The record-union., 1896-07-01
An Alliance Thought to Have Been
Made With Altgeld.
Whereby the Latter is to be made
Permanent Chairman, and the
Missouri Silver Champion to be
Put at the Head of the Ticket
Efforts Being Made to Break the
Two=Third Rule.

CHICAGO, June 30-A week in ad-
vance of the date set for the opening of
the Democratic National Convention
leaders of the silver element have
donned their armor and girded them
selves for the coming fray. To-day the
Sherman House, where the white metal
headquarters have been located, re-
sounded with the shouts and yellS OF Its
advocates resplendent in 16 to 1
badges, buttons and other insignia.
while its register bore more distin-
guished names than have been in
scribed in the books Of the hostelry for
more than a quarter of a century. SO
far none of the advocates of the gold
standard have put in an appearance,
and consequently the silver people have
undisputed possession of the field.
From tomorrow, however, the former
will begin to be in evidence, and from
then on every day will witness some
new phase of a battle royal between
the majority and the earnest, aggres-
sive and unconquerable minority.
The conspicuous features of the open
ing of the war to-day were the confer
ence between the bimetallic members of
the Democratic National Committee
and the outside silver men, the meeting
between Governors Stone of Missouri
and Altgeld of Illinois, and the declara-
tion of the Illinois delegation in favor
of the abrogation of the two-t thirds
rule as essential to a Presidential nom
ination.
As to the first, it was much more
largely attended than had been antici
pated, in view of the fact that it was
simply preliminary meeting. Among
those that responded to the roll-call
We're: United States Senators Harris of
Tennessee, Jones of Arkansas, Bate Of
Tennessee, Turpie of Indiana, Cockrell
of Missouri. Daniel of Virginia, Sena-
tor-elect Money of Mississippi, Gov
ernors Stone of Missouri and Altgeld Of
Illinois. Secretary of State Henrichsen
of Illinois, John w. Toalinson sef Ala
bama, ex-Congressman George w.
Fithian of Illinois, B. F. Shiveley of In
diana, S. B. Evans Of Iowa, Judge
Shackleford of Missouri, ex-Congress-
man W. ]. Bryan and w H. Thompson
of Nebraska, John Walsh and Judge w
Mullane of Oregon, o. w. Powers Of
Salt Lake City and Wiley E. Jones of
Arizona.
The preliminary meeting lasted less
than an hour. The situation was infor-
malIy discussed, and ii was agreed that
the silver forces need only to work har-
moniously to insure the adoption of an
out-and-out 16 to 1 platform. What
gave the conference the most concern
was the matter of the temporary or
ganization of the convention. The
fact was dwelt upon that the sentiment
of the National Committee was oppo-
site to that of the majority of the elect
ed delegates, but, on the other hand
it was insisted that it did not neces-
sarily follow that the committee would
go so far as to attempt to gain any ad-
vantage or attempt TO consummate any
siragetic stroke in the exercise of the
authority vested in it. In order to be
on the safe side, however, it was finally
determined to appoint a committee of
five to wait upon the Executive Com
mittee, and. as the resolution diplo-
matically put it, to confer with that
body in reference to all questions and
matters affecting the temporary organ
ization and proceedings. This COM
mittee is composed of Senators Jones.
Turpie. Daniels and Governors Stone
and Altgeld.
The conference between Governor
Stone. the leader of the Bland forces.
ard Governor Altgeld was held behind
Closed doors In the latter's quarters at
the Sherman House. Nearly one hour
was consumed in the conference, and
at it's conclusion neither OF them would
say word or breathe a suggestion con
cerning its outcome. Governor Stone.
however, appeared to be in exuberant
spirits, and insisted that Bland could
not be kept out of the nomination. Six
teen TO one he said. meant Bland.
Bland meant Is to / both meant free
silver, and that was the issue OF the
day.
The news of the conference spread
quickly around town. and 1t was taken
for granted that the Bland leaders had
made some kind Of an alliance with
Governor Altgeld. The conference Gre
ated considerable uneasiness among
the supporters of Governor Boies, and
some decidedly bitter talk was INDUCED
in concerning the alleged antagonism
of Governor Altgeld toward the grand
old man of the Iowa Democracy.
At Boies headquarters in the Palmer
House it was declared this evening
that If allowed to use their own in
clnations tSyo-thirds Of the Illinois del
egates would vote for the Iowa man
I'VE have assurances of sympathy from
number of the delegates that they
would vote for the Iowa man." said a
member Of the Boies committee, "but II
is evident that they are tied TO the ma
chine Whatever the object of the
Stone-Altgeld conference, however, We
are not going to be disheartened by a
single rebuff. Roles will be the nom
inee Of the convention, despite the un-
derhand schemes that have be resort
ed to. The first named knows his
strength, and they fear him more than
any other candidate"
The meeting Of the forty-eight dele
gates from Illinois called by Governor
Altgeld was as lively as it was short
Governor 2fltgeld made a strong speech
against the two-thirds rule, insisting
that, independent OF present condi-
tions. the time had arrived in the his
tory OF the Democratic party when Il
should be abolished, for the reason that
it was undemocratic. It was basic