Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1896-07-09
DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM


Free silver Leaders Hold Conference
ON the Financial Plank which VIA pc
the Dominating Feature Of the Demo
cratic Plst9orm-There WIN DO Otner
Planks, But. to All Appearances. Tney
VIII be Only Secondary.
CHICAGO, July 6-Frea silver leaders
who have been selected by the re-
spective delegations as members OF the
committee on resolutions, AND others
who will undoubtedly form a part OF
that important organization, have
been comforting together with respect
to the tex. of the platform, and the
subjects that shall i,e mentioned there
in. Only upon the financial plank has.
there been any definite agreement
As heretofore stated in these dis
patches, this plank is to dominate the
whole platform, and all other matters
are TO be second thereto. The exact
text has not been finally determined.
but that is a matter of detail that can
be easily arranged when the commit
tee gets together. That it will be a
short, clear-cut, concise declaration
for the free and unlimited coinage OF
silver at the ratio of 10 to Is a fore
gone conclusion. Two short sem
fences are all that will be necessary
to construct this plank.
The indications are that those who
have hoped the platform would ignore
matters will be disappointed. Well
known men. among those in control
OF convention matters, assert that the
tariff question must not be overlooked.
While there is a diversity of opinion
as to the advisability of coming out.
in a fat-footed Endorsement of the
Wilson tariff act, that law, bearing
the stamp of democracy, will be incl
dentally Endorsed, at least. III the
United States senators are permitted
to have their way, the platform will de-
clare that the present tariff law should
remain untouched until the exigencies
of the occasion prove that its modih-
cation in absolutely necessary.
Whether the income tax, which was
declared to be unconstitutional by the
supreme court, shall be referred to, IS.
a question upon which there is very
great difference of opinion. The ma
jority of the leaders, however, appear
to be in favor of recognizing the prin-
ciple which became "a part of the VIII
son tariff act, and determined effort
is to be made by delegates from some
of the western and southern states to
secure an expression on the subject.
The administration will not be men
toned in the platform. Some of the
more radical of the silver men went.
an emphatic condemnation of the
policy of President Cleveland
and Secretary Carlisle inserted in the
platform, but IL is believed that while
the administration will escape censure,
4 ha convention S4fI lilo txyfa rafnGa ffa.
it, and that any substitute
the gold men may offer will devoted
down by the solid free silver men of
the convention.
There was a great deal of talk yes
terday favorable to a plank that
smacks very largely of what Is known
as jingoism. A delegate who has
been selected as a member of the COM
mittee on resolutions, and who will.
In all probability, be it's chairman,
said that the democratic party had al
ways been the American party, and it.
was only during the administrations
Of President Cleveland that the Amer
of the party had been cast.
aside. 1t Is, therefore, quite likely
that the foreign policy of the present.
will, by indirection at
east, be repudiated.
If the programme agreed upon by
these gentlemen does not go amiss,
yhe sympathy of the democratic party
will be expressed for suffering Cuba
Ind demand made for the recogni-
ion of its independence. 1t is not inn.
possible that the desire to "even
,hings up" with the administration
nay lead to the adoption of plank on
his subject that will be equally as
strong as that adopted at st. Louis.