Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-07-03
Bo1Es MEM cHIRK UP.
Altgeld Quoted as Saying He Is Not Against
the Iowan

the Iowan.
Chicago, July 2-The proverbial calm
before the storm prevailed today. Hav-
ing accomplished everything possible in
advance of the arrival of respectable
number of silver delegates on the ground,
the democratic bimetallic national COM
mittee and those cooperating with it
took rest from their labors SO far as
meeting or comforting are concerned un-
til tomorrow evening, when another
roundup of all the white metal support
ers then in Chicago will be in order. The
ranks of the 16 to / advocates were re-
inforced today by the arrival of DR.. j. j.
Mott of North Carolina, who is chairman
of the executive committee of the inde
pendent or new silver, party formed in
Washington year ago. For reasons
which he deemed sufficient, and which
he has not explained the head of the sill
verites did not take up his abode at the
Sherman house, where the silver head
quarters have been established, but in
stead chose an hostelry on the same
street but q couple of blocks away. From
here, and without consultation with any
of the silver people that had preceded
him, he sent out an invitation for con-
ference on Saturday night of representa-
tives of every party and faction favorable
to silver, including populites, silver dem
ocrats and silver republicans. AS to
what it was intended to accomplish by
this conference DR.. Mott was reticenr,
but the expressions of sentiment among
those that fiocked to his quarters during
the day indicated preference for the NOM
ination next week of such a. candidate
as could be indorsed by the silver and
populist conventions at ST. Louis three
weeks hence upon a platform dealing
with no other issue than that of the free
and unlimited coinage of silver. The ex-
ecutiye committee of the independent
silver party meets here on Saturday, and
at tomorrow nights meeting or confer
ence of the democratic bimetallic COM
mittee and the silver delegates commit
tee will be appointed to meet the inde-
pendents with view toward united ac-
tion.
Sentiment among the silver men crys-
talized today in favor of the selection
of either Governor Stone of Missouri or
w. ]. Bryan of Nebraska as temporary
chairman of the convention. with SEN
ator Isham q. Harris of Tennessee and
Major Towles, secretary of the bimetal-
lie committee, as permanent chairman
and secretary respectively. The story
was published this afternoon that Sena-
tor Harris had been definitely chosen
as permanent chairman, but at the
headquarters In the Sherman house the
fact that no meeting had been held today
was cited s proof that this was purely
; guess work
Senator Jones went on record today as
opposed to the suggestion made by MEM
bers of the democratic national commit
tee that Senator David b. Hill might
prove acceptable to both factions as
temporary chairman. Senator Jones in
sists that while personally he had the
highest regard for his New York asso-
ciate In the senate chamber, he could
not cnuntenance the idea of a supporter
of the gold standard presiding, even for
short while only. over a convention
that was opposed to his Views three to
one. Senator Hill. he said, would not be
acceptable to the silver people. and con-
sequently there was nothing to be gained
by further consideration Of his alleged
availability.
In the absence of material in the, shape
of delegates with votes for the making
of deals or the winning of converts, the
boomers expended their ammunition to-
day on the motley crowds that invariably
invade the hotels on the eve of q national
convention. Much after the fashion of
the side sbowmen at the circus they took
possession of the rotundas of the hotels
and held forth to those inclined to listen
concerning the merits OF their respective
candidates. At one time this afternoon
four distinct booms were in process of