The San Francisco call., 1896-07-01
"SILVER DICK" LEADS.
Bland Said to Have Been Favored
at Conference Be tween Stone
and AitpaISj

and Altgeld.
CHICAGO, ILL, June 30-A week in
advance of the date set for the opening of
the Democratic National Convention the
leaders of the silver element have donned
their armor and girded themselves for the
coming fray. To-day the Sherman House,
where the white-metal headquarters have
been located, resounded with the shouts
anG yells OF its advocates, resplendent in
16 20 badges, buttons end other insignia,
while its register bore more distinguished
names than have been inscribed in the
books of the hostelry for quarter of
century.
80 far none of the principal advocates of
the gold standard have put in an appear
ance, and consequently the silver people
have undisputed possession of the field.
From tomorrow, however, the former will
begin to be in evidence, and from then on
every day will witness some new phase of
a battle royal between the majority and
the earnest, aggressive and unconquerable
minority.
The conspicuous features of the opening
of the war to-day were the conference be-
tween the Bimetallist Democratic National
Committee and out-and-out silver men,
the meeting between Governors Stone of
Missouri and Altgeld of Illinois, and the
declaration of the Illinois delegation in
favor of the abrogation of the two-thirds
rule essential to a nomination. As to
the first it was much more largely at
tended than had been anticipated, in view
of the fact that it was simply prelimin-
ary meeting. Among those that responded
to the rollcall were: United States Sena-
tors Harris of Tennessee, Bates of Tennes-
see, Turpie of Indiana, Cockrell of Mis-
souri,, Daniel OF Virginia, Senator-elect
Money of Mississippi, Governors Stone of
Missouri and Aitgeld of Illinois, Secretary
of State Henrichsen OF ILLINOIS, John w.
Tomlinson of Alabama, ex-Congressman
George w. Fithim of Illinois, B. F. Shive-
ley of Indiana, s. b. Evans of Iowa, Judge
Shackleford of Missouri, ex-Con gresham
W. J. Bryan and w. II. Thompson of Ne
braska, John Welch and Judge w Mul-'
lane of Oregon, o. W. Powers OF Salt Lake
City and Wiley E. Jones of Arizona.
The preliminary meeting lasted less
than an hour. The situation was infor-
mally discussed and it was agreed that
the silver forces need only to work har-
moniously in order 10 insure the adoption
of an out-and-out 16-to-1 platform. What
gave the conference the most concern was
the matter of temporary organization of
the convention. The fact was dwelt upon
that the sentiment of the National Com
mittee was opposed 10 that of the ma
jority of the elected delegates, but on the
other hand it was insisted that il did not
necessarily follow that the committee
would go so far as to attempt to gain any
advantage or attempt to consummate any
strategic stroke in the exercise of the
authority vested in it.
In order to be on the safe side, however,
it was finally determined to appoint a
committee of tive to wait upon the execu-
tive committee of the National Committee
and, as the resolution put it, "to confer
with that body in reference to all ques-
tions and matters affecting the temporary
organization and proceedings
The conference between Governor Stone.
the leader of the Bland forces, and Gov
ernor Altgeld was held behind double
closed doors in the latter's quarters at the
Sherman House, Colonel Charles III. Jones
OF 81. Louis being the only outsider pres
ent or within hundred yards of them.
Nearly an hour was consumed in the con-
ference, and at its conclusion not one of
those would say word or breathe sug-
gestion concerning its import. Governor
Stone, however, appeared to be in particu-
larly exuberant spirits, and insisted that
Bland could not ne kept out of the nomina-
ton. Sixteen to one, he said, meant BLAND
Bland meant sixteen to one; both meant
free silver, and that was the issue of the
day. The news of the conference spread
quickly around town, and it was at once
taken for granted that the Bland leaders
had made some kind of an alliance with
Governor Altgeld.
The conference created considerable un-
easiness among the supporters of Gov
ernor Boies and some decidedly bitter talk
was INDUCED in concerning the alleged an
tagonism of Governor Altgeld toward the
Grand Old Man" of the Iowa Democracy.
At the Boies headquarters, in the Palmer
House, it was said this evening that, If al
lowed to use their own inclinations, two
thirds OF the Illinois delegates would vote
for the Iowa man.
1--WE have assurances of sympathy from
number of delegates that they would
vote for the Iowa man." said member of
the Boies committee, "but it is evident
that they are tied to the machine. What
ever the object of the Stone-Altgeld con-
ference, however, we are not going to be dis
heartened by single rebuff. Boies will
be the nominee of the convention despite
the underharded schemes that the gold
men and others have resorted to. The first
named knows his strength and they fear
him more than any other candidate that
has been men toned"
The meeting of the forty-eight delegates
from Illinois called by Governor Aitgeld
was as lively as it was short. Governor
Altgeld made strong speech against the
two-thirds rule, insisting that, independ-
ent of present conditions, the time had ar
rived in the history of the Democratic
party when it should be abolished for the
reason that it was undemocratic. 1t was
basic principle of Democracy, he said,
that the majority should govern and q
two-thirds rule simply meant tyranny. 1t
was decided that the delegation, in COM
mon with others, should exert its infu-
ence to secure its abrogation.
~
JONES OF ARKANSAS.