The news boy., 1896-03-28
FROM GOV. STONE.
Jefferson City, Mch. %, ;!


Jefferson City, Mch. %, SO.
EDITOR NEwsBoYs--
The malignant and unprovoked per-
sonal attacks the St. Louis Republic
is daily making on me is my excuse
for addressing this letter to you,
which I ask you to do me the kind
ness to publish, can not, of course,
enter into vitupcrative controversy
with the Republic, adopt the vernac-
ular of the slums and compete
with it in the low art of compiling
epithets. I desire only to make a
plain statement OF one or two impor-
tant facts for the consideration of
those of your readers who see the
matutinal diatribcs of the Republic.
am reluctant to do even this, but
/ feel that | am warranted in doing
It as an act Of simple justice to my
self,
nE CAUSE.
think the public very we'll under
stands that these attacks Oh me are
Immediately due to the active inter-
est that l have taken in the work of
organizing the Democrats of this and
other States who favor free bimetal-
lie coinage. In one of its recent edi-
torials the Republic said, in sub
stance, that l owe my promotion to
the Democratic party, and that l
ought to show my appreciation of ia
vors conferred by doing something
for the party. Iagree to that. And
maintain that I am not only endeav-
oring TO serve the party in my efforts,
made in conjunction with others, to
organize the free coinage forces, but
that l am acting directly under party
authority and in obedience to the
party behest. Let US see if that is
not true. Last summer a Democrat.
ic State Convention was held at Per.
tie Springs. The convention was
called by the State Committee upon
the request of a majority of county
committees. 1t was called for the
purpose of giving expression to the
views of the Missouri Democracy or
questions relating to the coinage and
currency. 1t was composed of some
6l0 delegates, representing every
county and ward in the State but
two, and was conceded to be one oi
the most representative bodies ever
assembled in the State. 1t was Q
regular Democratic Convention, au
thorized to speak for the party
Even the Republic has heretofore
conceded that.
APPOINTED A DELEGATE.
A short time prior to the assem-
bling of the Pcrtle Springs Couven
tion, U. S. Senators Harris, Turpit
and Jones had called National con
ference of free coinage Democrats tt
meet at Washington City at a date
some two weeks subsequent to thu
Pertle Springs Convention. The oh
ject of that conference was to inau
gurate movement for the organiza
tion of free coinage Democrats
throughout the country with the view
of controlling the next National Con
vention in the formation of a plat
form and in the nomination of pres
idential candidate favorable to tn
policy of free silver coinage. Now q
the Pertle Springs Convention tn
committee on resolutions reported
and the convention unanimousl,
adopted, resolution approving AM
indorsing the forthcoming Washing
ton conference to which l have al
luded, and directing the chairman
Mr.. Bland, to appoint delegate
thereto to represent the Democrac
of this State. Mr.. Bland informe'
the convention that he would selec
the delegates at an early day an
notify them. In o few days Mr.
Bland wrote me from Lebanon tina
he had named me as one Of the dele
gates, and he urged me to attend th
conference. Tneither sought nor de
sired this appointment. 1t cam
wholly unsolicited. as Mr.. Bland ca