The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-07-04

Speeches by Gray, Flower, Fellows
and Others.

gold-standard people from the East very
long TO get actively TO work tonight. No
sooner had William c. Whitney gone TO his
room than he wrote personal notes ad-
dressed to the leaders OF all the States op-
posed 10 silver who had representative
here. These notes requested that the gold
standard people meet him and others OF the
Eastern men in parlor of the Auditorium
at O'Clock, so that some plan of action
might be devised for the gold campaign.
AT o'clock Mr.. Whitney. accompanied
by ex-Mayor Grant. Ex-Governor Russell
end several other of the Eastern men, ap-
peared at the rooms. Senator Hill and
Roswell p. Flower came in a little later.
and ex-Lieutenant Governor Sheehan, who
is the present national committeeman from
New York, came along right after. James
]. Martin. John r. Fellows. Senator Gray
Of Delaware. Senator Smith of New Jer-
sey, Chairman of the New York State
Committee Hickey and several others fol-
lowed, and the rooms soon filled up. Among
the others going in were: w. F. Harrity,
John r. Read and Charles Ingersoll Of
Pennsylvania, John z. Hopkins, Washing
ton Hesing. James S. Eckels and Benja-
min T. Cable of Illinois, ]. G. Prather of
Missouri, William f. Russell of Massachu-
S. Bragg and E. c. Wall of Wisconsin,
Don NJ. Dickinson of Michigan, Morris
Power, G. c.. Baldwin and Smith NJ. Weed
of New York. w. d. Bynum and John L.
Dye of Indiana, Asher G. Caruth of Ken
lucky.
Senator Gray was chosen chairman of
the meeting on motion of Mr.. Whitney and
Collector Reed, of Philadelphia, and Mr..
Ben Cable, of Illinois, were made secreta-
| ries. Senator Gray, on taking the chair. said
that every gentleman present must be i'm
pressed with the gravity Of the situation.
No convention of the Democratic party
| had ever been called upon to face a con-
dition so momentous. I'VE confess" said
| he. that none of US is clear to definite
| policy TO be pursued. All We can do.
and all we are seeking to do is to to hold
an informal conference Of those who rec
ognize the impending danger, to take coun-
| sci one with another, and act as wisely
as we may under the circumstances
1t was then suggested that call be made
of States, and that those present indicate
the names of delegates or influential per-
| sons in the city favorable TO the cause
of sound money, together with addresses,
! from which names thus reported the secre-
| tary should make roll. 1t was found that
nearly all the States were represented,
either by delgates or by men who had come
here to work against free silver.
A KENTUCKIAN'S VIEWS.
| When the State of kentucky was called
Mr.. Long. ex-chairman of the Democratic
State central committee, made an impas-
stoned speech. He said he did not believe
it was possible TO do any effective mis-
sionary work with the delegation from his
L. ,l,.k A
pla tform were adopted by the national con-
vention Kentucky would go Republican at
the November election.
| When Missouri was reached Ex-Gov.
d. r. Francis said that he regarded mis-
sionary work with the Missouri delegation
| as well nigh hopeless. If Bland should be
nominated it was his judgment that the
State would go Democratic. but he did not
Selieve ii possible that any other candidate
fould carry Missouri for free silver.
Judge Moran, of Illinois, spoke at length,
and was heartily applauded when he said
that the silver movement in Illinois Was not
an intelligent Democratic movement, but it
| represented the discontented socialistic and
anarchistic following of Governor .Altgeld,
which was very largely personal In its char
| acter.
When New York State was called ex-
| Gov. r. Z. Flower said: I'm nv own corn-
ty we number among our Democrats a few
men of silver tendencies. We have given
Republican majorities for presidsnsial can
didates of between two and three thousand.
l am bound to say, however, that If the
Democratic party goes before the people
on silver platform this Republican n.a-
jority will be doubled If not irebied. To
my mind this would be the result in every
in no G4Afa ha no IL.
electoral vote which have been able to
give in some years will be thrown away
and the State would go in the Republican
column. Governor Flower then spoke on
the financial issue in the East, and said
that the panic that would naturally ensue,
If the silver candidate was successful,
would react on the farmers, as mad the
panic of 1883 several years afterward.
For that reason l would not feel il possi-
bic to go before the farmers of my State
and speak for a Democratic nominee upon
free-slver platform. L am positive New
York State will go upon the Republican
side of the question with a majority from
10000 to 100000 if the issue is silver
| FELLOWS IN TEARS.
Governor Flower was followed by John r.
Fellows, of New York, who spoke with
great delberation and broken voice. He
said: Il am a Democrat, and it has been
a source of great pride TO me that L should
be able TO leave to my children as a herit-
age the recollection that their father had
been "A consistent Democrat But / am
strongly impressed that this movement
against which We are contending violates
every principle of Democracy, and is but
the vaporings of wild fanatics" The tears
streamed down Mr.. Fellows's cheeks as he
said, IF this dogma of reputation is in
corporated into the platform Of the Demo-
cratic party / must leave that party and
forever. AS 1 have said, L am a Demo-
crat / have voted and worked and sex-
pended my energies with and for the party.
i have been as faithful and consistent 10 it's
principles the rarty has been. But while
l have always expected TO remain a DEM
ocrat cannot, gentlemen. accept the deg
radiation that the following OF this silver
falacy means
As Colonel Fellows sat down the room
rang with applause. A motion then
adopted TO the effect that all of the gold
inen meet every morning at 10 o'clock al
the Palmer House to arrange for mission
airy work and that a conference similar
to that held tonight be convened every
evening at the Auditorium at oclock. The
meeting then adjourned
| Twice during the meeting Senator Hill. of