The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-07-09


to those declarations were returned eX-
carnations of right you are
Mr.. Stevenson said:
The Democrats of the state of Michi-
gan are represented in myself by the
chairman of its committee who earned
on the only silver campaign that Michl-
gan ever had (applause); man who Is
Democrat now and hopes that his state
will be so treated that he can be Demo-
crat when this convention concludes It's
labors. The Michigan convention organ
lied in the regular manner its ofhcers
were sworn and there was not single
contest in their entire state. When the
convention organized a test vote was
taken and our friends We're in the ma 4.
jority, and when they organized the gen
temen who are here contrasting never
uttered Il word of protest (Applause.l
1t may suit the purpose of some of the
gentlemen in this convention to pursue
this course today, but, gentlemen, you
are making precedent that will ruin you
some day. The only safe Democratic
doctrine is to stand by precedent. BY
what right does this convention investi-
gate the right of Il delegate from Michi-
gan to Il seat here? We had a commit
tee appointed that did that work in our
convention and settled that question by a
unanimous vote. Now, my friends, this
is not a question of gold and silver; II is
Il question of honesty and right. EN-
thusiastic cheerng.) This is n ques
ton of whether the credentials commit
tee. which, in the case of South Dakota.
with eight votes, resolved that they could
not go behind the returns, shall decide
that in the case of Michigan, which has
twenty-eight votes they will sc behind
the returns. We ask you, gentlemen,
simply to vote to sustain the regular or
ganiZation of your party"
The fact that gold sentiment predom-
mated or under dog has the sympathy
in an American crowd, brought Mr.
Stevenson more applause when he left
the platform.
Then a bue-eyed, sand-haired young
man mounted the platform. Then he
turned and faced the audience, and the
galleries recognized "Blue-Eyed Billy"
Sheehan. who was lieutenant governor of
New York four years, and who is consid-
cred one of the past grand masters of
politics. He, too, protested against I'M
seating the gold delegates. His intimate
knowledge of political presidents en-
abled him to make strong argument
against the rregularity of the cOntesting
delegations. Mr.. Sheehan spoke as fol-
lows:
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen-I am
4 member representing New York on the
IdllOllul committee. IL DeCulne lue uuly
of that national committee to make up
a preliminary roll of the delegates to this
convention. We heard patiently all con-
tests submitted to that committee, in
Guiding this Michigan contest. We heard
first the contest from the state Of Indi-
ana. That was case, and it will be the
only one that | will cite except this par
tcular one, that was a case the reverse
of this. where a district, a congressional
i. nl. .ltrNGF IN
precedent in a district congressional con-
vention, two delegates to this convention,
but the state convention, when it met saw
fit to recognize timehonored Democrat
ic principle that within a sovereign state
itself the state convention is the sole
and only judge of Democracy (applause).
and that Democratic committee, by
unanimous vote, although twenty-seven
men in that committee believe not in 16
to !, and although we are not in accord
with the views of Il majority of this
convention. we decided to seat the silver
men and to throw out the gold men i'll
Indiana.
I'VE came along to this case, and after
we had listened to the contest call of
the states was made. and by vote OF
10 to / the delegation headed by Mr..
Stevenson was declared the choice of
that committee for parliamentary pur-
poses. tApplause) We heard the con-
test. and my friend Thomas from Colora-
do. my friend Tarpie from California, the
distinguished gentleman from Alabama,
who yesterday moved to override the
will of that majority, all on roll call de-
clared that Michigan, in its sovereign
Democracy. was the sole and only Judge
of qualifications of delegates from that
state. (Applause.) Now. what We're
facts in this particular case with refer
ence to its chief point of interest! 1t Is
well known the Michigan delegation is
here under the unit rule, and that poll
of her delegates shows fifteen for gold,
or rather against 16 to /, and thirteen are
for silver. IL to |.
"My friend. the distinguished govern
or from Mississippi, has said the prevail
| ing sentiment of Michigan was i'll favor
| of silver and that sentiment should be
recognized by giving them representa-
ton in this convention on the delega-
| ton.
"Why, sir. if that were true. why not
give that sentiment to the delegation
from Michigan? Why. sir, it was but
last night when this committee, whose
report is now under consideration, even
had the hardihood to decide in favor of
throwing out Stevenson and the other
| three delegates at large from that state,
| but when the wise men of the ma jority
| here got together this morning they saw
| how impOlitic such course was and or
| ders were given not to put Stevenson
and other delegates at large out, but sim
ply to content themselves by putting two
silver men from Il congressional district
in. What is the purpose! The purpose
is plainly this: If this majority report
is adopted there will be sixteen 16 TO l
silver men in the delegation and fourteen
| gold men, They will vote the delegation