Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-18
CHICAGO CONVENTION
Special COMMITTEES 10 Take ChaTS' Will
Be Announced Next Week.
THE NATTER or a HALL.
IL Is believed That the Coliseum
VIII lie Completed In Time and
poses.
poses.

WASHINGTON, January 1.-THE spe-
cial committee TO whom will be entrusted
all matters relating to the National DEM
ocratic Convention will not be announced
by Chairman Harrity until next week.
1t will consist of seven persons, of whom
himself and Mr.. Sheerin. OF Indiana.
the secretary of the National Committee,
will be two. Mr. Ben. r. Gable, Of He
nois, the Illinois member of the national
committee, will also be selected. but upon
the remaining four Mr.. Harrty has
not decided.
This committee will have autocratic
power 1t will have charge Of all the
details connected with the convention,
a responsibility which IN previous years
has been divided with the local commit
tee. 1t is not unlikely that the assistance
of the Chicago local committee Will be
invited on this occasion. but 1t will be
regarded as a mere auxiliary.
The Chicagoans are giving unstinted
praise to their national committeeman.
Mr. Cable. While the Chicago committee.
In their individual capacity. did good
work. the securing Of the convention Is
placed to the credit of Mr. Cable He Is
widely popular among the free-siiver men,
and this popularity he exerted TO the
utmost yesterday in Chicago's favor.
Mr. Gable stated to-day that Chicago
would treat the convention visitors with
entire fairness: that the hotel rates
would not be increased beyond the ordi-
nary price. and that Chicago would IN
every way show her appreciation OF the
courtesy which the national commit
tee had extended to her in properly en-
tertaining all who attended II.
Speaking Of presidential possibilities he
repIied that Illinois had a candidate i'm
the person of Colonel William h. Nor
rison. of the Interstate Commerce COM
mission. and that the State was pracu-
cally a unit for him.
Governor Francis and other leading
members of the Missouri delegation con-
fess their regret to-day at falling 10 Sc
cure the convention. but comfort them
selves with the reflection that they dis
appointed the expectations OF All the
clever politicians in developing so great
a strength disappointment Of Mr.
Prather, the member Of the national
committee from Missouri. expressed itself
to-day in a rather amusing manner. He
was asked if he would leave for St Louis
with others Of his friends who started
west this afternoon. He replied with
great candor that he would not. He
said he was going by different route
and that he preferred to be alone: that
he was not in a mood for talking. lie
was asked 10 explain why st. Louis failed
TO bear off the prize. He replied that
one of the objections was based on the
fact that ST. Louis already had the Re-
pubiican convention. and that many OF
rgpf IL UU
necessary to give Missouri both conven-
tions He thought. too, that the financial
question had not been without its effect.
inasmuch as a number of sound-money
Democrats objected to 81. Louis because
the silver men were so nearly unanl-
nous in its favor.
The special committee OF which Mr..
Harrity will be chairman will decide
upon the building at Chicago "hlch VIII
be used for convention purposes. Iatter-
sails. which stands at the corner Of
Eighteenth and State streets, Is cen
trallv located. but it is thought that the
Coliseum. a commodious structure. which
will be devoted to the same uses In
Chicago that Madison Square Garden is
in New York will be completed about
th. lst OF April and in readiness for the
convention, if IL be desirable TO hOid II
there. 1t is believed that the coliseum
will be selected provided the work upon
il is finished in time.
Most Of the members OF the commltlea
returned TO their homes to-day, all ac-
cepting the selection OF Chicago IN good
huuor. The free-coinage men laugh al
the suggestion that there Is any slgnln-
cance. as far as the currency question Is
concerned. in the selection OF Chicago.
Speaking of them, NIr. Clark Howell the
committeeman from Georgia. says: Chi
caco was chosen simply because ma
ioritv OF the members of the committee
thought that as between Chicago ana
81. Louis the former was the most de-
sirable place for the convention. The
silver question did not enter into the
choice. a. has been claimed. Several ar
dent free-coinage members voted for seve-
raj ballots for Chicago. among them
being Mr. Sewell, OF Maine. and Mr.
Donaldson. OF South Carolina. On the
other hand, several or the sound-mOney
men voted for St Louis. whose cam
paien was manage by Ex-Governor
Francis. OF Missouri; Colonel Prather.
the committeeman from that State. and
others, who are conspicuous advocates
OF the single. gold standard. The cur
rency question will no doubt figure in
the convention, but it did not in the Sc
lection OF the place