Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-07-04
HARRIS OR RICHARDSON

May Be Permanent Chairman, While Black
burn Gets the Temporary Honor
Chicago, ILL.,, July 3.-It looks as If the
Chicago democratic convention will be
quite as lopsided as the recent republican
gathering at st. Louis. There has been
no break today in the monotony of the
signs and tokens of what is to happen.
1t is to be free silver convention. More
over, with surprising unanimity the con-
trolling men Of the western and southern
delegations have declared their prefer
ence for Teller. Nearly all his associates
or former associates in the senate who
believe in free coinage are giving their
support to him. The list includes Tur-
pie of Indiana, Jones of Arkansas Har-
ris of Tennessee, Walsh of Georgia, Chill
ton of Texas and Cockrell of Missouri
When the eastern delegates and friends
of the gold standard reach Chicago to-
morrow they will find that the silver
men have absolute control of the situa-
ton.
Conferences have been frequent during
the day. Out of all this consultation but
one concrete fact seems to have been de-
veloped. The platform will be concise,
short and clear cut without SO much as
an ambiguous word that can be miscon-
strued into meaning anything but an
out and out declaration for the free and
unlimited coinage of silver at the ratio
of 16 to l.
Senators Jones of Arkansas, Bate and
Harris of Tennessee, Blackburn of Ken
lucky, Tillman of South Carolina and
Cockrell of Missouri, Senator-elect
Money of Mississippi, Representative
Richardson of Tennessee and Hon. John
r. Mclean have been in conference dur
ing the day. and all are agreed that the
financial plank shall be given that prom
inence which it's importance demands
and that it's text shall be so short and It's
meaning so fixed and determined that
he who runs can read 1t understandingly.
"P1atitudes will be eschewed by this
convention" said Senator Jones of Ar
kansas today. "The silver men repre-
sent the plain people of the country. the
thinking masses, and our declaration
will be such that no man can juggie with
its meaning or seek to represent 1t as
something that 1t is not. This conven-
tion is to be run by the silver men; we
are In control and everything that Is
done will be by the consent of the major
ity only. This situation might as well
be accepted by the minority at once.
The minority will be accorded all its
rights and will be part and parcel of the
democratic convention, but the voice OF
the majority is the voice of the party In
the convention"
When asked il he had any fear of the
delegates being weaned from their allie
glance to silver Mr.. Jones replied with
negative that was emphatic and convinc-
ing as to the sincerity of his own views.
IF the gold men are hoping to be sue
cessful in proselyting among the silver
men, he continued, 'it is high time they
understood the character of timber of
which this convention will be construct
ed. The delegates are men who can
neither be bought nor bulldozed. They
are firm in the faith and nothing can
shake their loyalty TO the cause, which
they put above all other political ques-
tioBs Ten months ago, when we first
organized the silver movement In WASH
ington, we took care to provide against
influences and wrote our people to see
that strong men were selected as dele
gates.
While there seems to be no concentra-
ton upon any one for temporary chair
man the general opinion is that either
Senator Harris OF Representative Rich
ardson, both of Tennessee, may be made
permanent chairman, and that Senator
Blackburn of Kentucky may be tempo
rary. chairman All these gentlemen are
good parliamentarians Mr.. Harris hav-
Ing been president pro tenn. OF the senate.
Mr.. Richar dson a frequent and expe-
rienced occupant of the speakers chair
during the two terms of Speaker Crisp,
and Mr.. Blackburn having frequently
presided over the senate.
Concerning the report that the ma
tionaI committee intended to attempt to
force gold standard man upon the con-
vention for temporary chairman Mr..
Richardson said Nothing of the kind
will be done. OF course we recognize the
fact that the committee as at present
constituted is against silver, but the
committee will be very apt to remember
also that the convention Is very largely
the other way. II 1t decides by a major
ity vote to recommend to the convention