The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-07-10
a STORMY DAY.
Struggle over FinnnciaI Plank and
Endorsement OF rAdministrntion.

me third day OF the great Democratic
convention opened with clear skies and
bright sunshine. The usual delay was
experienced in getting the, pfoceedings
under way. They should have started
at 10 O'Clock, but an hour after that
time most of the seats OF delegates were
still vacant The spectators, however,
were present In masses and those OF
Irish music. were entertained by the
band. stationed at the back of the plat
form. which played a succession of Irish
airs, beginning with Minstrel Boy
and closing with "The Harp That Once
fhro' Tara's Halls" While the band
was playing a troop of delegates from
Iowa entered, with the red. and blue.
purple banner of their candidate. Hor-
ace Boies. The Incident was merely
noted by the crowd, but evoked enthu-
Eiasm.
At five minutes before IL Senator
White. the permanent presi6alt of the
convention, called the assembly to order
and stated that the days proceedings
would be opened with prayer by Rev.
Thomas e. Green, of Grace Episcopal
Church, of Cedar Rapids, Ia, the same
clergyman who offered prayer yester-
day. -
Mr.. Richardson, Of Tennessee, was
called to the chair, Senator Jones, OF
Arkansas, chairman of the Committee
on Resolutions, read the platform as
applause called out by the opening pas
sage was of a very perfunctory charac-
ter, without much regard to the senti-
ment expressed. The difficul.-s-I Of
hearing in the. vast hall were made
plainly apparent and Mr.. Jones voice
was in very bad condition. At the men
ton of free coinage there was a cheer
not very loud or long, however. A dele
gate in the rear asked that this plank be
read over again, and Mr.. Jones COM
piled.
Even the denunciGt!on of govern
ment by injunction" supposed to be pe-
culiarly a Chicago issue, failed to elicit
a response from the galleries. probbly
for the reason thae Senator Jones' voice
had become so indistinct that the allu-
sion may not have been heard.
When the Cuban plank was rea ached
some one in the front aisle unfurled q
Cuban flag and waved IL, but this effort
at theatricalf effect was prpmptlY sup
pressed by the chairman. who capped for
order. and commanded the sergeant at
arms ITO haul down that flag. This was
Immediately done, and the incident was
thus brought to an ignonlinious close.
The platform, with the exception of
some few changes, Is the same as that
sent out in these dispatches last night.
The Committee onlResolutions this morn
Ing be'dorc making its report agreed
upon one or two changes and additions.
The following in reference to the A. P.
A. is the most Important:
THE Constitution of the United States
guarantees to every citizen the right of
civil and religious liberty. The Demo
cratic party has always been the expo
ponent of political liberty and religious
freedom, and II Ienews Its obligations
and reaffirms its devotion to these fun
damental principles of the Constitu-
ton"
In the money plank in the demand for
free coinage. etc, the phraseology was
changed to read "silver and gold" in
stead of gold and silver"
In the financial plank occurs the fol-
lowing addition regarding national
bank issues:
we. therefore. denounce the issuance
or notes intended to circulate as money
by national banks as in derogation of
the constitution. and we deem that all
paper which is made legal tender for
public and private debts, or which is re-
ceivable for duties to the United States
shall be issued by the Government OF
the United States and shall be redeema-
Bile In coin"
Preceding the plank on railroads and
trusts was inserted a new clause:
we are in favor of the arbitration Of
differences between employers engaged
in Interstate commerce and their en-
as is necessary to carry out this prin-
ciple."
In the plank referring to the admission
Of Territories the name of the Territory
of Oklahoma was mentioned.
The following was also added:
The Monroe doctrine as originally de-
clared and as interpreted by succeeding
Presidents, Is a permanent part of the
foreign policy OF the United States and
must at all times be maintained"
AS he finished the platform Senator
Jones said that at the request of the
minority of the Committee on Resolu-
tions he would now present amendments
that We're proposed by the minority; also
two amendments that would be proposed
by Senator Hill. All of them would now
be read, after which. by agreement, two
hours and forty minutes would be allow
ed for debate. one hour and twenty min
utes on each side. He hoped that the
convention would listen patiently to
what was to be read and said.
The minority report was thereupon
read by one of the secretaries OF the
convention as follows:
ITO the Democratic National Conyen-
tion: Sixteen delegates, constituting
the minority OF the Committee on Reso-
lutions. find many declarations in the re-
port of the majority to which they can
not give their assent. Some OF these are
wholly unnecessary. Some are III con-
sidered and amblguously phrased. while
others are extreme and revolutionary OF
the well recognized principles of the
party. The minority content themselves