The San Francisco call., 1896-07-05
PROTECTION
AN ISSUE,
Gold Men Find a Weak Spot
in the Armor of the
SilveriteS.
LEADERS SPEAK AT A
MASS-MEETING.
Perplexities of Managers in Deal
ing With a Plank Relat-
ing to Tariff.
ADVOCATES OF THE SINGLE
STANDARD HOPEFUL.
Developments Show That They Will
Receive More Courtesy Than
Was Expected.
HEADQUARTERS UNITED PRESS,
HERALD BUILDING,

OHlCAGOi Liz July II
The climax of to-day sante-conventional
developments was the mass-meeting of the
gold men in the Auditorium this evening.
The speeches of Ex-Governor Russell OF
Massachusetts,, Senator Gray of Delaware
and District Attorney Fellows OF New
York were vigorous enough in their de-
nunciation of the line of action which the
convention is bent on taking on the silver
question, but they stopped short OF sug-
gesting a remedy or any plan by which
the sound money" advocates could hope
to stem the currents now setting so strongly
against them.
Governor Russells remarks particularly
brought out in strong relief the difficulty
which is beginning to loom before the sill
yer managers-what to do with the tariff.
Nearly all the bolting Republican dele
gates at st. Louis declared that their States
were solid for free silver and protection.
Governor Russell seized upon this point
and asserted that if Republican protection
was right in principle then silver Iegisla-
ton was equally so; but if protection was
wrong in principle, unlawful and op
pressive in practice, as the Democratic
party had ever declared and still declared,
then silver legislation was equally so and
demnation. This point was obviously di
rected against the arguments advanced in
favor of the selection of Senator Teller as
the free-siiver standard bearer, he being
also an earnest advocate of protection,
and as such its force was appreciated.
The effect will undoubtedly be to aug
ment the 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 tonight
express a confidence that they will re-
ceiye much more consideration in the
convention at the hands of the silver men
than they had heretofore felt was to be
their portion. Controller Eckels said:
THE silver men have been talking to-
day of desire to secure harmony in the
convention, and several gold men with
whom they have talked tell me that in
their opinion there will be a material mod
ihcation 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 its proceedings. They
recognize, thirk, that there is an election
to be held before the DEGREES of the conven-
ton can be executed. Harmony is what
they need"
In the constantly changing estimates as
to the probabilities of success of the va
rious candidates, the boom of the Iowa ex-
Governor, Boies assumed much promi-
nence to-day. 1t transpired in the course
OF the day that the telegram which brought
Ex-Governor Boies to Chicago was closely
connected with the reported revolt in the
ranks of the Illinois delegation against the
alleged dictatorial policy of Governor Alt
geld. 1t is asserted that under the leader
ship of Delegate William Prentiss of the
Seventh Illinois District the support of
thirteen Illinois delegates has been OBJ
tanned for the Iowa man.
Some prominent Ohio men this evening
were circulating the statement that John
r. Mclean was not to be considered in
the field for second place. 1.-The ticket
will include John R. Mclean" said Beriah
Wilkins, with significant emphasis, land
don't you overlook it,
The action of the Indiana delegation in
refusing to send a representative to the
silver conference at the Sherman House
last night mas aroused a feeling of an
tagonism to Governor Matthews candi-
NAAN Aeo oloO sSb dlOOb q movement
Tor caucus of all the silver forces for
Monday next. This movement is being
pushed by Senator-elect Money of Missis-
sippi, ex-Congressman Casey Young of
Tennessee, National Committeeman
Thomas of Colorado and Delegate Haynes
OF Idaho.
They desire to thus agree upon a full
slate of officers and candidates to be voted
for by the silver forces. Deleg ate Cochran
of Missouri expressed the sentiment of the
extreme silver element when he declared
to-day that for a silver man to be pomi-
mated by aid of ''goldbucs" would cast n
''blight upon the ticket and disparaee it's
nominee in the eyes of truessilver men,
AS the power to call caucus is vested in
Senator Jones and his subcommittee
great pressure is brought on the commit.
tee. The Matthews people are opposed to
such programme and are fighting it at
every stage.
With all these diverging interests clash.
ing it will readily be perceived that thus
far the securing of the Democratic free sill
yer nomination on this glorious Fourth OF
July remains any body's fight