The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-07-15

of silver, Now the vast majority OF
them are of that belief, and their num-
hers are increasing every day. | an
ticspate a lively campaign this fall IN
Maine, and I feel assured that the re
suits will be fiattering indeed. IL IS
not impossible. for the Democrats 70
carry the State. They did it in 1851,
and / see no reason why they should
not do this this fall.
81 have great confidence in The sue
cess of the ticket throughout the coun~
ty / heartily believe in the primer
pies of he platform, and will do every
ching in my power for the success anu
victory of Democracy.
There was one objection to Mr..
SewaIl's nomination which had weight
with some politicians. They Thought
it of doubtful propriety to nominate
man from a State that voted in Sep
ember. They knew Maine was rock
ribbed Republican State, and knew
that Mark Hanna would spend mil
lion dollars to make it go Republican
by a big majority, and they feared
that the gold Democrats would refrain
from voting in order to quietly stab
silver. But they decided that it was
best to go ahead and nominate a good
man, whether his State would help
him or not
Politicians are ready to say that it
was bad politics to take candidates
from two small States usually Repub-
hcan. Ordinarily that would be so.
but this is no ordinary campaign. 1t
is a revolution against the control of
government by a privileged class, and
a mighty and growing resolve to open
the long-closed doors of Equal Oppor-
tunity to All. No State pride, no sec
tional interests can have a shadow OF
weight when set up against this great
question of humanity.
SILVBR'S FIRST VICTORY.
There were only five great incidents
that marked the convention:
/. The election of Senator Daniel as
temporary chairman over Senator
Hill. This consumed almost whole
day. The gold men chose to make the
popularity of Senator Hill the test OF
the silver mems perfect organization.
They Thought if they could thwart
their plan here, they might be able TO
break into the ranks in other places.
Ordinarily there would be no obJec-
tion to any fair man being made tenn
porary chairman, but the silver men
were resolved that no official declara-
tion against free coinage should be
heard i'm the convention. And from
the first moment 10 the last, the con-
yention was absolutely in the hands
of the silver forces. They had the
power; they had been delegated to
execute will already registered by
the people; and they were not to be
turned aside by any plea of merely
paying a personal compliment TO
distinguished Democrat or any other
effort of the gold men to divert them
from doing what they were sent here
TO do. The steering committee" COM
posed of one silver man from each
State (Senator Jarvis was North Car
olina's able member of this commit
tee) gave notice to the silver men that
the victory of Senator Hill in the first
sl<irmiSh would embolden the gold
forces, be misunderstood by the coun-
try, and was most unwise. The silver
delegates responded almost to a man,
end the silver men took their places
in the saddle. They gave all the time
the gold men wanted to give express
sion to their views and protests, but no
pleading or threats diverted them a
hairs breadth from their purpose.
NO QUARTER TO GOLD.
2. The second place the gold men
took a stand was on the report of the
credentials committee unseating four
gold delegates. They talked and ar
gued half a day, expostulated and
made threats, begged and denounced,
but it was in vain. The outrage of
the Michigan theft of two districts,
not to speak of their reprehensible
conduct at the State convention, was
so fragrant that every silver delegate
had left home resolved to right the
great wrong. The committee decided
not to enquire into the election of the
delega -atlarge, holding that the
Safes were sovereign here, but it I'M
seated four delegates from two dis
tricts whose election was fraudulent
THE MICHIGAN THEFT REPUDI-
ATED.
on the face The Michigan gold men
had fixed the delegation so it con-
tanned II gold men to - silver men,
and then after stealing these districts
had applied the unit rule, and denied
the silver delegates any voice. When
the four silver men were seated. the
UdDlcS WE'RE CIidItSth. 41lcy Itbd III
option. The resolution of the State
convention required the application of
the unit rule, and Michigan's whole
twenty-eight votes were thereafter
cast for silver. The result of this con
test proves the old song:
There was man who digged pit,
He digged it for his brother,
To punish his sin he did fall in
The pit he digged for t'other."
Michigan was the first central
Northern State to vote for Bryan.
HILL DISAPPOINTS HIS FRIENDS.
3. The third stand the gold men
made was when Senator Hill sought
to change the platform. He and Villas
and Russell made ingenious argu-
ments against the platform. Hills
speech, which was by far the best of