Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-07-05
CATCH AT THE TARIFF.
Gold Men Believe They Have Found a
Club.

CluD.
Chicago, July 4.-The climax of today's
ante-convention developments was the
mass meeting of the gold men in the Au-
ditorium this evening. The speeches of
Ex-Governor Russell of Massachusetts,,
Senator Gray of Delaware and District
Attorney Fellows of New York were Wig
orous enough in their denunciation of
the line of action which the convention is
bent on taking on the silver question,
but they stopped short of suggesting a
remedy or any plan by which the sound
money advocates could hope to stem the
current now setting so strongly against
them.
Governor Russell's remarks particular
ly brought out in strong relief the diff
Guilty which is beginning to loom up be-
fore the silver managerS-What to do
with the tariff. Nearly all the boiling
republican delegates at ST. Louis de-
clared that their states were solid for
free silver and protection. Governor
Russell seized upon this point and assert
ed that if republican protection was
right in principle, then silver legislation
was equally SO, but if protection was
wrong in principle, unjust and oppres-
sive in practice, as the democratic party
had ever declared and still declared, then
silver legislation was equally SO and
ought to receive equally emphatic con-
demnation. This point was obviously df-
rected against the arguments advanced
in favor of the selection of Senator Tel
Ter as the free silver standard bearer, he
heing also an earnest advocate OF protec-
tion and as such its force was appre-
ciated The effect will undoubtedly be
to augment the perplexities which the
managers are finding in dealing with the
tariff plank of the platform
The gold men took some courage from
the developments of the day and tonight
express confidence that they will re-
ceive much more consideration in the
conventions at the hands of the silver men
than they had heretofore felt was to be
their portion.
Comptroller Eckes said: "Tbe silver
men have been talking today of desire
to secure harmony in the con-
vention and several gold men with whom
they have talked tell me that In their
opinion there will be material modinca-
tion of the programme that has peen an
11ounced by some of the radical silver
men. There will be no attempt to cut Off
discussion, no single day. convention,
based upon the idea that only silver men
are to take part in its proceedings. Tney
recognize, think, that there is an eiec-
tion to be held before the DEGREES of the
convention can be executed. Harmony
is what they need"
In the constantly changing estimates
as to the probabilities of success OF the
various candidates the boom of the Iowa
ex-governor, Boies, assumed much prom
course of the day that the telegram
which brought the ex-governor to Chi
cago was closely connected with the re-
ported revolt In the ranks of the Illinois
delegation against the alleged dictato-
rial policy of Governor Altgeld. 1t is as
serted that under the leadership of Del
egate William Prentiss of the Seventh II
LIMOS district the support of thirteen IL
linois delegates has been obtained for the
Iowa man. 49,
some prominent Ohio men this even
ing were circulating the statement that
John r. Mclean was not TO pc consid-
cred in the field for second place. "The
ticket will be Johns" said Beriah Will
kins with a significant emphasis, "and
don't you overlook it,
The action of the Indiana delegation
In refusing to send a representation 10
The silver conference at the Sherman
house last night has aroused feeling OF
antagonism to Governor Matthews can
didacy, and has also set afoot a move
ment for caucus Qf all the silver forces
for Monday next This movement is be-
ing pushed by Senator-elect Money OF
Missssfppi Ex-Congressman casey
Young of Tennessee, National Commit
teeman Thomas of Colorado and Dele
gate Haynes of Idaho. They desire to
thus agree upon a full slate of officers
and candidates to be voted for by the
silver forces. Delegate Cochran Of Ms
sissfppi expressed the sentiment of the
extreme free silver element when he de-
clared today that for silver man to be
nominated by aid Of goldbug votes
would cast "blight upon the ticket and