Birmingham state herald., 1896-07-02
THINK THEY HOLD THE KEY Michigan Silver Men Restive
 Under the Unit Rule. SAY IT WAS A PUT UP JOB And They Will Ask the Credentials Commit
 tee to Unseat the GOldbugs THOSE IA VOTES WOULD SETTLE IT ad There Would Be No Necessity for Abolishing the Two-thirds Rule-The
 Scheme, However, Does Not Seem
 to Arouse Enthusiasm.
 
THOSE IA VOTES WOULD SETTLE IT

Chicago, July 1.-Two delegates from the Fifth district of Michigan, William F. Mcknight and Gen. w. P. Hummer both active free silverites, were among the visitors to the headquarters of the silver men and conferred at length with members of the executive committee. The situation In the Wolverine state is that while fourteen out of the twenty six delegates are silverites, the delega- ton is instructed for gold and bound to that standard by the unit rule. It is proposed, however, to precipitate a fight upon the enforcement of that rule in ad- vance of an action on the two-thirds is- sue. In the event of the unit rule being declared invalid, there would be no ne- cessity for the substitution of majority vote for the two-thirds vote, for the silver forces of the Wolverine state would give that side the necessary nominating majority and one or two to spare. This was the suggestion exploited by the Michigan delegates, but 1t was not re- ceived with especial enthusiasm.
 Governor Altgeid and his lieutenants had already enlisted the bulk of the bi- metallic support for the abolition of the two-thirds rule, and 1t was held by most of those approached by the Michigan men that the Illinois scheme was an easier and surer way of placing silver nominees upon a silver platform than any other att tack upon the time-honored unit rule. Part of the plan of the Michigan silver men is to go before the committee on cre- dentials and to ask the unseating of the entire gold wing of the state delegates, among whom is Elliott G. Stevenson, law partner of Ex-Secretary Don M. Diclxin- son, on the ground that the state con vention was packed and free expression of opinion suppressed.
 Secretary Sheerin reported to the sub committee today his allotment of tickets for the press, but the result will not be made known until tomorrow or later.
 Sergeant at Arms Martin, when waited upon by the committee appointed at yes- te,aays caucus of the Illinois delegation to rreand additional appointments and tic9iets, maintained the stand that he had pfeyiously taken and said with emphasis that not Chicago man would be placed in charge of door. He succeeded in con- vincing the committee that his position was right one, and 1t will so report when the conference reassembles on Sunday morning.
 Vice President Stevensons presence under the roof of the Palmer house for a few hours en route to his home in Bloomington, failed to create even a fiutter of interest. His callers were numerous, but their missions were more social than political and the vice presi- dent himself declined to discuss the sit uation or the coming convention, even from an abstract point of view. It was noticeable, however. that most of his callers were identified with the gold standard element of the Illinois democ- racy, and this led to the circulation of a rumor that if the Altgeld bimetallic element insisted upon naming the tenn porary chairman MT. Stevenson might be offered them as compromise, based upon the fact that as representative Illinois democrat he could scarcely with good grace be antagonized by the dele gation of this state. As matter of fact, however, the rumor was more shadow than substance. No such contingency has presented itself to the sub-commit- tee, and this party will make no repre- sentations on the subject to the full annit ittea