The news boy., 1896-03-28

phis, being the other members. We
prepared the address which the con-
ference issued to the Democracy of
the United States, urging the free
coinage Democrats to organize so as
to make their power and influence
felt.
APPOINTED AS ORGANIZER.
With view to carrying out the
purposes of the conference that body
appointed committee on organiza-
tion. That committee was ascomposed
of Senators Harris, Jones and Turpie,
Mr.. Henrichen of Illinois, Mr. Young
of Tennessee, and myself. 1t was
made the duty of that committee to
perfect plan of organization, to
appoint organizers in each state and
territory, and to take such steps as
might be deemed necessary to carry
out the objects of the conference.
Shortly after the conference adjourn
ed, Senator Harris, who had been
elected chairman of the committee,
called the committee to meet at
Memphis. / attended that meeting.
AT that meeting the committee as
sigucd nine of the Western States
aud Territories to me to select or
ganizers therein and to put them to
work, Missouri was one of the States
assigned to me. When organizers
were selected they were to be report
ed to the committee for confirmation.
l made several trips and wrote scores
of letters in my efforts to get the
right men as organizers in these
States and Territories, and in get
ting them to work. AS these organ
izees were selected they were re-
ported to the committee for confir-
nation. Mr.. Lon V. Stephens was
reported and confirmed as local Or
ganizers for the State. During the
last seven or eight months I have
been doing all l could, in the midst
of multitude of other duties, to
aid the State organizers in their
work. l have co-operated with Mr..
Stephens in this State to the best of
my ability; and we have been ably
assisted by number of Others who
have done all they could. I have
consulted with such men as Cockrell,
Vest, Bland, Benton, Gibson, and
dozens of others, concerning different
phases of the work.
ACTING UNDER AUTHORITY.
From the foregoing it will be seen
that whatever work have done to
effect an organization of the free
coinage Democrats, I have done di'
rectly under the authority of a State
Democratic Convention, and Ma.
tional Democratic Conference, which
had the Endorsement of the State
Convention, and to which that Conven
tion sent me as delegate. The Re-
public says should do something te
serve the party. That is what I am
doing, and am doing it along the
very lines marked out by the party
in this State, and under the direct
authority of its commission. Fol
doing this arduous and difficult worl
which was assigned to me against
my wish, the Republic, as the organ
of gold standard forces, maligns ant
villifies me. 1t tortures its powers
of invention to find something to say
against me which it imagines may
do me harm, or which it thinks ma.
result in getting free coinage mel
at each others throats. Its specific
charges-that am ambitious; tina
: I want to be boss; that want t,
: knife Vest, Bland and others; that
hold secret caucuses to concoc
dangerous schemes; that l commutet
the sentence of q criminal to pro
mote the ambitions of friend, etc
ARE SO absurd and contemplate
that am reluctant to notice then
in detail. Life is too short for that
All now desire to do is to call tn
: attention of MISSOURI Democrats t,
the fact that l am being bounded TO
: service seek to perform under thei
appointment and in obedience t.
their direction. With this fresh il
: their minds I am content to lesv
the issue.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion 1 want to say tha
J during the two and half years thi
coinage controversy has been tn
: paramount issue in our party poll
, tics, although have taken NOR
or less active part in the discussions
I challenged the Republic, until i
/. began these attacks, to quote q sir
gle offensive expression from M
I about any person or paper. An
even under these attacks I have sal
but little, Op the contrary, hay