The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-07-04
A Feeling Of Hopelessness Per-
vades the Meeting.
SOME IN FAVOR OF A BOLT.
All Predict Defeat III the Platform Is
for Free Silver.
John r. Fellows Weeps While Talking
About Leaving the Democratic Party
Leaders From Missouri and Ken
tucky Say Their Delegates Cannot
Be Influenced Against silver.

Chicago. July st did not take the
gold standard people from the East very
long 10 get actively to work tonight. No
sooner had William &. Whitney gone 10
his room than he wrote personal notes 10
the leaders here OF ali the states opposed
10 silver, requesting the gold standard
people TO meet him and others OF the
Western men al the Auditorium al s
O'Clock. that some plan of action might
be devised for the gold campaign.
At o'clock Mr.. Whitney, accompanied
by ex-Mayor Grant. ex-Gov. Russell and
several other of the Eastern men, ap-
peared at the rooms. Senator Hill and
Roswell p. Flower, who Is the present
national committeeman from New York
came along right after. James j. Martin,
John R Fellows, Senator Gray, of Della
ware; Senator Smith. of New Jersey:
Chairman of the New York State Com
mittee Hincsley and several others fol-
lowed. and the room was soon filed.
Among the others going in were w. +.
Haryity. John r. Read and Charles z.
Ingersoll, OF Pennsylvania: John T.. Hop
kins. Washington Hesing, James Eckels
and Ben 4. Cable, of Illinois; J. G.. Pra-
ther. OF Missouri: William f. Russell, of
Massachusetts,; L. Victor Boughman, of
Maryland; f. 5. Bragg and f. c. Wall.
OF Wisconsin,; Don NJ. Dickinson. of Mich
igan; Morris Power. C. c. Baldwin and
Smith NJ. Weed. OF New York; w n.
Rynum and ]. T. Dye, OF Indiana. Asher
NJ. Caruth. of Kentucky.
Senator Gray was chosen chairman OF
the meeting. on motion OF Mr.. Whitney
and Collector Reed. of Philadelphia. and
Ben Gable, of Illinois were made secre-
taries. Mr.. Gray on taking the chair said
that every member present must be i'm
-x-4-
No convention OF the Democratic party
had ever been called upon to face con-
dition so momentous. eve confess"
he said. that none OF US Is clear as 10
@efinite policy to be pursued. All we can
do and all we are seeking TO do Is 10 hold
IN informal conference OF those who re-
cognlze the impending danger. TO take
counsel one with another and act as WISE
ly as We may under the circumstances"
Ii was then suggested that call be
made OF the states. and that those present
indicate the names OF delegates or infu-
entail persons favorable TO sound money.
together with their addresses. from which
names the secretary should make a roll.
It was found that nearly all the states
were represented. either by delegates or
by men who had come here to work
against free silver.
When the state Of Kentucky was called.
Mr.. Long, ex-chairman of the Demo-
cratic state central committee. made an
impassioned speech. He said he did not
believe Il was possible 70 do any effective
missionary work with the delegation from
as state. but he was certain that II
Is 10 1 platform was adopted by the na-
tional convention. Kentucky would go
Republican at the election.
When Missouri was reached ex-Gov.
Francis said be regarded missionary work
with the Missouri delegation as well-nigh
hopeless. If Bland should be nominated
IL was his judgment that the state would
go Democratic. but he did not believe IL
possible that any other candidate could
carry Missouri for free silver.
Judge Moran, OF Illinois. spoke at length.
and said the silver movement in Illinois
was not an intelligent Democratic move
ment. but represented the discontented
sociaIistic and anarchistic following OF
Gov, Aitgeld, which was very largely per-
sonal In its character.
When New York was called ex-Gov.
Flower said: I'm my home county We num-
Der among our Democrats a few men OF
silver tendencies. We have given Repub-
Ican majorities for presidential candidates
of between 1000 and 5000. I am bound TO
say, however that II the Democratic
party goes before the people on a silver
platform this Republican majority will bs
doubled II not trebled. This would be the
result in every county in the state. and
the Democratic electoral vote which we
have been able to give In some years VIII
be thrown away and the state VIII go Into
the Republican column. Gov. Flower
then spoke upon the financial issue in the
East, and said the panic which would nat
rally ensue IL the silver candidate was sue
ceSsDli would react uron the farmers as
had the panic OF 1898 several years
afterward. For that reason I would rot
feel II possible 20 go before the farmers
OF my state and speak for a Democratic
nominee upon a free silver platform.
am positive New York wfTl go upon the
Republican side OF the question with a ma
tority OF from 150.0co TO a1o. go II the issue
Is silver"
Gov Flower was followed by John r.
Fellows OF New York who spoke with
great ae!iberation and in a broken voice.
He said: II am a Democrat. and IL has
been a source OF great pride 10 me that
should be able TO leave 10 mr. children as
a her.tRge the recollection that their faith
er had been a consistent Democrat. But
| am strongly impressed that this move
mont against which we are contending
violates every principle Of Democracy.
and is but the vaporings Of wild fanatics"
The tears streamed down Mr. Fellows
cheeks as he said: eff this dogma OF re-
puGiation .s Incorporated into the platform
of the Democratic party, ! must leave
that party, and forever. As I have sad.
/ am a Democrat: have voted and
worked ard expended my energies with
and for the party. / have been as faith
ful and consistent 10 its principles as the
party has been. But while 1 have always
expected TO remain a Democrat. I cannot
gentlemen, accept the degradation tho
following OF this silver faIacy means"
As Col. Fellows sat down. the room rang
with applause.
A motion was adopted % the effect that
the gold men should meet 81 the morning
al % o'clock az the Palmer house 20 ar
range for missionary work. and that a
conference similar 20 touighfs be con-
venel every evening AZ the Auditorium a:
: o. clock The meeting then adjourned.
Twice during the meeting Senator Hi
was called for. but 6ecliae1 TO make any
REMARKS. stating that be 6id rot b->~eTs
in crossing briSses until he reached them.
when the ~ola conference closed a. mid
ufxht. the consensus OF opinion gained
by the views presented was that the party
woala Dc defeated II X adopted a free
caGnaea platform There wer~ also soma
who we're very urgent for bolt IL silver
shau1. wsr "A the convention
VIEWS OF DEMOCRATS.