Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-06-13
SILVER CHAMPIONS.
Gather at Memphis to Boom
the Big White Collar.
HARRIS OF TENNESSEE IN CONTROL,

1'rength Of the Silver Forces and Move to
Nominate sibley for the Presidency Fully
bsmonstrated-Turp rpie Selected a. Per.
manent Chairman-An Parties Repre-.
sented Among the Deiegates-PopuIists
1es Representation on tho Resolutions
Committee-Day's Proceedings.
MEMPHIS, June i3-Friends Of silver
representing twenty states Of the south
and west began two-dnys convention in
this city yesterday. Fifteen hundred del.
egates, comprising Democrats, Repub.
hcans and Populists, but with honest
money" as the slogan of all, filled the
lower floor and large portion Of the
balconies at the Auditorium when the
gathering was called to order. On the
etage, besides the officers of the Central
Bimetallic League of Memphis, under
whose auspices the gathering is held,
were with very few exceptions all the
leading advocates of the free coinage Of
silver in tho United States They in
cluded Senators Bate and Harris, Of
Tennessee; Jones and Berry, of Arkan-
sas; George and Walthall, OF MissIssippi;
Marion Butler of North Carolina; Till
man, Of South Carolina; Ex-Governor
Prince, Of New Mexico; Senator Turpio,
OF Indiana; Governor John G. Evans, Of
South Carolina; Ex-Governor Eagle, of
Arkansas; ex-Representntive William
Bryan, of Nebraska; General A. J. War
ner, of Ohio; c. S. Thomas and Alva
Adams, of Colorado; Alexander Delmar,
of California, and congressman and bank
ers from Tennessee and adjoining states
by the dozen.
Fully Equaled the Carlisle Meeting.
The number of people in the Auditori.
dm did not exceed that which greeted
Secretary Of the Treasury Carlisle upon
his appearance here on May 90, but the
demonstration was equally as imposing
and enthusiastic as the one witnessed on
that occasion. A permanent organiza-
tion was effected, and addresses were de-
livcrcd by Chairman Turpie and Alex-
nndcr Delmar, of California. in the after
noon, and by Congressman Sibley, of
Pennsylvania; c. 5. Thomas, of Denver,
and Aaron Wolcott, OF Indiana, in the
evening. Today will be devoted to
speeches by some of the most distin-
Euished of the visitors and the considera-
tion of the report OF the committee on
resolutions, of which Senator Jones, of
Arkansas, is chairman.
Harris the Controlling Spirit.
Politically the most significant Incl.
dent of yesterdays proceedings was the
clear and emphatic statment of Senator
Harris, of Tennessee, who it has been al
ready clearly demonstrated is the con-
trolling spirit in the management of the
convention, ns to the object of the gath
ering and the single subject to which it is
expected to continc its deliberations. The
strength CT the men who are for silver
first, last. and all the time, and whose
purpose is to advance the candidacy of
Representative Siblcy, of Pennsylvania. for
the presidency has been fully demon
stratcd in this convention as formidable,
and the result of the encounter between
the opposing forces, the conservative and
the radical silver men, as 1t will be shown
in the declarations Of the convention, is
watched with great interest.
b. Many "Grangcrs" In Attendance.
Although it was an army without BAN
ners, it was no. without insignia. On
the breast of every soldier was a red
badge bearing the words 'i6 to l." The
''l6' was printed in silver lettering and
the 'l'' in gold. At the top was n picture
of silver dollar. Nothing more was
needed to- tell why the big asscmblagc,
the greater portion of which was made up
OF the agricultural element, had left
home almost in the midst Of the harvest
season, and faced the establishments of
june sun in Tennessee. Senators and
governors rubbed noses with rcd-faccd
men whose brown hands showed plainly
the marks of the plow, and Populist poll
ticians. with odd crowths on their chins,
shook hands with Democrats and Repub-
licans.