The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-06-25
THE SILVER CAUCUS.
1t Was Decided to Have Eight Dele
gates to Chicago.

at the court house. The great and gooc
have had so many family quarrels o
late that they were afraid that today
convention might result in washing o
soiled party linen that would not catcl
many votes, so they appealed to Blake
chairman of the silver committee. to cal
caucus. Blake called it for $50. Al
of the faithful were on hand. The gov
ernor occupied modest place in the
rear. Judge Reagan was in front
| Among the others were Congressman J
| w. Bailey, j. V. Cockrell, George G.
| Pendleton, Attorney General VI. VI
| Crane, Judge John NJ. Duncan and eX
Governor J. S. HOgg, Judge John Book
hout of Dallas, II. n. Jones of Tyler
r. n. Stafford of Mineola, Ike Standi-
fer of Fort Worth, Chairman j. G.. bud
ley of the state executive committee, all
the assistants of attorney general. the
adjutant general, all the local Office hold
ers and about 100 more. All told, there
were 200 or 300 people in the hail
Chairman Blake was slow in calling the
meeting to order. At 9 O'Clock he
thought there were enough on hand, so
the thing was opened.
Blake said the caucus was for the pur-
pose of recommending temporary chair
man and secretary and permanent Off
GERS of the convention, as well as to set
tie the question as to whether there
should be four or eight delegates from
the state at large to the Chicago cOnven-
ton.
n. n. Jones of Tyler nominated Judge
John l.. Shepherd of Camp county for
chairman of the caucus. Shepperd was
unanimously elected and greatly relieved
the crowd by not making a speech.
f. b. Baillo of johnson county was
elected secretary.
i. Ramsay of Cleburne for temporary
chairman of today's convention. He was
unanimously elected.
William A. Fields of Hilsboro was
chosen as secretary of the convention
Bill Shaw of Dallas moved to proceed
to the recommendation of permanent
chairman.
Congressman Pendleton made the
point of order that the selection of a per-
manent chairman was a matter solely
within the province of the convention.
The point was sustained.
Then there was some lively sparring.
The friends of Brock Robertson of Dal-
las, who is being pushed for permanent
chairman, plainly believed majority of
the caucus was Of their way of thinking.
They insisted that the caucus had as
much right to recommend a permanent
chairman as n temporary chair
man. They could not convince
Sheppard, however, and the whole mo-
ton went over
Congressman Pendleton moved that the
caucus recommend the selection of four
delegates at large to the national con-
vention.
A delegate promptly moved to substi-
tute eight for four and the fur began
to fly.
Jake Hodges of Paris said it would
be giving the opposition club to violate
the good old Democratic precedent of
sending four delegates. "If you are 60
ing to send all the conspicuousy worthy
Democrats of Texas" he said "why not
make the number $50? What's the use
of stopping ut eight?' When the eight
delegates got to Chicago, he continued,
they would find only four seats, and
while the other fellows leaned over the
railing? The Democratic party is great
er than the personal ambitions of any
man. Its precedents should be consid-
cred sacred, and because there are six or
seven good fellows here who want to go
to Chicago there is no reason for chang
ing the esta blishcd practice of the party
for sixty years.
Congressman Pendlcton followed in Il
similar strain.
Then Cook Potter of Cooke, Congress
man Bailey's home, and one of the Bal
ley managers, made statement with the
bark on. Speaking for one of the gen
tlemen who is candidate for delegate at
large" he said, Il desire to say that it
makes no difference to us whether you
decide on four or eight delegates at large.
1t is equally immaterial to us when you
select them. l wish to suggest, how
ever, that great many of the delegates
are yet to arrive. and perhaps it will be
better to wait till tomorrow morning be-
fore proceeding further"
No motion was made to adjourn and
the question died. Potters calm state
ment of the utter Indifference of the Bal
ley people to anything the caucus might
do created flutter, and a moment later
when the portly form of Ex-Governor
Hogg appeared at the front railing some
of the delegates imagined they shifted
sulphur.
After lecturing the caucus on the du-
ties of Democrats and urging them all to
abide by its action. Governor Hogg said
he was unreservedly in favor of sending
eight delegates at large to Chicago. He
said there will be large delegations on
hand from New York and other great
money centers with bands and banners
and hired shOutcrs to overawe the unso-
phisticated delegates from the west and
south. So Texas ought to send big
delegation of 16 to 1ers up there to hal
loo for the cause of the people. Enthu-
Siasm, declared the governor, is Il good
thing at conventions and in campaigns.
Speaking for himself, Governor Hogg