The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-06-30
NONE 50 BLIND
Silver Fools Hugging Them
selves in Their Folly BIZ
metallic Conference.

CHICAGO, June 80, 1S96-Behind closed
doors, IN separate parlors of the Sher-
man House, there were inaugurated this
morning two conferences, the results of
which are likely to materially affect the
deliberations and outcome of the National
Democratic Convention One was that
of the Bi-metallic National Committee
brought into existence at Memphis year
ago, subsequently ratified by a conven-
ton at Washington, D. C., in August
and which is composed of number OF
Democratic Senators and Representatives
and a committeeman from each State
and Territory. There was a conference
of the forty-e.ght district delegates and
delegates-at-large of Illinois, together
with number of leading party workers
from all over the State called personally
by Governor Altgeld, who is the chair
man and absolute dictator of the course
to be pursued by the de.egation,- for the
purpose of considering the merits and
qualifications of. the various gentlemen
already in the field for the Presidential
nomination, to discuss what course of
procedure the delegation should advocate
in regard to the abrogation of the two
thirds rule and further suggest and
carry out methods to offset any scheme
looking to a compromise that might be
suggested lDy Jne SOiu SldludtQ uu4HOtiiy,
and likewise to decide whether Illinois
should claim either the temporary or per-
manent Craftsmanship of the convention.
These two meetings made the Sherman
House the ralying point at an early
hour this morning of the. scores of dele
gates and the hundreds of boomers al
ready on the ground.
Senators Harris. of Tennessee, and
Jones'. Of Arkansas, We're early astir,
when they left the breakfast table. In
response to numerous questions from
friends of Ex-Governor Boies and ex-
Congressman Bland, Senator Jones said
explicitly that the National Committee
proposed to take charge of and to steer
the silver cause through the preltminaries
of the convention as well as on the floor
after it had been organized. They pro
pose to keep their eyes open and to Zoe
prepared for whatever shrewd or sharp
play the gold standard people might at
tempt to indulge in. At the same time
save to throw its influence for men sound
on the silver question. Nor would it
undertake to force any officers upon the
convention. 1t was the prerogative of the
National Committee, said the Senator,
to name the temporary cha rman and
that prerogative would not be interfered
with If the committee acted fairly and
selected a Democrat who could be de-
pended upon to rule, justly. Otherwise
the silver men would present candi-
date of their own. and who as a natural
consequence of the overwhelming pre-
dilectfons of the body, would of course
be elected. When Senator Jones was
asked whether he had said last night
that Senator David B. Hill would be ac-
ceptable to him in this capacity, he
answered in the affirma tive.
Ten o'clock was the hour set for calling
to order of the conference, but owing to
the fact that but twenty of the forty-six
committeeman were on hand. recess
until noon was ordered without any bus
ness being transacted Meanwhile the
United Press despatch giving the express
sion of Secretary Morton's sentiment that
the silver men had the road and were 60
ing to keep it, and that the chief treuFle
with Mr.. Whitney's threat was that the
gun was not big enough was read aloud
TO the assemblage. to the evident salts
faction Of the listeners.
Secretary Morton has evidently sized
up the situation" said Senator Jones.
land his opinion is welcome even If 1t
does come rather late in the. day"
That's the second sensible thing that
the Secretary has sad since the silver
crusade was inaugurated," said another
the inevitable request that he should not
be qBoted). fThe first was when he
turned from its recent six thousand m lie
trip and acknowledged that the Western
rrairies were On fire for silver and said
that his own gold DELEGATION from Ne
hraska would be lucky If it got into the
Coliseum galleries 2
The next thing we know we shall find
that they are succumbing to the newt
able and coming into the silver camp. "
said Delegate John W. Tomlsnson.