The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-14
Meeting of the Non-Partisan
Silver Voters Last Night.
Delegates Elected to Free Sill
YER Convention.
The Movement IN Other Parts of the
state-Delegates to the State
Convention Being Chosen.

Inc meeting was called for the pur-
pose OF selecting 16 delegates and their
aIternates to the Bimetallic league con
vention that meets in Topeka Thursday
to choose the Kansas delegates to the
national convention at st. Louis on
July %.
D. Q. Tillotson presided and Col. Tom
linson sat on the platform with him.
Speeches We're made by D. c. TiIlot-
son, Col. Tomlinson, Charley Holiday,
J. J. Miller, Fred Close and A. B. HUI
lett.
Mr.. TilIotson said: 81 am surprised
that our friends, the Republicans
should so suddenly denounce free sill
yer. Tor years the Republicans adopt
ed a free silver plank in their every plat
form. The difference is that the Dem
ocrats have now adopted the same
plank.
Il cannot act with. the Republican
party this year because:
'"They prefer the Wilson bill with
gold to protection and both gold and
silver.
They have eliminated the question
of protection from this campaign by
rendering it practically impossible for
the Republicans to control the senate
within the next four years.
They have made gold the single
practical issue in this campaign.
y
they are unable to legislate upon one
of the most vital questions affecting
the interests of this people except with
the consent of foreign governments.
They admit that, for the American
people, the gold standard is wrong and
the free coinage of both gold and sill
yer is right, but refuse to correct the
wrong or do the right until permission
is obtained from the British empire.
ITO such a platform Republicans
trained to the principles and patriotism
OF Abraham Lincoln and James G.
Blaine cannot subscribe, and those who
acquiesce will do so against their bet
ter Judgment
Col. Tomlinson-We want to be sure
to send a good strong delegation to St
Louis, one that will do the very best
thing for the silver cause Let the
delegation be composed of Republicans,
ProhibitiOnists and POpulists with a
good scattering Of Democrats to keep
them straight.
To expedite matters it was suggest
ed that the chair appoint a nominal
ing committee to select the delegates
and alternates to the state meeting.
J. h Stevens, w. F. Rightmire A P
Shreve, =. NJ. Coville, and c. Z. Pur-
Vance were made the committee and
while they were at Mr.. TiHotson's Office
preparing the lists more speeches were
made.
Charley Holidays speech was
graphic description of the Chicago con
vention and the nomination of Bryan.
His speech was frequently stopped by
cheers. He said.
There probably never was such a
convention. The only thing I prayed
for while I was there was that my
lungs might not give out. It was sim
ply yell and new faces. From the time
that David Overmyer of Kansas said
that the star of empire had detached
itself from the AlIeghenies and settled
in the Mississippi valley and when
Bryan made that speech of his and the
very rafters shook it was nothing but
yell. You read of the cheers for gold
there. I tell you, gentlemen, that dur
ing the first two days OF the convention
the hall and galleries were packed with
gold bugs. They were there to yell:
But the delegates were there with the
firm, Interchangeable determination to do
for silver or to die for silver.
"On the first day of the convention
Senator John Martin of this city went
to Senator Hill and begged him not to
allow the use of his name before the
convention as a gOldite in any way.
For if you do he said, the convention
is full of silver men who will ride over
you rough shod. And if they do said
Senator HILL, we will walk out of the
convention Walk out said Senator
Martin, and 700 silver delegates. will
jump to their chairs and cheer while
you do it, You all know the result.
1.-THE debate on the platform occu-
pied a good share of time.
Mr. Tillman was a disappointment
to his silver friends. Hill, Russell and
Villas made speeches that few listened
to and few cEeered. But when Bryan
arose and swept that magnetic glance
of his about the hall people prepared to
listen. And then he made a speech for
silver that was so full of patriotism,
truth, sense and kindness that when
he sat down it seemed as though the
cheers would burst the convention hall
The ovation lasted for perhaps half
an hour, while state banner after state
banner was torn up and carried over to
the Nebraska delegation. I tell you it
was a speech and an ovation the like
of which has not been heard or seen in
the world since the days of Christ.
After that the silverites had the
convention and when on the fifth bal
lot the stampede for Bryan with Ala
bama in the lead took place the excite
ment and joy in the convention was
of the kind that has had but one pos
sible equal in the history of the coun-
try and that the time OF Lincoln's nom
ination. 1t was the peoples conven-
ton. The delegates were directly from
the people.
You hear a good deal about New
York I want to tell you that New