The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-03-20
Republican Silverites and Pro-
tectionists Confer.
TRYING TO GET TOGETHER
Senator Dubois Chairman of
the Conference.
STRONG SILVER SPEECHES MADE
Meeting Regarded as a Note of Warn
ing to the Republican Party Against
The Adoption of Gold
Platform.

Washington, d. c., March ia con-
ference was had in this city to-day be-
tween the Republican silver Senators
who voted against the consideration of
the House tariff bill in the Senate and
a number of manufacturers, principal
ly Of Pennsylvania, for the purpose, if
possible, of arriving at an understand
ing on which the silver advocates and
the protectionists can unite. The meet
ing was brought about largely by the
efforts of Messrs. William Wilhelm, of
Pottsville, Pa, and Mr.. r. e. Defender
fer, the latter a Philadelphia manufac-
turer, and the secretary OF the BimetaI-
lie committee.
The conference will be preliminary to
others which probably will be held, and
while it resulted in no joint ntdeclaration,
those present expressed themselves as
satisfied that the result will be to pro-
mote both interests, and that an i'm
portant step had been taken in bring
ing them nearer together.
The meeting resulted from cores
pondence between Mr.. Wilhelm and
Senator Teller, of Colorado, Dubois, of
Idaho, Carter and Mantel of Nevada.
Cannon, of Utah, and Jones, of Nevada.
Those Senators were all present at to-
days meeting, as were Representatives
Hartman, of Montana, Allen, of Utah,
and Wilson, of Idaho, and also anumber
OF representatives Of manufacturing
interests.
The conference was organized by
choosing Senator Dubois as chairman,
and Mr.. Wilhelm as secretary.
Brief speeches were made by all the
Senators present. They defined their
positions in such amanneras to make it
plain to the manufacturers that there
could be no protective tariff legislation
either at this session of Congress or at
the next, without the rehabilitation of
silver, and that bimetallism and pro-
lection, as regarded from their stand
point, constituted an indivisible issue
before the country
Some of the manufacturers them
selves endorsed this position as being
the logic of the country's necessities
and political conditions. President
Dornan of the Manufacturers Club of
Philadelphia, expressed the opinion
that tariff duties could not be high
enough to protect our manufacturers
if our country remained on a gold
basis
Mr.. James Dobson came out unquaI-
ifiedly for free coinage by information
al agreement if possible, otherwise, by
independent action
Henry A. Frye, of Philadelphia, said
that the sooner that we took indepen-
dent action for bi-metallism the better
it would be. lie declared tor protec-
tion and bi-metallism. Charles Heber
Clark, editor of the Manufacturer. of
Philadelphia, said he had labored in
season and out of season to convince
the manufacturers that protection
would only prove efficacious in con-
junction with the restoration of silver
Richard Campion declared himself
in favor of the restoration of silver, but
thought that the cause Of bi-metallism
was not advised by the defeat of the
revenue measures.
Senators who were interviewed with
regard TO the meeting expressed the
opinion that this was the first note of
warning to the Republican party a.
gainst the adoption of a single gold
standard plank in the ST. Louis plat
form or the nomination of a gold
standard man on a straddling plank.
Many letters in harmony with the
purpose of the meeting were read.