New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-04
WHITNEY CALLS A CONFERENCE.

THE "s1'RApD1E BUGS GET TOGETHER AND TRY
TO DEVISE COMPROMISE.
Chicago July 3 (SpeciaD.-Wilam c. Whit
nev brought together at the Auditorium Hotter
tonight all the "straddle-bug' Democrats lie
could collect in Chicago. The object OF the con-
ference avowedly was to hatch up some plan
of bringing about a compromise with the lre1-
coinage Democrats. the compromise to be any!
thing short Of a declaration in the Democrauc
platform favorable TO the free coinage OF si .s
at ratio of 16 to l. That declaration ,ne
"straddle-buCs will not accept. They VIII re-
main in the Convention and go nome anu III
dorse a free-coinage candidate Tor fresioeh'
before they will publicly accept PLATFORM lol
the free coinage Of silver. Mr.. Whi,r ey lrlehuo
met on the ground floor OF the Auditorium Hotter
IN an ill-omened room. 1t was the Dig apai,
ment used as the headquarters OF the New ,,in
delegation FOUR years ago. When baElu ,I d. I'M III,
was their candidate for President MI. mn sd"
this room in which his boom for PRESIDENT
persisted for the first time tonight oesl ,'E
Senator Hill. the following persons atten6ed Mt
Nhitnev's "straddle" conference: W. r. mar
ri,v chairman of the Democratic National Com
mittee: Senator James Smith. jr OF New-JerSe ,,
Senator Gray. Of Delaware: Ex-Governor WI
lam r Russell and Congressman John r. Rus
seIl of Massa chusetts: Smith NJ. Weed. James
w Huxley. Hugh j. Grant. Roswell r; Flow
and Maurice J. Power. of New-1ork BenJannn
Cable of Illinois F.. c. Wall. OF Wisconsin; Jonh
p Hopkins Of Chicago: ex-Congressman VIII,
lam D. Rynum. of Indiana; Asher g. Caru'h' oi
Kentucky: Controller Eckels. Senator George
GRAY and w s. FOrman. Of lillrois; l.. Nic,o'
I,auehman Of Maryland; Ch1istol her {. Baid-
win of New-York J r Read. Of Philadelphia
q F Ingersoll Of PENNSYLVANIA; II. CRooplns
of Washington; WASHINGTON iesins oil Shlc Az,
JChn G Prather of ST. LOuis; a. A Goodrlch
and p G. Sullivan of Chicago: j. L. Dye. Green
Smith and Jacob Frenzel of Indiana ana hush
wallace National Committeeman, or "ashine-
ten . g.. croad 70
40 their utmost to make the sound money meet
ing tomorrow night a success. Inc supyeur ~
~ contesting the adoption of a free-colIiaee
nIank and Of opposing the nomination OF a Tree
coinage man for President were then denaleu;
Another matter considered was the pushing or
senator Hill for the place of tenn Orary CHAIR
man There was a general agreement that WIN
$50 votes at their command the straddle- pug
Democrats would have good deal OF lnnuehcc
in the Convention since 1t was agreed tnes
would be a balance Of power between various
free-coinage candidates for President Inc
abatement was made that the free-colnaSe Demo
rate had abandoned their plan Of having an
independent caucus and nominating 1ree-com-
age candidate for President In IT, THIS state
rnent, the various speakers sa,u ro,,,na
ton. and the "straddle-bug" Democrats could
make their influence felt. Senator Gray OF
Delaware presided at the conference Tilu
opened the meeting with a speech declaring that
IT'S object was to what measures could ne
adopted to prevent the calamity or the nonlna-
ton Of a free-coinage Democrat FOR Presluent, -
The conference closed its session at lI:"O
O'clock. New-York time 1t was then stated that
William G Whitney had called the conference
N order and had said that its purpose was 10
learn how many sound money Democrats there
wore IN the Democratic National Conm'ttee'
and IN form plans to make their influence elec-
tive Mr. Whitney suggested that Senator cray
~ delaware should he the chairman or the
conference and this motion was adopted. AS
eecretaries John r. Reid and C. G. 1ngersol or
PHILADELPHIA and Ben Gable. or Chicago. were
selected. - e,.. 49,,
The representatives Of the various states then
made sreeches telling of their division between
tho sound-money and silver coiHage forces.
Nearly every State represented. EX-Gov-
ernor Flower and District Attorney Fellows
smoke for New-York which, they declared. was
Economically a gold State. After these reports
hed been received. Senator Gray, as chairman
was authorized to appoint various committees 70
SUPERVISE and conduct the work OF the sound
money Democrats 1t was also resolved that
conference should be held every night AT the
Auditorium to guide the gold men I'm their action
In the Convention AS a first step 1t was re-
solved TO boom the gold mass-meeting to-morro"
Wight No other business was done. .
The general impression OF those attending tne
conference was that the 3J0 gold Democrats
could have great influence in the Convention'
since the silver-coinage Democrats had apah-
doned their plan Of nominating a candidate ior
President In q caucus. This action OF the Tree
coinage men inevitably leads TO long contest
over the nomination. since neither Iblann boies
Matthews nor Teller has a commanding lead ana
the gold Democrats. II was argued, couid ueciue
which OF the free-coinage men shoud pe noi''-
mated This gave 10 them great parsaihi"s
mower in the Convention.