Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-02-21
LINING FOR BATTLE.
THE GREAT BIMETALLIC CON-
FERENCE AT WASHINGTON.
Enthusiastic and Fruitful Gathering of
Earnest Americans Cali for the Ma
tional Convention at st. Louis on July
&c Coalition the Watchword.

On the 22d and Odd of the present
month conference of bimetallists was
held at Washington. 1t was a splendid
gathering of earnest, determined men,
and the proceedings were of the broad
est national significance.
The conference was held in response
to the following invitations:
Dear Sir:-In pursuance of resolu-
ton of the executive committee of the
American Bimetallic League, adopted
November 20. 1895, a copy of which is
herewith enclosed, a conference of well
known and active advocates of the
cause of independent bimetallism in
the United States who are prepared
now to place the cause above party and
to join in an independent movement to
secure the restoration of the constitu-
tional standard of gold and silver by
the free coinage of both metals at the
existing ratio, will be held at the Sun
building, Washington, ID. c., January
%, 1896. The object of the conference
is to deliberate on the situation at that
time and to arrange for holding a ma
tional convention to nominate candi-
dates for president and vice president,
and for conducting a national cam
paign on the above issue. Recent
events, ii is believed, make such con-
ference more important than when the
inclosed resolution was passed. You
are respectfully invited to attend this
conference and participate IN its de-
alterations. Very truly yours,
A. J. WARNER,
Pres. American Bimetallic League.
II. G.. MILLER,
Chr'n National Silver Committee.
r. C. CHAMBERS,
Pres. National Bimetallic Union.
j. NJ. DEVINE,
Acting Sec. Am. Bimetallic League.
About 200 invitations were sent out,
and more than 100 of those invited were
present, while nearly all of the others
sent cordial and sympathetic letters
Gen. A. j. Warner presided.
The proceedings were harmonious
throughout. There was a little good
natured sparring between delegates OF
emphasized their earnestness in the
common cause. Many of the speeches
with which the proceedings were in
terspersed were of high order of abil-
ity, dignified in tone as befitted the mo-
mentous character of the question I'M
der consideration.
Nor was the conference mere whirl-
It lnA for
practical work, and work it did
The committee on resolutions and ad-
dress consisted Of the following named
gentlemen:
Senator John p. Jones, chairman JOS
eph Sheldon, of Connecticut; J. II. Lor-
inner, of Pennsylvania; Hon. J. l.. Nc
Laurin, of South Carolina, and II. +.
Bartine. of Chicago, H. Gen. A. J.
Warner was subsequently added to the
committee.
The Pennsylvania delegates, headed
by Mr.. Wharton Burker, were espec-
tally anxious for a declaration coupling
bimetallsm and protection. The COM
mittee, however, with the exception of
Mr.. Lorimer, were unanimously agreed
tDdt SuCn course WOulO COulpllCdlt the
situation, and that the conference
should deal with the monetary issue
alone
Accordingly. the following declara-
ton of principles was presented TO the
conference:
The Resolutions.
The paramount issue at this time in
the United States is indisputably the
money question. 1t is between the gold
standard, gold bonds and bank cur
rency, on the one side. and the bimetal-
lie standard, no bonds. and government
currency, on the other.
On this issue we declare ourselves to
be in favor of a distlnctively Ameri-
can financial system. We are unaltera-
bly, opposed to the single gold standard,
and demand the immediate return to
the constitutional standard Of Col. I'D
silver. by the restoration by til
orpn1apt indapppIentIv of