The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-24
SCHEME OF THE SILVERITES.
A MOVE To HOLD ONLY ONE STATE
CONVENTION THIS YEAR.

ny This Means They Hope 10 Pull
the Wool over the Eyes of the
People and send n Free Coinage
Delegation 10 the Chicago COnven-
tion-Tvvo Conventions Held by the
Party in Every Presidential Year
since the War.
Atlanta Ca, Jan. 23-The movement
TO influence the state executive committee
IN favor of holding but one state conven~
tion Of the democrats OF Georgia THIS
year. instead of the two that have In
variabiy been held by the party in presi-
Dental years since the war is attracting
a great deal OF attention at the hands of
the leaders Of the party here. Il is widely
discussed and the diversion of opinion in
regard 10 il is assuming important pro-
portions.
1t was learned from one of the most
influential politicians Of the state capitol
to-day that the movement in favor of
one convention was organized in Wash
ington among the Georgia delegation in
congress last week. According TO this in
formation nine of the eleven congress- |
men were present at the conference, at
which the one convention scheme was
launched. II is believed that the move
ment is a part of a deliberate plan on
the part of the advocates Of free and un-
limited silver coinage to saddle
their views upon the party through
the delegates. TO the national convention
at Chicago. They are afraid that they
would be unable to have silver men Sc
lected IL there are two conventions and
the issue is squarely made, but depend
upon the confusion that would ensue by
the mixing of all the business that should
be transacted in two conventions in one
BY drawing out the politicians who are
closely interested in local aualrs iune |
silverite managers, who are behind the |
scheme believe that they can befuddle |
the public in the selection of delegates
TO the national convention, ana tor tnat
reason the word have gone out from
Washington that there must be but one |
convention this year II there is to be
any hope of sending silver delegation
AS stated. the sentiment among the
party leaders is divided just as they are
divided on the currency question itself. |
II is very easy TO draw the line The
free coinage men are invariably in favor
of the single convention and II is they
who are the active ones IN the move
ment in that direction.
1t is not known how the members OF the
state committee view the matter; Chalr-
man Clay was in the city yesterday, but
he has not yet given the matter sufficient
thought he said, to be able to give his
views. Chairman Clay is, however,
thorough-going democrat, and II is be
lieved by his closest friends that he VIII
stand by the precedent of the party IN
holding the usual two conventions. He
said that he would probably call the
state committee together about April l,
20 consider the matter. An early call TO
the committee would tend to indicate that
he favors the separate conventions, as all
say that if but one convention be called
it must he held very late.
In discussing the matter, which was a
tonic TO-DAY.
Chairman Trammell of the state railroad
commission, and one of the strongest dem
been an unbroken custom of
the party as long as Il
can remember that in presidential years
the party shall have two conventions. one
to send delegates to the national conVen-
ton and the other to select electors, and
If state house officers are to be selected
10 nominate state house officials at the
same time"
Amy different course adopted at this
time, might cause dissatisfaction, as one
element of the party might construe that
an advantage was sought TO be taken
by the other. 1t might be the cause of
very widespread dissensions and prove
hurtful to the organization. The situa-
ton is such as to cause democrats every
where and under all circumstances to act
with the greatest propriety and caution.
The party must now see to 1t that no
cause is given by which any act can be
construed as an attempt to take an
undue advantage of those of the party
entertaining different views. This will be
necessary in order to preserve harmony,
as well as to secure the triumph Under
the resent state of affairs, it is hard to
conceive how a convention called before
the nomination of a presidential candi-
date could intelligently select electors;
from the fact of very decided differences
existing between democrats upon the finan-
cial question.
Col Trammell continued: "And without
a knowledge of what the national plat
form would be or who will be the cand-
dates, who will be placed upon that plat
form, l cannot conceive how 1t would be
possible to select the electors TO stand
upon that platform and to be run with
that ticket. Such a thing is always ex-
ceedingly unfortunate, as 1t gives the
enemy the advantage of charging that
an elector declining refused to stand up
on the platform or support the ticket.
There can be no harm growing out Of
holding two conventions and no ele-
ment can charge upon the other that the
observance of the time-honored usages
of the party is an attempt to take an
advantage of any one. The fact is, l do
not believe that the executive committee
has the power or authority to adopt such
a change, and say that there shall be but
one convention. The custom has been
so long and uniformly observed of hold
ing two democratic conventions in pres
idential years, that it has become, in my
judgment, a rule. If not a law of the party
In this state, and could be changed only
by the party acting in convention"