Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-07-09
STRIFE AT CHICAGO
Feeling Between Gold and Silver
Factions Very Bitter.
CONVENTION CONVENED At NOON
Prayer About the Only Matter Over Which
There VIII BE No Contest-Tem-
porary Chairmanship the
Opening Bout.

Chicago, July 7.-Delegates and
other democratic politicians were astir
early this morning and the greatest
excitement and interest was mani
Tested on all sides us every indication
at this hour points to the most stormy
scenes after the convention is called to
order at noon to-day. The first fight
between the silver and sound money
forces will occur on the question of
the temporary organization of the con-
vention. According to present appear
ances the prayer will be about the
only part of the preliminary proceed
ings which is likely to pass unchal-
lenged. In no previous great national
convention has the recommendation OF
the duly chosen national committee in
regard to temporary presiding officer
been antagonized by u minority re-
port, and demand for vote,
but the present gathering is an
exceptional one and it is very
likely to break in upon pre-
cedents In more respects than one.
BY vote of 27 to 23 the majority of
the national committee decided to
recommend senator David B. Hill as
temporary chairman of the copven-
ton. c. S. Thomas of Colorado gave
notice that minority report would
be presented recommending the selec-
ton of senator John w. Daniel OF
Virginia, and that the convention
would be asked to make choice be
tween the two nominations. 1t is
curious fact that at the last demo
cratic convention held in this same
city, during that memorable all-night
session which resulted In the nomina-
tion of Grover Cleveland, Senator Dan
iel, with dauntless courage, faced for
over an hour hostile, bowling audi
ence, as the special champion of Sena-
tor Hill, the man to whom, by the
irony of politics, he is now antagonized
beginning of the Fight.
From indications just before the hour
for calling the convention to order,
the proceedings will be as follows:
When Chairman Harrity calls the CON
vention to order as the representative
of the national committee, and recon-
meuds the selection of Senator Hill as
temporary chairman, minority mem
Der of the national committee will offer
II substitute, naming Senator Daniel.
Under all forms of parliamentary law
a substitute must first be voted upon,
and the only open question in this case
seems to be whether or not Mr. IIar-
rity will recognize one of his silver as
sociates for the purpose of Offering
this substitute, the convention not hav-
ing been organized and no r oil call of
the delegates having been passed upon.
The silver men claim that the chair
mans act in recommending n tempo
rary chairman for the approval of the
convention is an admission that the
convention is qualified to act upon it.
If this be true in one case, they assert
that it must be so in the case of the
substitute. Should Mr.. IIarrity re-
fuse to put the motion for the adoption
of the substitute, some silver member
of the national committee on the plat
form will put the question himself,
and the first slsirmish between the
gold and silver factions will be pre-
cipitated.
Bitter Feeling Prevails.
~ know very little about the par
liamentary status of this matter" said
Senator Tillman this morning. "But
do claim to be possessed of little
common sense. I know that Senator
Daniel will be the temporary chairman
of this convention, and that he will
make the speech. If the gold men
think that their 400 votes form the
ma jority of this convention, just let
them try It, The silver men are run
ming this convention, and they propose
to run it after their own fashion. If
the gold men don't like it, let them
bolt | hope they will" Yeste rday a
conservative spirit seemed to pervade
the more radical silver men, and the
desire was expressed to avoid, if possi-
bic, clash in the convention. The
conclusion of the committee to recon-
mend the selection of Senator Hill as
temporary chairman caused sudden
drop in this conservatism, and to-day
the feeling between the two factions
of the party seems to be more bitter
than before.
Bland shouters the Loudest.
As to the probable choice of Il presi-
dental candidate to represent the
free coinage platform the past twelve
hours have brought no marked change
in the situation. MIR. Bland's friends
are doing most of the claiming and
shouting. Efforts to get the silver
men to caucus on the nominations in
advance of the meeting of the conven-
tion met with failure, some of tn,
prominent silver leaders declaring
their fears that the result of such IA
caucus would be to create dissensions
in their ranks and aid the "gold bugs
in their efforts to disorganize them.
The California delegation appears to be
determined to present to the convcn-
tion the name of Senator White of that
state despite the protests of the sena-
tor that he is not candidate and does
not desire mis- name to be considered
At the meeting of the dclepntion last