The record-union., 1896-07-06
Texas Delegates for Free Silver and
Bland.
Vest Opposes Endorsement by Mis-
souri, of the Caucus Until After
Other States ACt-COlOradO Men
r1ay Vote for Teller if He is NOmi-
nated-Utah Declares for Free Sill
yer and Bland.

| CHICAGO, July 5-Maine led off to-
| day in the matter of organization, her
delegation, which reached Chicago this
morning, organizing after breakfast. A
resolution was adopted authorizing the
Chairman to confer with Mr.. Whitney
and place the Maine delegation at the
service of the sound money cause.
Mr.. Holman, who is the Maine mem
Der of the Resolutions Committee, said
the delegates were in favor of the NOM
ination of Whitney for President, but
what they would do in that regard
could not be determined until after the
conference with Whitney.
I'VE have organized" he said, upon
a sound money basis. AS to the nom
inees, it makes comparatively little diff
ference what the convention may do;
State for the Democracy on local is
sues"
A number of delegations, chiefly from
Southern States, arrived to-day. One
was noticeable, that from Texas, at the
head of which was Congressman Bal
ley, Governor Culbertson and J. H.
Reagan, the ex-Postmaster-G General of
| the Confederacy. They had with them
Mark Ellis, whose rebel yell has made
him famous i'm national conventions.
Texas delegates are united and en-
thusiaStic for free silver and Bland.
Next after the Texans came the men,
bers of the Louisiana delegation. I'm
Emediately after their arrival Congress-
man Robertson of Baton Rouge and
ex-Congressman Lame of Illinois en-
gagged in a vigorous discussion of the
merits OF candidate Bland. Lane
asked the louisiana man if he were for
Bland. SHOW me that he IS big enough
for the place and I will support him, "
was the prompt response. ''Well, he is
big enough" hotly retorted Lane, land
the people are for him.
Now, Lane" said Robertson you
and I know each other and we know
Bland. I served eight years with him
on the Coinage, Weights and Measures
Committee in the House of Represen-
tatives, and while no one can or does
question his honesty, he does not meas
ure up to the standard that the Amer
ican people require OF their candidates
for President. What's the matter with
Boies?"
Then it came Lanes turn to assail
Boies, claiming that as shown by his
recently published letter Boies was not
sound on the silver question as recently
as year ago. and that he owed his
success in Iowa to the Prohibition
movement. He is not the kind of
man." said Lane, "thie Democrats want
On free silver platform. The only
trouble with Bland" he added, "as far
as you men from the South are con-
\ L.
man, and you are afraid to vote for
him. You are political towards, that's
what hurts you. If Illinois can afford
to give Bland forty-eight votes, as she
will do, the Southern delegates ought
to have courage enough to second her
efforts in his behlalf."-
There the discussion ended.
The caucus of the Missouri delega-
ton, which was held last night. re-
suited in no positive action further
than the selection of Senator Cockreu
as member of the Committee on Res
olutions. The candidacy of Bland and
the policy to be pursued to make the
work in his behalf as effective as pos
sble was discussed from 10 o'clock un-
til almost l o'clock in the morning, a
number of very enthusiastic speeches
being made. Congressman Dearmond
advocated the Endorsement by the DEL
egatiOn of the caucus of the silver men,
which had been proposed for the pur-
pose of determining who shall be the
silver candidate.
This was antag gonized by Senator
Vest. Not for the reason, however that
he was opposed to anything that
Hands friends wanted, but because he
considered it bad policy at the present
time. In one of his characteristic
speeches Vest called attention to the
fact that Bland was the leading can
didate and would in all probability be
the choice of the convention. If the
Missouri delega ton were to take the
initiative in this matter their action
might be construed, Vest said, as an
effort on the part of Missouri to unduly
hasten matters and take snap judg
ment in favor of it's candidate. 1t might
also, he feared, be unacceptable to del
egations from other States who had
candidates to come before the conven-
ton. Senator Vest believed that the
first steps with respect to this proposed
caucus should be taken by the delega-
tions pledged to no particular candi-
date and declared that as soon as this
was done Missouri could properly par
ticipate in it's proceedings. This advice
was followed and no action was taken.
All the members of the Illinois dele
cation have not yet reached the city,
but those who are here-a majority of
the whole number-held a conference
this morning at the Sherman House.
The question of the Endorsement of a
candidate was informally discussed and
ii was speedily ascertained that a very
large majority of the whole delegation
was favorable to the nomination of
Bland. Formal action will not be had,
however, until the conference of to-
morrow. At this time it is believed
Bland, through the operation of the
urit rule, will be formally indorsed and
members of the various convention
committees will be selected.
COLORADO DELEGATES.