The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-07-11
ON THE EVE OF BATTLE

$500 ShNtA 2 " 'oh W.
Material Upon Which to Impress Their
Fiews-Ihe Question of Temporary Or
ganiZation Receiving tention-ioieB
Men Take New IIope-The Coming Gold
Bugs from New York.
CHICAGO, July 1.-The ~proverbial
calm before the storm prevailed to-
day. Having accomplished everything
possible in advance of the arriving of
a respectable number of silver dele
gates on the ground, the democratic
bimetallic national committee, and
those cooperating with it took a rest
from their labors, so far as meetings
or conferences are concerned until to-
morrow evening, when another ound-
up of all the white metal supporters
then in Chicago will be in order.
The ranks of the 10 to J advocates
were reinforced to-day by the arrival
of DIR. j. j. Mott, of North Carolina,
and who is chairman of the executive
committee of the independent or new
silver party, formed in Washington 4
year ago. For reasons which he
deemed sufficient, and which he
has not explained, the head
Of tine silveritcs did not take
up his abode at the Sherman house,
where the silver headquarters have
been established, but instead chose an
hosiery on the same street, but a
couple of blocks away. From here,
and without consultation with II OF
the silver people that preceded him,
he sent an invitation for a conference
on Saturday night of every represent
alive or party favorable to silver, in
Guiding populists, silver democrats and
silver republicans.
As to what it was intended to ac-
complish by this conference, DR.. Mott
was ~reticent. but the expressions of
sentiment among those that fiocked to
his quarters during the day Indicated
a decided preference for the nominal
ton next week of such n candidate as
could be Endorsed by the silver and
populist conventions at st. Louis three
weeks hence upon n platform dealing
with no other issue than hat of the
free and unlimited coinage of silver.
The executive committee of the indie
pendent silver party meets here Satur-
day, and at tomorrow nights meeting
circumference of the bimctailic commit
tee and the silver delegates a com
mittec will be appointed to meet the
independents with Il view toward
united action.
Sentiment among the silver men
crystallized to-day in favor of the Sc.
lection of either Gov. Stone of Mis-
souri, or W. j. Bryan, of Nebraska, as
temporary chairman OF the .conven-
ton, with Senator Isham Harris, OF
Tennessee, and Mai. Towles, secretary
of the bimctaliic committee, as per
mauent chairman and secretary, re-
spectively.
The story was published this after.
noon that Senator Harris had been
definitely chosen as permanent chair
man, but at the headquarters in the
Sherman house, the fact that no meet
ing had been held to-day was cited q.
proof positive hat this was purely
guess work.
Through Senator Jones, the silver
men went on record to-day as opposed
to the suggestion made by members OF
the national committee hat Senator
David Il. Hill might prove acceptable tc
both factions as temporary chairman.
Senator Jones Insisted that, while per-
s%onally he had the highest regard for
his New York associate in the senate
chamber, he could not countenance
the idea of a supporter of the gold
standard presiding, even if fora short
while only, oven a convention that
was opposed to his views three to II
Copatn. TIil1 ln coil r-n,,ll not ha 1.
ceptable to the silver people, and con
sequently there was nothing to be
gained by a further consideration OF
his alleged availability.
In the absence of material-iH the
shape of delegates with votes-for the
making of deals or the winning OF
converts, the boomers expended their
stock of ammunition on the motley
crowds hat invariably invade the
hotels on the eve of q national o Il.
vention. Much after the fashion OF
the side-show men 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 dis
tinct booms were in process of advO-
cacy on the ground floor of the Pal
mer house, and the cheers and yells
and shouts and ironical CALCULATIONS
of the listeners combined to create a
deafening din that can as we'll be i'm
agined as described.
The friends of Mr.. Bland were per.
haps the most active. In addition to
their headquarters at the Palmer and
the Auditorium annex, they opened up
rooms to-day in the entresol of the
Sherman house, where a committee
was appointed to corral such arriving
delegates that first of all seek out the
headquarters of the democratic silver
committee.
Mr.. BANDS friends were in high
feather to-day, and while unable, on
account of the paucity of delegates al.
ready in sight, to give out any def.
mite figures, insisted that the prevail.
ing sentiment in the city and the ad.
vices which they were receiving from
outside warranted them in taking
their stand that it was Bland against
the field, and with the field already
giving evidence of being decidedly On
the run.
The friends of ex-Gov. Boies, how
ever, were by no means discouraged