The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1895-09-07
Tom Patterson Tells Of the Blow
at Silver in 1892.
WAS DONE BY FALSE FRIENDS
Villas. Mcpherson and Bayard Laid the
Trap in the Democrats
Platform Plank.

Denver, sept. lin INOChy NHCuAi
tain News today published an editorial
in which Thomas M. Patterson, editor
of that paper. gives 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. Z.
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 l
suggested that it was uncertain and
gave room to cavil about it's meaning.
To remove this uncertainty 1 requested
that the word free be inserted before
the words coinage of gold and silver
etc Senators Villas and Mcpherson
opposed tAis, ana 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 1t 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, a profess
ed bimetallist, offered the following
substitution for the monetary plank:
1--WE 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 dozen times, but before commit
ting myself, turned to Senators Villas
and Mcpherson and Mr. Bayard and
asked: What do you think of it, gen
tlemen?' They indicated that they
wished to consider it. l then CONFER
ed with Mr.. Daniel, who approved of
the substitution, and vino said in, re
Spouse 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 fol-
1t but that the word free is danger
GUS and will lose the party many votes
in the east and northeast, they meant
it. 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 thai
they had decided against accepting it
claiming that the original plank was a
declaration for free silver Mr.. Atkins
also voted against the substitution"
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 tall
with them about it, He called tn,
senators aside and talked with then
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 yer,
Objectionable word in the northwest il
connection with money, and to adopt i
would lose the democracy of that sec
ton of the country.
Il then explained the Atkins amend
ment whereupon he again said in mos
emphatic language, They will certain
iy consent to that. 1 will talk to then
about it, Again he held an earnest con
versation with the senators, when. re
turning, looking more crestfallen thar
at first, he remarked, It's no use; they
will consent to no change The fgh
before the full committee was reported
In the press at the time. 1 advocate,
the amendment inserting the wor,
free in the plank. Mr.. Bayard an,
Senator Villas made several earnes
speeches against it. The amendmen
was lost. 1 carried the amendmen
into the convention. 1t was again de
feated. I became convinced that Sena
tors Villas and Mcpherson, with ex
Secretary of State Bayard, represente,
Mr.. Cleveland's views, and that the,
fully understood each other. The mon
ey plank was a trap with which L
catch free coinage democrats for MI
Cleveland. 1 made up my mind 1 woul,
not walk into the trap with my eye
open, and so, as soon as possible
repudiated Mr.. Cleveland, and did VIVA
I could for General Weaver"
TURKEY DID NOT ISSUE A DECREE