The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-07-05
BLAND, BoIEs, TELLER
John R. Mclean Is Also Being Bo0msd by
Free Silver Men at Chicago.
TARIFF is THE GREAT STUMBLING BLOCK
Many of the Most Ardent silver Men
Are Advocates of the Policy or Pro.
mt the Prospect of Receiving Fair
md Equitable Treatment.

Chicago, July 4-The Climax of to-
days ante-conventfon developments was
the mass meeting of the gold men in the
Auditorium this evening. The speeches
of Governor Russell. of Massachusetts
Senator Gray, of Delaware, and District
Attorney Fellows, of New York, were
vigorous enough in their denunc.at.on OF
the line Of action which the conversion
is bent on taking on the silver question,
but they stopped sslort of suggesting a
remedy or any plan by which the sound
money advocates could hope TO stem the
current now setting so strongly against
them. Governor Russell's remarks par
ticularly brought out IN strong relief the
difficulty which is beginning lto loom UP
before the silver n!aragers-what to dc
with this tariff. Nearly all the boi;!ng
Republican delegates at ST. Louis de-
clared that their States were solid 70:
free silver and protection. Governor
Russell seized upon this point and as
serted that IL Republicans protection was
right n principle, silver legislation was
equally SO, but If protection was wrong
in principle, unjust and oppressive in
practice, as the Democratic party had
ever declared and still declared, then
silver legislation was equally So, and
demnation. Tfhas point was obviously
directed against the arguments advanced
In favor of the selection of Senator Tel
Ter as the free silver standard bearer, he
beng also All earnest advocate OF pro-
lection and as such its force was ap-
preciated. The effect will undoubtedly
be TO augment 't:le perplexities which the
managers are finding in dealing with the
tariff plank of the platform
The gold men took some courage from
the developments of the day and to-
night express a confidence that they
convention at the hands Of the silver
men than they had heretofore felt was
TO be their portion.
Comptroller Eckels said: THE silver
men have been talking to-day of a de-
sire to secure harmony in the conven-
ton, 0nd several gold men, with whom
they have talked. tell me that in their
opinion there will be u material modi-
hcation OF the programme that has been
announced by some of the radical silver
men. There will be no attempt TO cut off
discussion; no single day convention,
based upon the idea that only silver
men are To take part in it's proceedings.
They recognize, i think, that there is
an election to be held before the DEGREES
or the convention can be executed.
Harmony Is what they need"
In the constantly changing estimates
as to the probabilities of success of the
various candidates, the boom of the Iowa
Ex-Governor, Boies, assumed much pro-
minence to-day 1t tvanspired in the
course OF the day that the telegram
which brought the Ex-Governor to Chi
caSo was closely connected with the re-
ported revolt in the ranks of the Illinois
delegation against the alleged dictatoriaI
policy Of Altgeld. 1t l. asserted that I'M
der the leadership of Delegate William
Prentiss, of the Seventh Illinois district
the support of thirteen Illinois delegates
nave been obtained for the Iowa man.
some prominent Ohio pen this evening
CIRCULATED the statement that Mr.. John
X. Mclean was not to be considered in
1he neld for second place
The ticket will be Jorn r, Mclean
anu said Beriah Wilkins with a
slgnihcant emphasis, land don't YOU
overlook It."
The action of the Indiana delegation
In refusing to send a representative 10
the silver conference at the Shermon n
House last night, has aroused feel
ing or antasonism to Governor Mat
thew's candidacy and has set afoot q
IiloEemeht tor q caucus of all the silver
1ofces Tor Monday next. This move-
ment is being pushed by Senator-elect
Money, of Mississippi: ex-Congressman n
Casey Young, of Tennessee: National
Committeeman Thomas. of Colorado.
ana delegate Payne. OF Idaho. They
ueslre TO thus agree upon n full slate
or onicers and candidates to be voted
for by the silver forces. Delegate
Cochran. Of Mississippi, expressed the
sentiment of the free silver element
when he declared to-day that for n sij
YER man to be nominated by aid of the
gold bug votes would cast a blight
upon the ticket and disparage the nomi-
nee In the eyes of true silver men," AS
the power to call caucus Is vested I'm
senator Jones and his subcommittee
great pressure is being brought on the
committee. The Matthews people arc
opposed TO such a programme and are
nghting 1t at every stage.
with all these diverging interests
clashlng it will readily be perceived
that thus far the securing of the Demo-
cratic free silver nomination on this
Glorious Fourth Of July remains any
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