The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-08-07
HURRAHFOR MISSOURI
The Democratic Convention Declares
Unequivocslly for Free Silver.
DICK BLAND'S PROUD DAY
With Practical Unanimlty and Amid
Intense Enthusiasm Resolutions
Are Adopted Demanding ale
to | Ratio-Coldbugs Routed

yer has commenced in Missouri as II did
in Illinois. and the fears expressed last
night and this morning that there
would be strife and turmoil in to-day's
convention were not borne out. The So
called gold or sound money" advo-
Gates were so overwhelmed by the SUI
perior generalship and numerical
strength OF the free silver forces that
they made but very faint effort to
stay the onslaught of the white metal
advocates. Bland said In opening the
convention that the democrats of Mis-
souri, had assembled to adopt resoiu-
tions for the free coinage OF silver and
select state committee which would
be in sympathy with the popular will;
and how well his prophecy was carried
out the result of to-days convention
tells.
The report Of the committee on per-
manent organization. which practically
SHOWS under the old committee. was
adopted with but one or two dissenting
voices. That part of .he resolutions
calling for the free and unlimited COIN
age Of silver at 16 to !. regardless of
any foreign nation. was carried with
a hurrah and expedition seldom seen in
any convention. and furthermore men
were selected to nominate delegates IA
vorable to silver to the national demo-
cratic convention in 1885, AS a whole
the friends of silver are feeling happy
tonight and congratulations are in Or
der
The state central committee met at
9:15 a. m. and selected silver Dick"
Bland as temporary cnalrman. Lew
Love, of Springfield. was made secre-
tary. These nominations were ratified
and the committee Immediately ad-
journed.
The convention was formally called
to order at noon by Joan III. Carroll.
After prayer by Rev. DR.. Gerry. Mr..
Carroll made a few remarks which had
a tendency to harmonic the contend
ing factions. He then introduced u. r.
Bland as temporary chairman. Bland
congratulated the democratic party on
the auspicious gathering Of the demo-
cratic hosts for action upon the free
coinage question. He said the demo-
Gratis Of Missouri had met to renew
their pledges for bimetallism. The DEM
Gratis Of Missouri, he said. would send
greetings to the democrats OF liiinc Is
with regard TO the leclarltlons already
made on this subject. 1--WE have met"
he said, "to declare for the free coinage
of silver at a ratio Of l6 to I. We will
do what our constituents have sent US
to do"
After committees were selected the
free silver jubilee singers of Warrens-
burg entertained the convention with
free silver songs. Colonel w. f. Switz-
Ter OF Boonville. representing the free
silver democratic editors of Missouri.
who met at Sedalia recently. then ad-
dressed the convention. pledging the
support Of the editors in the fight for
the white medal. The convention then
adjourned to 2 p. m.
After the convention adjourned the
committee on permanent organization
decided to make the temporary organl-
zation permanent. Then a resolution
was adopted providing for an increase
in the number Of state committeeman.
The resolution adds one member from
each congressional district and four at
large. The chairman is hereafter to
be elected by the regular state nomi-
mating convention. The resolution was
unanimously adopted in committee.
The convention convened promptly at
2 o'clock, and the temporary organiza-
| tion was made permanent. The resolu-
tion for the increase Of the state GEN.
| tral committee was then read. Objec-
tions were quickly made from two or
three quarters and a call for a division
was demanded. The question was fnal-
ly decided and vote on the PROPOSE
tion to increase the membership of the
committee was ordered. The vote re-
suited In an overwhelming majority
in favor Of an increase. The free silver
men had such an easy victory that the
report as whole was then adopted.
While waiting for the committee on
resolutions to report, the time was TAX
en- up in speech-making. Ex-Congress-
man Hatch and NJ. E. Benton address
ed the convention. The most remarka-
BILE portion Of Benton's address was his
reference to the gold advocates. He
said; Every gold advocate in the state
of Missouri is either a usurer. an Office
holder or a mau with large prospects
for an Office" At 4:40 the committee on
resolutions reported the platform, as
follows
The democrats OF Missouri in state
convention assembled make this decla.
ration on the money question. which
! has been forced into the leading place
among the issues of the day: The fed
eral constitution names silver and gold
together as the money metal Of the
United States. The first coinage law
passed by congress under the constitu-
tion made the silver dollar the unit of
value and admitted gold to free COIN
age on a ratio measured by the silver
dollar unit. From the beginning OF the
government. following a policy formu-
lated by Thomas Jefferson. and firmly
established by jackson, the democratic
party has been the party OF bimetal-
lism. favoring the free coinage of both
silver and gold at the national mints.
and opposed to farming out TO banking
corporations the governments sover-
elgn power Of issuing and controlling
the money OF the people. The act OF
1873 demonetizlng silver was surreptl-
tiously passed. without the approval or