The herald., 1896-06-17
THE RESOLUTIONS
The Financial Plank Decided on By tn
COMMITTEES

| ferring together, during which time
there were three groups, Foraker,
Lodge and Teller being central figures
| respectively in these clusters. over half
an hour was spent in this general con-
| ference and in unloading the resolutions
| that had been referred to different men,
bers. Some of the members had their
| pockets full of papers. Even the silver
men were divided on the phraseology of
| their plank, and each silver member Of
the committee had his own version.
1t was seen at the start that Lodge and
Foraker and others were cooperating.
Senator Lodge called the committee to
order and presented the name of Foraker
of Ohio. The silver men presented the
name Of Senator Dubois of Idaho. Then
Charles E. Pryor, Foraker's law partner,
who was with him, was made teller and
temporary secretary. The roll was call
ed, showing 80 present and IL absent,
and an official list of the membership was
made UP before the states were called on
the vote for chairman. The roll call re-
suited: Foraker, 35; Dubois 4, and the
former was declared by Senator Lodge
the chairman.
The four votes cast for Dubois were
those Of Messrs. Teller Of Colorado
Hartman of Montana, Mott of North
Carolina and Cannon of Utah. Dubois
and Foraker declined to vote.
Gen. Lew Wallace of Indiana was
unanimously chosen secretary, and a
resolution was carried Immediately to
appoint a sub b-committee of seven to
draft the platform, and Chairman Fora
ker named as the committee Merriam Of
Minnesota, Fessenden of Connecticut
Teller of Colorado, Lodge Of Massachu-
setts, Peterson of Illinois, Yarmouth Of
Louisiana and the chairman. Burleigh
of Washington moved to enlarge the
committee on the ground that it should
represent every section Of the country.
Foraker replied that he did not consid-
er geography in the makeup of the
committee, but appointed men to rep
resent the different ideas on the cur
rency question as nearly as possible.
The motion to increase the committee
carried, and Burleigh Of Washington
and Lauterback of New York were add
ed. The committee then adjourned until
o'clock, pending the report of the SUBJ
committee.
The subcommittee on resolutions re-
solved to recommend to the comittee on
resolutions the following financial
plank:
THE Republican party is unreserved-
ly for sound money. 1t caused the en-
actment of the law providing for the re-
sumption of specie payments in 1879.
Since then every dollar has been paid in
gold.
I'VE are unalterably opposed to every
measure calculated to debase our cur
rency or impair the credit of our country.
We are therefore opposed to the free
coinage Of silver except by internation-
al agreement with the leading CONNER
cial nations Of the world which we pledge
ourselves to promote, and when such
agreement can be obtained the existing
gold standard must be preserved All
our silver and paper currency now in
circulation must be maintained at
parity with gold, and we favor all meas
sv1to to- tow fN1o III
obligations of the United States, and all
our money, whether coin or paper, at the
present standard, the standard of the
most enlightened nations Of the earth"
Senator Teller offered free coinage
resolution as a substitute. which was
voted down.
This will go to the full committee to-
morrow.
When the hour arrived for the conven-
ing Of the evening session Of the commit
tee on resolutions, MesSrS. FesSendeu
and Yarmouth, Of the subcommittee
appointed to draft the platform. ap-
peared and announced that the SUBJ
committee had been unable to complete
their labors, and asked for an adjourn
ment until 10 o'clock tomorrow. The SUBJ
committee had been in session from
until o'clock, but had not nearly COM
pleted Its labors. It appeared then as If
the committe might be compelled to
spend the entire night in putting this
declaration of party principles into ac-
ceptable shape.
The committee first took up the finan.
cial question, and Gov. Merriam of Min
nesota offered the gold standard declar-
alton given above. Senator Teller, the
only representative on the committee Of
the silver element, offered as substitutes
several propositions providing for the
free and unlimited coinage of silver.
An animated, though somewhat one
sided discussion followed, with the Col
Orado senator holding up the silver end
alone. All of the free coinage PROPOSE
tions were defeated by the uniform vote
of to l. The gold standard plank pro-
posed by Gov. Merriam was then voted
upon and adopted by the same vote, but
with the understanding that the action
taken should, for the time, be regarded
as merely tentative and subject to re-
consideration in case there should be
q desire manifested to change the
phraseology in any respect.
Teller's resolutions having been dis
posed of by the adverse vote of to 8,
the Colorado senator then offered a pro-
position for the coinage of the American
product. In doing so he said the resolu-
ton was not his, but that he offered it by
request. He said he was not an advo-
cate of the policy embodied in the pro-
position. but that it had been asserted
that the party will not accept silver
coinage restricted to the American pro-
duct. Hence, he decided the committee
should pass upon it. AS for himself, he
would only vote for it in lieu of absolute
free coinage, which had been rejected.
This resolution was also rejected.
EQUAL SUFFRAGE
The following resolutions for equal
suffrage for women were presented by
Senator Teller:
''The party favors such constitutional
amendment and such legislation as will |
accord to the women of this country
equal right of suffrage"
Mr.. Teller's vote was the only one given |
for this proposition. |
SUGAR BOUNTIES
The beet sugar legislation favoring |
legislation to foster the production of |
American sugar was adopted after COM |
parativeIy little discussion.
THE CUBAN QUESTION
The Cuban question was taken up on |
the basis of resolutions presented by |
Senator Lodge. The form of these reso- |
lutions was not definitely determined |
before the hour of o'clock, but the COM |
mittee was unanimous for declaration |
leaving no doubt of very positive action |
n behalf of the course of the Cubans.