The Dickinson press., 1896-07-04
SILVER MEN MEET
CONFERENCE OF THE DEMOCRATIC
BLMETALLIC COMMITTEE.
All Those Present Are Opposed to
Yielding Anything to the Gold.
Standard Element-Illiuois' Dele
cation Starts a Movement for the
Abrogation of the Two.Thirds
Rule,

or members of the committee and a
large number of distinguished silver
democrats. The first meeting was
devoted largely to introductions and
the exchange of views as to the out
LOOK LOOK Tor the approaching convention.
me opinion was generally expressed
that there would be no question as to
!he absolute control of the convention
by the silver forces to which was gen
eraily added a determination to see
tnat nothing happened to weaken the
controi. There was no expression IA
Vorable to yielding anything to the
gold standard element. The formal
proceedings consisted In the appoint-
mehts OF a committee to confer with
the executive committee of the nation.
al democratic committee. The terms
OF the resolution under which this com.
mittee was appointed authorize the
committee ito confer with the cxec,,.
tive committee of tho national commit.
tee in reference to all questions affect.
ing and relating to the temporary or
gahlIatlon and proceedings Of the ma
tional convention" The feeling which
controlled the meeting and which
seemed to exist among all those pres
ent was that the situation demanded
that no precautions be neglected in
making sure of the temporary organi-
Zation of the convention by the silver
majority.
Delegates to the convention who
nave arrived generally appear averse
to discussing the probability that Sen
ator Teller will cut any figure in the
democratic convention. The senator
mas a number of personal friends
among the silver delegates who have
already arrived. and among them are
some who would not he averse to his
nomination for president. They feel.
however. that the conditions are not
yet ripe for the springing of his name.
ana they say it would be opposed to
the interests of both Senator Teller and
the silver cause to bring him to the
front at this time. If ut all. There are
also a number of Senator Tellcr's sill
yer Republican and Populist friends
IN the city who are devoting them
selves more to watching the course of
events than to any active work. The
Populists who are here say openly that
Alr. Teller Is the only man the Dei,.o-
Gratis can name that they will endorse.
Tic silver Republicans are not so pro-
nounccd. They put the matter less
pointedly by saying that Teller is the
only man whose nomination would in.
sure the Western States to the Demo.
cratic ticket.
Determined to Control
The committees appointed by the
Democratic bimetallic committee tn
confer with the executive committee
OF the national Democratic committee
VIII meet the gentlemen composing
this organization tomorrow. Chair
man Hhrrity is expected to arrive
during the forenoon and to call the ex-
ecutive committee together soon after
Ills arrival. Other members of the na.
ti0nal organization have assured the
silver committeeman that they will be
received soon after the executive COM
mittre is called together. Members of
the executive committee with whom
the silver men conferred to-day assured
them that no steps had been taken
looking to the selection of temDolnrv
officers This has had the effect of
causing the members of the bimetallic
organization to feel that possibly there
VIII u" no effort at snap Judgment.
They will. however, make their call
ana present statement of the action
Of the b!netallic committee and ask
that the committee be allowed to sug-
gest tho temporary presiding officer.
II this request is not granted tlrey
will report to their full committee and
the full committee will proceed to Sc
lect a man for the place and purpose
for his election at the outset of the
convention in the face of a contrary
nomination hy the national com nittee.
This course will not. however, he
adopted without full warning to the
national committee in case such warn
ing appears to be necessary. Also, in
the event that the national committee
consents to the suggestion, the silver
men will proceed to name a man for
the place. 1t is even possible that they
would consent to a compromise that
would allow the national committee
to make its own selection of a presid-
ing officer IN case they agree to take
silver man and submit the name to
the bimetallic committee before an
nouncing the name.
The silver men are very determined
upon the point of not being thw.lrtcd
in this matter. and are giving their en-
tire attention to it. They will tel! the
national committee very plainly that
the only way to avoid a clash in the
convention and for the national COM
mittee to avoid being repudiated. is
for it to accede to the wishes of the
silver men in this matter.
The TwO.Thirds Rule.
The Illinois delegation to the nation
al Democratic convention voted unan-
imously to-day to support in conven-
ton resolution for the abrogation of
the rule requiring presidential candi-
dates to receive the votes of two-tllirds
of the convention to insure nominal ton.
The proposition was reported in IN
earnest speech by Gov. Altgcld. The
governor disclosed that the two-thirds
rule had been n curse to the Demo-
cratic party ever since it came into ex-
istcnce. Its principal effect was, lie
said, to enable the minority to dictate
the nominations to be made by the
party. Furthermore the rule was un-
democratic. and the Democratic party
was party Of majority control.
RgTHNESnrA nSnv,uv vr.v,