Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-23
THACHER'S POSITION
A More Definite Statement to Be
Obtained.
COMPOSITION OF THE COMMITTEE
A Majority in Favor Of the Candi-
dates Deposition.
SENATOR HILLS ATTITUDE


political centers today is the unprecedent-
edly interesting meeting of the democratic
state committee last night, which began at
o'clock and lasted until very nearly 3
o'clock this morning.
The result, the appointing of commit
tee of five to wait upon John Boyd Thacher
and get more definite expression of his
views upon The state PLATFORM is subject
to various constructions Those of Tam
many who oppose Mr.. Thacher's candidacy
claim that they voted for this amended
resolution for the purpose of compromis .Ilg
until Mr. Thacher ould be pinned down 20
more absolute statement regarding his
attitude toward the national ticket. Those,
however, who supported Senator Hill i'll mis-
fight for the retention of Thacher claim
that it was victory for Senator Hill in
his attempt to make the campaign on state
issues only. The vote on the proposition TO
have Mr.. Thacher further interviewed was
II to 2, and this rather points toward the
compromise solution as being the true one.
Committee to Call on Thncher.
OF the committee of five appointed to
wait upon the nominee and ascertain (as
the resolution phrases it, his Willingness
or unwillingneSs to accept in Its entirety
the platform adopted at Buffalo," a major
ity hold that Mr.. Thachers letter should
be met with a demand for his withdrawal
from the ticket: one will vote for Thacher
of United States Senator Murphy, who has
rot given an opinion as yet regarding the
Thacher letter.
The committee will walt on Mr. Thacher
at his home in Albany the latter part of
the week and report back to the commit
tee on Monday night.
In the meantime the result of the heat
ed controversy of last night between Sena-
tor Hill and Senator Grady forms these
interesting conclusions.
Senator Hill is against the national plat
hat tica 1lx- no in, M
Chicago convention He believes IN and
will fight for campaign by the state de-
moeracy upon state issues only. support
ing the democratic national nominees, but
not their platform.
He decrecates the catering of the party
to the lai oring element urging that the
latter are mistaken in their support of the
ChiCego platform
He terms the Chicago platform "a hell
ish invention designed to please the anar-
chistic sentiment of Tillman, Altgeld, Most
and Debs.'
Tammany's Position.
Tammany Hall. through Senator Grady,
declared that Mr.. Thacher could not poll
$4,000 votes In New York city. The popu-
lists and radical silver men will, if
Thacher remains in the race, repudiate
him and hold convention of their own,
with the intention of making clear line
between silver and gold in this state.
These the issues S plainly set forth
last night ard more clearly defined by the
opinions of the leaders this orning. The
friction has not subsided one whit, and
the Tammany leaders declare that Thach-
er must step down and make way for a
silver nan.
pcstponement of the decision in Mr..
Thacher's case for the purpose of
awaiting the action of the Brooklyn con-
vention of gold men tomorrow night, and
the effort to have them indorse Thacher
still continues.
Committeeman Differ.
There is a difference of opinion among
members of the state democratic commit
tee to the significance of the resolution
adopted at last nights meeting. Norton
Chase, Mr.. Thacher's friend and sponsor
said: The text of the resolution has been
misquoted. 1t simply called for the COM
mittee TO go to Albany and notify Mayor
Thacher of his nomination. II is not a
pumping committee in any sense of the
word.
man Smith of Buffalo were asked wha,
their Views We're Mr.. Smith, who voted
on the resolution. said: 1T was clearly
the intent of the resolution. and 1t was
so stated. that the committee go to Albany
and get clearer statement OF Mr.. Thach
ers attitude toward the Chicago platform
1t was with that understanding that We
voted, and the fact that the committee is
to go on Friday and report Monday
night is sufficient proof of that. If some
body has juggled with the thing since we
passed ii We will find out on Monday.
Chairman Danforth said that 1t was no
true. as stated in local paper. that Mr.
Hill had said that he would rather the
democratic party in h than on the Chi
cago platform, and Mr.. Hill corroboratet
the denial.
What Senator Hill Says.
Senator Hill said to an Associated Press
reporter today, before returning to Albany
The final outcome Of the meeting OF The
state committee last night was a victory
for those who are anxious to preserve oul
state organization, no matter what the
divisions may be upon national issues Ii
was a victory for those who do not believe
that a man is not good party man unies:
he swallows everything cannot StanC
upon a platform unless he believes in every
statement in il unqual1iedy. The story
this morning to the effect that the resou
ton finally adopted was for the purpose o
sending "a committee to see Mr.. Thacne
as TO his views is unqualitiedly false.
THE resolution adopted was the usua
one and merely asks that a committee b'
appointed to tell Mr.. Thacher that he g th
nominee of the party. No qualifications o
any kind are included Mr. Grady offere'
a resolution a substitute for Mr. Shea
and which read.
"Resolved, That a committee of five b
appointed to wait upon John Boyd Thache
and request his acc eptance OF the nomina
ton of governor upon an unqualified in
dorsement of the Buffalo platform
Il pointed out that such a resolution wa
Impossible, and when the debate had pro
duced, which read:
".Resolved. That committee of five b
appointed to notify the candidates on tn
state ticket of their nomination, and tha
such committee report back to the stat
committee at n meeting to be held Monday
September -. the result of its act tion
Now said Senator Hill, that mean
just what it says, ard it took the place o
all the other resolutions. Acting under il
the committee has no power to project it
views at Mr.. Thacher. but merely to an
nounce to him his nomination. He will d
the talking"
And Senator Hill smiled satisfied smilt
The clerk and the secretary of the com
mittee voiced the text of the last resolutio
as given by Senator HILL There were onl
two votes against 1t, and one (Senato
Grady not voting.
While the indications are that Senate
Hill has thus far controlled the action Q
the state committee. 1t is possible that ther
may be trouble at the meeting next Nor
day unless by that time Mr. Thacher sha
have made his position clear.