The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-15
Sibley'S Presidential Boom
Not Favored by the State
League.
HOT FIGHT IN CONSEQUENCE.
The Result Is Rebellion and Seces-
sion in General Warmers
National Party.

American Bimetallic party, and Congress
man Joseph C. Sibley OF Pennsylvania.
named by that organization for President
in 1896, has apparently been productive of
the opposite effect. The effect is the fat
secession of the State Silver League from
General Warmers National organization.
The State Silver League had its inception
in a general convention at Los Angeles
last December. Two months later a eau
Gus of Congressman enthusiastic for re-
monetization met in Washington and
agreed upon Mr.. Sibley as the Presidential
nominee of the silver movement for the
next campaign. The State League did not
like this method of choosing candidate,
but as it was understood that General
Warner and Mr.. Sibley were to make
Journey to the Pacific Coast, local bimetal-
lists concealed their feelings until after the
gathering in Metropolitan Temple last
Tuesday evening.
Even in the preparations for that meet
ing there was a noticeable GOODNESS on the
part OF men identified with the league, the
only member of it taking any active part
being George ?. Keeney, one of the State
executive committee. Mr.. Keeney then
did an indiscreet thing in the eyes of his
fellow committeeman in accepting an as
sistant secretaryShip for the National
organization, and he was given the alterna-
tive OF either having nothing to do with
the secretary ship or resigning his place on
the committee. Mr.. Keeney chose the
latter alternative.
The expressions of antagonism toward
General Warmers booming OF Mr.. Sibley
were subsequently so many and loud that
a meeting OF the executive committee was
ca ed at Los Angeles last Saturday after
noon The entire matter was submitted
TO a subcommittee of five TO report upon.
AlVa Udell, upon whose recommended
ton P. o. Chilstrom and II. l. Wiley were
put on the executive committee to repre-
sent san Francisco, was one of the sub
committee. 1t was a hard task for Mr..
Ava 5 committee, and after a struggle
which lasted until o'clock next morning
voluminous report was prepared by Mr..
Udell from which two of the five dIsSented.
The report as adopted is very candid,
and let's out the entire plan by which Mr..
SibIey was TO secure general Endorsement
from the silverites all over the country.
1t says that the committee had examined
the petition requesting Joseph c. Sibley to
be candidate for President in 1896 on
so-called platform of the American Blmet-
allie party"
1t seems that Mr.. Sibley was to be put
forward as the standard-bearer of the free
coinage movement in manner which was
ties, owing 70 the strong JackSonian revolt
against caucus and other ring methods
many decades ago. After the caucus had
named Mr.. Sibley in Washington, numer-
Gus petitions were circulated for signatures
in various sections, the gist of each being
q strong appeal TO Mr.. Sibley TO accept the
nomination. The plan seemed to succeed
all right until 1t reached California.
The report of the committee is rather
verbose and the objections TO Mr.. Sibley's
boom are mingled with much explanation
of the points of difference between the
silver propaganda of General Warner and
the State Silver League. General Warner
has but one issue-that is the free and IN
limited coinage OF silver at ratio of 16 to L.
Not so, however, with the State league.
It has large number of Populists in it.
and they do not think any financial plat
form would be complete unless it included
Il provision for an issue of green backs and
an explicit declaration against the National
banking system and the issuance of any
more Government bonds. 1t goes further,
therefore, in It's statement of principles
than the mere asking for free coinage
without asking for the consent Of any
other nation, and, accordingly, the report
has much 10 say upon issues which are
otherwise concisely stated in the following
TWO planks Of the leagues regular plat
form:
Third-The restoration of business TO q cash
basis, with National currency equal to 10 per
cent Of the annual domestic commerce OF the
country, and consisting of gold and silver COINS
and paper money, all of which shall be unI1Ir-
tied legal tender for all debts, public and pri-
vate and laws forbidding the making OF prl-
Vate contracts discriminating against any part
Of the circulating medium.
Fourth-No issuance OF interest-bearlng
bonds in time of peace and TO National banks
OF issue, nor the issuance OF money In any man
ner except by the National Government.
Some of the illusions OF the report to
General Warner and Mr.. Sibley are pretty
strong. 1t characterizes the members of
the Sibley caucus as persons claiming the
right to dictate the party nomination for
President of the United States, and ''seek-
ing a division of the bimetallic party by a
wrongful use of party machinery to force
Endorsement of the said candidate, regard
less of the wishes of others in the party as
TO what the issues should be when appeal
ing from the money power to the intelli-
gence of the American people" 1t plainly
insinuates that the Warner-Sibley plan of
advocating silver is dishonest, and says
Mr.. Sibleys adherents are "evading a vital
issue The following excerpt is an indi-
q cation of its tone:
They straddle the National bank question by
pretending to give the General Government the
exclusive control over the issue and volume
i Of paper money, when IN truth their platform
ISSUE and volume OF paper money wholly In
the hands Of the National banks. They at
tempt 10 lead the people into the belief that
those who are urging Mr.. Sibley for the Presi-
dency are opposed to Government partnership
with National banking institutions that con-
troll the circulating medium at the pleasure OF
their foreign stockholders.
The committee therefore recommended
the adoption OF some plainly worded reSo-
lutions condemning General Warner and
Mr.. Sibley; appealing to sister States to
organize like the California league and to
protest against the caucus method, and
calling for a National convention OF State
leagues to meet at st. Louis March 10, 1896,
TO nominate candidates for President and
Vice-President. The resolutions charge
General Warner, as chairman OF self
STYLED National executive committee, -
with establishing rival organizations In
this and other States to force the fayorite
of the condemned caucus upon the Ameri-
can people"
It all means that the California organl-
cation proposes TO move from henceforth
independently of General Warner and the
National party and that it will do It's ut
most to bring about National convention
of it's own in ST. Louis next March, which,
IL hopes, will adopt platform and nomi-
nate candidates upon the lines it lays
down. The resolutions are half apologized