Birmingham state herald., 1896-06-16
TALK OF BOLT IS BosH.
But Teller Will Kick Like One of His Own
 Mountain Burros.

Mountain Burros.
 St. Louis, June 15-There will be no dramatic exit from the national conven- ton, nor will there be any subsequent convention by the free silver republi- cans. The western men will accept it as philosophically as possible, although not without vigorous protests both here and at home. No formal conference of that faction of the party was held today, but Mir. Teller, wherever he has happened to be, has been the magnet that attracted every silver man in St. Louis. The pri- Vate talks he has had with those who believe with him have convinced him that the silver element of the party is in deadly earnest and will not accept any thing short of a clear cut and unequivo- cal declaration for the free and unlimited coinage of silver at the ratio of 16 to 1.
 "The managers of McKinley's cam paign are conducting themselves in a fashion that, to speak mildly, is foolish" said Senator Teller this evening. DO they think that the voters of the silver states are to be misled by any catch penny phrase they may insert in the platform? To believe this is an insult to the people of the west It matters noth- ing to us whether the word gold appears in the platform or whether the effort is made to slide under the terms existing standard Everybody knows that they mean the same thing, and our people would have infinitely more respect for the republican party if it came out plainly for gold instead of foisting upon themselves a miserable straddle. We have respect for those who are opposed to us and who boldly assume their posi- tion, but with parties as with men, re- spect disappears and we have nothing but contempt for those who have not the courage of their convictions"
 MT Teller has called a caucus for to- morrow evening of the free silver mem bers of the. committee on resolutions He recognizes the fact that the free sil- yer men are in hopeless minority, but they will go over the ground as carefully as if they controlled the situation.
 When it comes to the meeting of the committee a plank declaring for free coinage as interpreted by MT. Teller will be submitted by him. This, of course, will be voted down. compromise will then be offered in the shape of a propo- sition to coin the American product only This, too, will meet the fate of the more advanced proposition. It is not improb- able that a third proposition promising future legislation favorable to silver will be submitted, the silver men not aban- doning hope until every effort has been rejected. The fight will then be carried into the convention.
 Possibly these same propositions may be submitted there. They certainly will be if the chairman of the convention VIII entertain lne HOtlOn. IT the imam cial plank becomes subject for debate, as it is believed it will be, Senators Tel Ter and Dubois. Representative Hartman and others of the silver leaders will ma ke brief speeches outlining their position and warning the convention that any plank, however it may be worded other than a free coinage declaration, will cause the defeat of the ticket in every silver state of the west. fI
 It is understood that while MT. Tellers speech will be earnest and to the point of intense vehemence, he will not then and there bolt the convention and leave under the dramatic circumstances that have sometimes been pictured. His speech will, however, represent the views of every silver delegate to this convention, and 1t is possible, even probable, that some men will refrain from further par ticipation in the business of the conven- tion The most prominent of the silver leaders is authority for the statement to- night that no convention or meeting separate from the regular convention will be called in behalf of the free silver ties. What may be done in the future is still undetermined. The action of the convention in denying the demands of