The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-10-17
CHAIRMAN JONES
GIVES HIS POSITION
Believes State Conventions Should En-
dOrSe Chicago Platform.
LETTER TO Mr.. T0MLlNS0N
4 Feature at the Meeting Of the b.
metallic League.
THIRTY NEW MEMBERS ELECTED
Because Mr.. Jones' Had Refused to Let Stale
Committee Make Platform It Was
Alleged He Was Opposed to
the Silver Issue.
HIRTY NEW MEMBERS ELECTED

AT al meeting of the Jefferson County
Bimetallic League last night STRONG
letter was read from Chairman Jones of
the national democratic committee.
The letter was the feature of the
meeting. It defined the position of the
chairman of the national committee ON
political topic which has been much
discussed in Alabama of late. He thinks
democratic state conventions should en-
dorse the Chicago platform.
The meeting of the club was very
enthusiastic one and thirty new men,
beers were elected. J. C. Carmfkel was
elected president, L. J. Haley, secretary,
ard the following vice-presfdents were
chosen: DIR. Or. S. Green, r. H. Fries,
HI. P. Blmress, J. w. Toniinson, john
Pugh.
A letter was received from Hon.
William J. Bryan accepting an invitation
to speak In Birmingham and the date
will be fixed later.
Before reading the letter from Mr..
Jones', Mr.. Tomlinson said: -.
81 have letter from Senator James
K. Jones, chairman of the national
democratic executive committee, which
may be of interest to the members of
cur organization and to the democrats
of the State.
"You recall THAT the gold CIR bust pa
pers of the state, a few weeks ago,
claimed (some directly, Others Inherent
ially) That Chairman Jones was no longer
in favor of making silver the issue.
These same papers insinualted that he
was in favor of our not declaring for
silver in our next state platform in Ala
bama.
II knew very we'll that the man with
whom 1 worked fer the silver cause ON
the democratic national silver committee,
during the days leading UP to the tri-
umph of the cause ait Chicago, was for
fighting for silver. as is every earnest
silver man all along THE vine.
81 knew very well THAT merely be-
cause he ruled that an executive COM
mittee did not have authority ito make
a platform because an executive commit
tea in New York put out a ticket with
out a platformfi The was not as come
commended in favor of states, when as
semblejd in democratic convention, not
declaring on national ISSUES"
MIR. Tomlinson then read the letter
which is as follows:
washington, d. c., Oct. Ii, 1897.
Hon. John w. Tomlinson, Birmingham,
Ala!
MY Dear Sir:-Your letter, enclosing
clippings, received. I regret that my
absence from the city has prevented my
receiving them earlier. The republican
papers and their allies, the gold press,
are constantly discovering that the "sil-
yer craze is Lead This Is just as well
founded as their discoveries that I and
other democrats do not consider bimet-
allsm as amy longer the issue. Misrep-
TtStIlIdJfOH OI pdillCS anu
men, has been their favorite method
since the contest began, and I have no
doubt that it will continue until they
are crushed.
The campaign was opened last year
with vigorous charges on all sides that
we were anarchists" "incendiaries' and
'revolutionists;" that we recklessly dis
regard all authorities and presidents,
etc, etc, lad nauseum," and every incl
dent which could be imagined or manu-
factured to sustain their charges was
gladly magnifed and circulated all over
the country. And I am sure that tlmid
men were Influenced by these menda-
cious charges, and either failed to sup
port, or actually went to the other side.
To avoid the least appearance of founda-