The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-07-30
SILVER CONVENTION
Out of 731 Delegates 528 Were
Republicans.
HIGH CHARACTER OF ALL
st. Johns Martyrdom and Rep
resentative TONNES
Candidacy.
"Coin" Harvey and His CatechIsm OF
This Reformation--His Personality
Republican Record on Silver in 1876
Republican Maltreatment of Popu-
lists in the Northwest.

--Republican MaItreatment of Popu-
lists in the Northwest.
ST. Louis, Mo, July 27.-(Editorial
Correspondence. 1.-The interest in the
Populists convention was so much
greater in North Carolina than in the
proceedings of the Silver convention
that | fear the people of the State, as
well as the whole East, overlooked
the Importance of the Silver conven-
ton. Nobody who understands the
sentiment in the West, or who attend
ed the sessions of that great conven-
ton doubts that it is to be a great
factor in the struggle between a fair
chance for the people VS.. the continued
government of the people by the money
power. | never saw "a finer looking
body of men in any public gathering.
Of the 731 delegates present 52S had
come from the Republican party, 145
from the Democratic, 40 from the Pop
ulists. and 9 from the Prohibition party.
The Southern men had in the main
affiliated with the Democrats, though
there were other prominent men be-
side DR.. Mott who had been lifelong
Republicans. From the West came the
best types of the Republicanism of
Lincoln and that school of Republi-
cans who trusted the people rather
than the money kings. The chair
man of the convention was Mr.. W. L.
ST. John, of New York, who recently
found it necessary, because OF his
views OH the money question, to re-
sign the presidency of a leading Ma
tional bank that paid him salary of
$4,000 a year. Some eight years ago
Mr.. St. ohm was appointed on a COM
mittee by the New York Chamber of
Commerce to make report on the
silver question. He entered upon the
work with a determination expressed
in Pilates question: What is Truth =
He obtained all the government re-
ports he could obtain, and read the
arguments made on each side by the
master minds of both constituents. He
was not quick to make up his mind.
He found it a question of two sides,
and he weighed them in an unbiased
mind. whatever bias there was to his
mind was naturally such as bankers
take of the question, but he was look
ing for the truth. In the course of
his studies, he became convinced of
the truth of the contention OF the
silver men, and like an honest man he
did not hesitate to express his conylc-
tions and to give unanswerable reasons
for his faith. As the only free silver
National banker in New York city, he
became a conspicuous figure. lie
knew the ms and outs of National
banking, and his contributions TO the
taI
associated bankers, his stockholders
didn't like what he wrote, and after
several years they virtually gave him
1.-THE grand bounce" He retired with
dignity, rendering his resignation
when he found the owners of the bank
desired to have a president who
thought more of the money ring, than
of the good of the country. He was
given warm welcome by his asso-
ciates in the convention. He was not
the only National banker here. There
were others-one. Col. Thompson.
from Washington State, who stands
among the foremost bankers on the
Pacific slope In some quarters there
is a disposition to cavil at National
bankers who join the silver forces
The truth is that men like St. John,
Thompson and Sewall, are deserving
of the highest honors, for they have
been true to principle in the face of
at least temporary pecuniary benefits.
There are many more who belleyr
with them, and q study of the ques
ton Will make the number larger
among the honest bankers in the coun-
try. Some of them even now are be-
ginning to see that they are perma-
nently better off when all the people
n \
only upon the appreciation OF the
boarded dollar.
Another delegate to the Silver con-
vention who is destined to be better
known is Hon. Chas. A. Towne, of
Minnesota. He has a fine face, is
genuine orator. and an able man. He
made a decided hit by his speech in
the last Congress in favor of silver
AT the recent Republican convention
he followed Teller in the bolt from the
gold standard. In conversation yes
terday he said that he was elected rs
a Republican in 1894 by something like
ten thousand majority. This year he
is running as a candidate of the Silver
party. Il have just made a tour Of
the district to learn public sentiment,
lie said, land although | knew the
people believed in silver, | had no idea
that they were so moved. Democrats.
Republicans and Populists are all uni
ted for the cause, and Minnesota is GER
tain to give its electoral vote for Bryan
and Sewall." Mr.. Towne deprecated
the division caused by the nomination
of Watson, but he believes that the
silver forces will permit nothing to
divide them. This was the general
sentiment among the delegates of all
parties from the Northwestern States.
Another member of this convention
who deseryedly ranks among the lead
ers of the silver movement was Mr..
VIM. II. Harvey, author of Coins
Financial School" 1t has had the
largest sale of any work of similar
character ever published, and has been
the Catechism Of this Reformation. He
is an affable, agreeable and quiet gen
tleman. young and good looking, taxi
ing little part in the discussions, but
being looked upon by more delegates
than any other celebrity. He is conf
dent that Bryan will win, and was