Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-07-04
GOSSIP AT CHICAGO.
The Democratic Convention 10 Be as
LopSided as Vas the Republican.
SILVER MEN IN FULL CONTROL.
with Surprising Unanimity, Too, the
Leaders of Western and southern
Delegation Decline preference
TO, TcIIcr-PIatform CIear-Cut.


CHICAGO. July sit looks as If the
Chicago Democratic Convention would De
quite as lopsided as the recent RepuDh-
can gathering at st. Louis. Ihere mas
been no break to-day in the monotony oil
the signs and tokens of what is 10 happen
II is TO be free-silver convention. More
over. with surprising unanimity the con-
trolling men OF the western ana souIhei"
delegations have declared their preference
for Teller Nearly all his associates OF
former associates in the Senate VINO De-
leve i'm free coinage are giving him thelt
support. The list includes Turpie OF IN
diana. Jones Of Arkansas, Harris OF Ten
nessee. Walsh Of Georgia, Chiffon OF
Texas. and Cockrell Of Missouri
When the eastern delegates and friends
of the gold standard reach Chicago to-
morrow they will find that the silver men
have absolute control Of the situation
! Conferences have been frequent during
| the day. out of all OF this consultation
| but one concrete fact seems to have been
| developed. The platform will be concise
| short. and clear-cut, without so much as
| an ambiguous word that can be miscon-
| strued into meaning anything than an
out-and-out declaration for the free and
unlimited coinage OF silver at the ratio
of 16 TO T.
Senators Jones. Of Arkansas; Bate ana
| Harris. Of Tennessee; Blackburn. Of Ken
lucky; Tillman, Of South Carolina, and
! Cockren. of Missouri; Senator-elect
| Money. Of Mississippi Representative
! Richardson, of Tennessee, and Hon. John
II. Mclean have been in conference
| during the day. and all are agreed that
| the financial plank shall be given that
prominence which its Importance de-
! mands and that its text shall be so short
and its meaning 50 fixed and determined
that he who runs may read ii understand
| ingly.
PLATITUDES TO BE ESCHEWED.
"Plautudes will be eschewed by this
convention" said Senator Jones. OF Ar
kansas to-day. "The silver men repre-
sent the plain people of the country. the
! thinking masses. and our declaration will
/ ba such that no man can iuggle with
! its meaning or seek TO represent Il as
something that II is not. This convention
IS to be run by the silver men. We are
! I'm control and everything that is done
| will be by the consent Of the majority
only. This situation might as well be
accepted by the minority at once. The
minority will be accorded all its rights
and will be part and parcel Of the Demo-
cratic convention. but the voice Of the
majority is the voice Of the party in the
convention"
When asked II he had any fear OF the
delegates being weaned from their ale
glance TO silver, Mr.. Jones replied with
a negative that was emphatic and con-
Vncing as TO the sincerity Of his own
views IF the gold men are hoping 10
| be successful I'm prOselytlng among the
silver men," he continued. "it is high
time they understood the character Of the
timber Of which this convention viii be
constructed. The delegates 20 the conven-
tion are men who can neither be bought
l nor bulldozed. They are firm I'm the faith.
! and nothing can shake their loyalty TO
| the cause which they put above all other
political questions. Long months ago,
when we first organized the silver move
ment IN Washington. we took care to
provide against such influences. and wrote
| our people I'm every district to see that
strong men were selected as delegates
THE CHAIR8IANSHIPS.
While there seems to be no concentra-
ter upon any one for temporary chair
man. the general opinion is that either
Senator Harris or Representative Rich
ardson. both Of Tennessee. may be made
| permanent chairman. and that Senator
| Blackburn, OF Kentucky. may be tenn
/ porary chairman. All these gentlemen
| are good pariamentarians, Mr.. Harris
| having been President pro tenn. of the
Senate. Mr.. Richardson frequent and
experienced occupant Of the Speakers
I 80 a4Ir
| Crisp. and Mr. Blackburn having often
presided over the Senate
Regarding the report that the National
! Committee intended to attempt 10 force
! n gold-standard man upon the convention
! for temporary chairman. Mr.. Richardson
! said: Nothing Of the kind Will be done.
| or course. we recognize tho fact that
! the committee. as at present constituted,
| Is against silver, but the committee Will
be very apt 10 remember also that the
convention is very largely the other way.
! If il decides by a majority vote 10 recon-
! mend TO the convention a gold man, the
| minority Of the committee VIII offer
a substitute. naming a silver man.
! When the committee makes its
| report to the convention this sub
stitute will be offered and a sub
| stitute Is always voted on first The
substitute will be adopted and II there
is 10 be a brush about this question 1t
will be short and quick, and result In
a sweeping victory for the silver men.
| The majority will not listen 20 the sound
ing Of a gold note in the opening OF the
| convention Such blunder could not
be entertained for a moment, and 1t is
hardly 10 be expected that such an at
tempt will even be made"
LENGTH OF SESSION
Governor Altgelds idea that the con-
vention can complete its work in one
dav is secuted by experienced politicians.
| one Of them said this afternoon that
| while he was in favor of reasonable
| haste. he recognized the fact that IL re-
| ouired time to carefully transact the
| business of a national convention. The
| platform would cause some debate. de-
pending entirely upon the pleasure OF the
! convention. exercised through the gayel
OF the chairman. Ii is not improbable that
some prominent person representing the
gold side Of the question will be elected
TO antagonlze the report Of the Com
| mittee on Resolutions, and with that
! single speech discussion will end. This
| will be accomplished by q motion from
the floor demanding the previous question
being promptly put and carried. No one
predicts less than three-days session.
THE EAST AND THE WEST.