The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-06-25
having been in session continuously TO
seven hours.
IN INDIANA
Practical Unanimity on the Question Of Silver
Coinage

| Frdcticdi Unanfmtty on the question OF silver
| Coinage
| INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, June 24-The
Democratic state convention was the
! largest ever held in the state. The par
ty primaries and the convention prelim-
| inaries had been prolific of contests and
| contentious. The silver sentiment had
developed rapidly, and the advocates OF
! free coinage had with comparative ease
captured controlling interest in the
! convention. But the gold standard mi
| nority, which was in minority and
| caught mapping, walked up to a vigorous
resistance. The silver men, at first COM
| placent in a. two-thirds majority, found
the minority so vigorous that they de-
termined to use their power mercilessly,
! and the only advantages claimed by the
gold men at the opening of the conven-
ton were due to circumstances which
the silver men Overlooked and could not
control.
The silver men captured everything,
instructing their Chicago delegates to
stand through thick and thin for the
most extreme silver deliverance and
for the nomination of Claude Matthews
for the presidency. The candidate for
governor, Mr.. Shively, appeared after
he had been made the nominee and made
vigorous speech, giving special atten-
ton to the endorsement of the free sill
yer plank.
The convention met at 10 o'clock. 1t
is the largest political assemblage in the
state in recent years, comprising 1747
delegates. At least IS per cent of these
represent the ultra free wing of the
party.
The Hon. r. c. Bell, permanent chair
man, after eulogizing the Democratic
state record and the illustrious Demo-
Gratis of the state, concluded as follows:
To-day we are in the midst of great
crisis. You will be expected to give
epression to your views on the financial
question. You will help to determine
whether adhering to the me-honored
principles and to the repeated declara-
tons of the Democratic party, we shall
insist upon a financial plank which IA
vors the use of both silver and gold as
standard money at the long established
ratio of 16 to l; whether we are great
and proud enough to direct our affairs
as a free and independent nation, or
whether we must submit to the dictation
of some foreign power; whether we shall
maintain the honest use of honest mon
ey, which provides for the payment of
honest debts in the currency contracted
for, or allow the creditor to demand two
dollars for one in satisfaction of his
debts.
Following is the currency plank
adopted:
We reaffirm our adherence to the
faithful Democratic determination for
bimetallism. and therefore we demand
unrestricted coinage of both silver and
gold as primary money at the ratio of
16 to 1, without waiting for the co-opera-
ton of Great Britain or any other for
eign power, all coinage to be full legal
tender in payment of all debts, whether
public or private.
The platform closes with instructions
to delegates to vote for Governor Mat
thews as candidate for the presidency.
first, last and all the time, and to vote
as a unit on all questions involving the
platform or candidate
Senator Turpie appeared on the plat
form and wildly cheered. He said that
silver had been degraded by legislation
and it should be restored in the same
way. When Senator Turpie had con-
cluded his remarks, Bynum's friends
again demanded that he be heard. The
confusion became SO intense that one
delegate demanded that the galleries be
cleared. He was cried down.
While dozens of delegates were on
their feet, endeavoring to attract the
chairman's attention in the midst Of