issue:
Dear Sir: 1 am in receipt of your esteemed
favor requesting that the State Central Com
mittee be convened for the purpose of calling
a convention of the Democratic party TO take
a position upon the silver question.
In your communication you say that "For a
member of our party to stand idly by and
ignore the Importance of the epoch through
which We are at this moment passing is a con-
fession of blindness to the signs of the times,
Indifference to cur future and a lack
of patriotic solicitude for our eoun-
try's welfare unworthy of Democrats
Every impulse of manliness impels to action
those who would relieve the wants and bur-
dens of the people; and, further, and while j
should dislike TO yield the strong convictions
which l hold upon this question. l am now,
as all good Democrats should be, ready
to bow to the superior wisdom OF
our party, If it should, in official
copclave, declare itself contrary on this ques-
ton. At this time every impulse OF manliness
impels action, and if failure to act shows in
difference to our future and lack of patriotic
solieitude for our country's welfare, it would
appear that some great moral principle
was inyolved-ene to stay or defeat
which would involve our Nation in
distress or dishonor. If such be the case can
conceive of no true patriot who would bow in
submission TO the dictates of any number OF
men, even in Democratic eonclave assembled
Such course would imply at once either q
lack OF confidence in ones own convictions OF
moral cowardice unworthy OF a loyal Demo
erat.
For my part desire to be distinctly under
stood as being Democrat solely because the
principles OF that party appeal to my reason as
just. When the time comes that can nc
longer conscientiously subscribe to these
principles shall cease to act with that party
but under no circumstances would 1 surren
der my right or insult my independent man
hood by acting with any party believed by
its course to be either dishonerable or to be
acting in disregard OF my country's we'll
being.
Furthermore, believe the greater number Of
men who compose our party are imbued with
the same patriotic sentiment, preferring
their eountry's welfare to their party's sup
is the case, it can scarcely be presumed that
the meeting in convention of the few who
would probably attend such convention, and
the resolutions thus adopted, would seriously
affect the opinion either of those who attended
or of those who did not attend it.
cannot now see how it would be practicable
to call together a convention in this State whose
conclusions could supplant the position taken
by our party last fall unless primaries and
county conventions be held. which course
am satisfied would not meet with popular favor
Democratic State convention met last fall
in San Francisco, as numerous, as able. and as
representative as any that ever assembled in
California. 1t came directly from the yariou!
county conventions, the members of which
were in turn selected by ballot at the yarieu.
primaries throughout the State. Tha
convention announced the position of tn,
party on the silver question, as on other mat
tiers deemed to be important politically, and
cannot but consider it rather presumptuous fo
representatives to be selected and no means O
bringing any issues before the public existing
except by adopting resolutions, for me or for tn,
Central Committee 10 assume that the solemn
declarations made by our last convention, tina
convention which brought this committe,
into existence, was a blunder, and that anothe
convention should be called by us to reetif,
the error.
1t may we'll be that majority of our par t,
believe in the free coinage of silver at tn,
ratio of 10 to 1, and it may be that majorit,
of the party believe that a State Conventio,
should be held to reannounce the position o
the party on that question. If the latte
be the case, however, am utterly unadyiset
of such fact save by your letter, which l wa
honored with some twenty-fo hours after
was given to the public press. / am free t.
confess deem interest in the silver uuestion
as in every question that looks to the welfar
of our people. do not think my record as
public man warrants the conclusion that an
either unpatriotic, Indifferent to my country
future or unmanly, but / cannot agre
with you that there is now or tina
there will be in the immediate flu
ture any urgent necessity or genera
demand for a Democratic convention befor
the time when political exigeneies require gu
party to be SO convened, and when a conver
ton so assembled will emanate from the grea
body OF men composing that party, and will b
them be authorized TO announce policy tina
will truly represent their demands.
Should majority of our State Central Com
mittee, however, request that a meeting b
called, as an officer of that committee, yeste
with the power of calling such a meetin
l would consider such request a com
mand and in Difference thereto woul
certainly issue the call; but unit
such expression is made, due courtesy to tina
committee and to the convention that create
it counsels me to most respectfully decline t
exercise the power vested in me for SO unusus
and unprecedented purpose. especially as m
own Judgment does not approve the act. Yer
respectfully, F. II. GOULD.
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A series of over five hundred tests mad
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