Birmingham state herald., 1896-01-18
WHY CHICAGO WAS SELECTED Various and Sundry Reasons
 Are Being Given. DID GOLD OR SILVER WIN :? MT. Clark Howell Says the Financial Question
 Wasn't Considered. NOTHING WAS DONE BY THE COMMITTEE Special Committee Will Be Selected to Attend to All Matters Relating to the Convention-Wnl Have Auto-
 cratic Power.
NOTHING WAS DONE BY THE COMMITTEE

mittee to whom will be entrusted all matters relating to the national demo- cratic convention will not be announced by Chairman Harrity until next week. It will consist of seven persons, of whom himself and Mr Sheerin of Indiana. the secretary of the national committee will be two. MT Ben T. Cable the Illinois member of the national committee, will also be selected. The remaining four MT. Harrity has not selected. This commit tee will have autocratic power It will have charge of all the details connected Wlth the convention a responsibility which, in previous years, has been divid- ed With the local committee. It is not unlikely that the cooperation of the Chi cago local committee may be invited on this occasion, but it will be regarded as a mere auxiliary and without any official authority. The members of the Chicago delegation, who were so successful in carrying off convention honors yesterday, are giving unstinted praise to their na- uonal committeeman, MT. Ca ble While the Chicago contingent, in their individ- ual and collective capacity did effective work, the principal credit for securing the convention is given by them to MT. Cap Although an uncompromising advocate of sound money, he is widely popular among the free silver men, and this popularity he exerted to the utmost yesterday in Chicago's favor. MT. Cable stated today that Chicago would treat the convention visitors with entire fair ness; that the hotel rates would not be increased beyond the ordinary price and that Chicago would in every way show her apprecia tion of the courtesy which the national committee had extended to her in properly entertaining all who at- tended it. Speaking of presidential pos abilities, he replied that Illinois had a candidate in the person of Col. William R. Morrison of the interstate commerce commission, and that the state was prac- tically an unit for him.
 Ex-Governor Francis and other lead ing members of the Missouri delegation confess their regret today at failing to secure the convention, but comfort them selves with the reflection that they disap- pointed the expectation of all the clever politicians in developing so great strength. The disappointment of Mir. Prather, the member of the national con- mittee from Missouri, expressed itself today in a rather amusing manner He was asked if he would leave for St. Louis with other of his friends who started west this afternoon He replied with great candor that he would not He said he was going by different route and that he preferred to be alone; that he was not in mood for talking. He was uohcu to eApidlu Wuy ot. LOUIS Tailed to bear off the official prize. He replied that one of the objections was based on the fact that St. Louis already had the republican convention and that many of the oldest delegates regarded 1t as unnec- essary to give Missouri both conventions. He thought, too, that the financial ques- tion had not been without it's effect in- asmuch as a number of sound money democrats objected to St. Louis because these men were so nearly unanimous in it's favor.
 The special. committee, of which MT Harrity will be chairman, will decide upon the building at Chicago which will be used for convention purposes. Tat tersalls, which stands at the corner of Eighteenth and State streets. is centrally located, but it is thought that the Co., liseum, commodious structure, which will be devoted toi1he same uses in Chi cago that Madison Square Garden is in New York, will be completed about the first of April and in readiness for the convention, if it be desirable to hold if there. It is believed that the Coliseum will be selected, provided the work upon it Is finished in time.
 Most of the members of the committee returned to their homes today, all ac- cepting the selection of Chicago in good humor. The free coinage men laugh at the suggestion of there being any signifi- canoe, as far as the currency question is concerned, in the selection of Chicago.
 Speaking for them, MT. Clark Howell, the committeeman from Georgia. says: Such a claim is preposterous. Chicago was chosen simply because a majority of the members of the committee thought that as between Chicago and St. Louis the former was the most desirable place for the convention. The silver question did not enter into the choice between thd two cities, as has been claimed. Several ardent free coinage members voted for Chicago, among them being MT. Sewell of Maine, MT. Donaldson of South Caro- lima and myself On the other hand, sev- eral of the gold men voted for St. Louis, whose campaign was managed by Ex- Governor Francis of Missouri, Colonel Prather, the committeeman from that state, and others who are conspicuous advocates of the single gold standard. The currency question will no doubt fig ufe in the convention, but it did not in the selection of the place."