The San Francisco call., 1896-06-04
Red'Letter Day for Senator
Blackburn and the Free
Silver Element.
SOUND MONEY" MEN
SHOWN NO QUARTER.
BY a Vote of 6oI to zoo the Free
Coinage Forces Capture the
Organization.

LEXINGTON, KY, June 3.-This was a
day of triumph for Senator Blackburn and
the free-silver element of the Blue Grass
Dem ocracy. The white-metal advocates
outnum bered their opponents in the State
Convention three to one, but they were
not disposed to be magnanimous, and de-
spite the pacific advice of Senator Black
burn the gold men were shown scant cour-
tesy.
State Chairman Charles E. Long called
the convention to order at l 40 this after
noon in the auditorium of the Chautauqua
Assembly building. 1t was full conven-
ton, for instead of being 910 delegates
there were nearly 1900 within the inclosure
set awart for them, all the contesting dele
cations being present in full force.
Chairman Long was the first to expert
ence the ill-wiI OF the silverites. In clos
ing his address he said: "Grover Cleve-
land stands to-day as the equal in devotion
to the best interests Of our Government
and faithful service of any President that
has preceded him. The country is in
debted to the Democratic party for his
election, and 1 doubt not that the conven-
ton viii give him their votes"
This was the signal for scene. The
silver delegates hissed, yelled and created
such a disturbance that the chairman
could scarcely proceed, and when he said,
John G. Carlisle stands before the Ameri-
can people as one of the purest and abest
statesmen" they drowned his voice with
boots and yeIls.
Nominations for temporary chairman
being in order John S. Rhea, for the free
siisar men, nominated Hon. Charles J.
Bronson for temporary chairman, and
Colonel Bennett Young tgold) nominated
Judge Alexander P. HUMPHREYS. He
could scarcely be heard, and the chairman
chided the delegates for their discourtesy.
Bronson won by big majority. The
vote, which shows the strength of silver in
the convention, was Bronson 691, Hum
phreis 1O6
. Mr.. Bronson then addressed the con-
.vention, and after he had finished his ad-
dress John s. Rhea, the noted free-silver
orator, was called for. He responded in a
three minutes speech, counseling har-
mony. Then Senator Blackburn appeared
on the platform. The delegates rose as
one man, waved their hats, umbrellas,
handkerchiefs or whatever else they had
handy. 1t was several minutes before
they would allow him to speak.
The Senator told of his years of service
TO the party and said that while he had
suffered much at the hands of Democrats,
who opposed the policy he advocated, he
bore them no i'll will and had no ami
mosities against those who had fought
him so bitterly. He counseled harmony
and urged his enthusiastic friends to be
IL /, or -zint
unite with the opposition, but without
surrendering any of the principles for
which they had fought so bravely.
After the appointment of the commit
tees, the convention at o'clock took a
recess until P. N.
The convention was called to order at
$40 tonight, but the committee on Gre
dentials not being able to report the other
two committees could not report.
The organization committee has great
deal of work to DO in thoroughly organiz-
ing the party machinery of the State. 1t
is for this reason that they cannot report
tonight, and the convention will not be
likely to adjourn before tomorrow after
noon.
The time was taken up tonight by
speeches by Evan e. Settle, free silver can
didate for Congress from the Ashland Dis
trict, General P. Wat Hardin and others.
There was also song-singing. in which
Blackburn's troubles were told by Fight
ing Eph Lilliard and the noted singer, Bob
Franklin.
After the speeches the convention ad-
journed until 10 A. NJ. tomorrow.
The following is the money plank of the
platform agreed upon by the com mittee
on resolutions late tonight:
We are in favor of an honest dollar-a dollar
worth neither more nor less than 100 cents.
We favor bimetalism and to that end we de-
mand the free and unlimited coinage OF both
gold and silver at the ratio of 16 to 1 as stan
dard money at equal legal tender power, in
dependent of the action of any other nation.
We hold that the Secretary Of the Treasury
should exercise his legal right to redeem all
the coinage obligations in gold or silver, as
may be more convenient, and are opposed TO
the issue of bonds in time of peace for the
maintenance of the gold reserve or for any
other purpose.
We are opposed TO the National banking
system and to any enlargement of its powers.
We are opposed TO any contraction OF the
currency by the retirement of greenbacks or
otherwise.
We declare it TO be fundamental principle
OF Democracy that the Federal Government
has no constitutional power to impose and col
lect tariff duties except for the purposes OF
revenue only, and the collection of such taxes
should be limited to the necessities of the Coy
ernment honestly and economically admins
tered.
The delegates to the Chicago convention
are instructed to vote as uni. for Hon. ].
@. S. Blackburn for President.
UiH Eiohf I'm. SiIrer