The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-06-10
KENTUCKY DEMOCRATIC STATE
CONVENTION WAS SORT OF A
TREE SILVER PICNIC.
CHICAGO PLATFORM and BRYAN
Endorsed - Blackburn's Appearance
the Signal for wild Demon
strnfiOn-He Made n Speech
ON 10 to 1 Lines.


characterized today's two sessions of the
democratic state convention on all issues
except those involving the interests OF
one of the six candidates for appellate
clerk. There was a lively contest when
the election of a permanent chairman
came up over the question upon what
ballot the hindmost candidate should
begin to be dropped.
The platform adopted was, in part, as
follows:
Resolved, That we hereby reaffirm our
| independence, set forth and enumerated
in the platform adopted by the demo-
cratic party in national convention held
in Chicago, and we adopt said platform
as that of the democratic party in Ken
lucky.
"Second-That the principles adopted
and set forth in that platform are the true
PRINCIPLES of the democratic faith, and we
urge upon all the true democrats to stand
by all Of them at times and under all cir
cumstances and conditions.
'Third-We endorse the canvass made
by William j. Bryan, the nominee of the
democratic party for the presidency, in
the late election. We commend its wis
L
parties and all interests of our common
country. We recognize in him the fear
less orator and statesman and the great
champion of the peoples rights against
the money power, the mOnopolists, the
syndicates and the trusts. We pledge
him the support of the united democracy
in onr state"
The remaining half of the platform is
devoted TO a denunciatiOn of the repub-
lican state administration, to a denuncia-
ton of the practice of allowing convict
made goods to compete with that of free
labor, and to felicitatiOn of Senator
senatorial fight.
There was one dissenting vote out of
1000 on the adoption of the report.
The widest demonstration of the day
in the convention took place when Chair
man Goebel called the convention to Or
der at 2:3O, and brought to the front of
the stage the Hon. 10 Blackbur whom
he introduced as ''the gentleman who
needs no introduction to democrats"
Mr.. Blackburn, in openig his address,
said:
for clerk of the court of appeals, but that
is not all. You have another duty to per-
form. You are here to adopt a platform
that will redeem the state. The platform
has not yet been adopted, but we know
it will be an Endorsement of the Chicago
platform. After indorsing the whole, in
dorse the currency plank repeatedly. The
cornerstone of the party today is the re-
monetization of silver at the ratio of
16 to 1 without the aid of any nation"
He said the republican party of Ken
lucky has increased the burden of taxa
ton. In closing, he counseled conserva- !
tism and courage. He said that the gate
should be left wide open for the return
of every honest and misled democrat.
There are those leaders who are not
misled, who not only deserted, but in
duced others to desert.
You don't want them to return" said
he. 1.-The danger that besets democracy
in Kentucky is not discord or division,
but disintegration. The party lines have
been drawn tight enough. They did not
fight in November but through force of
habit they stole it. But next time they
can not chisel it, buy or steal it, and if
an election were held today Bryan democ-
racy would prevail"
AT the conclusion of Mr.. Blackburn's
speech ex-Congressman McCreary was in
troduced, and spoke briefly on state is
sues.
The report of the credentials commit
tee was then presented and adopted unan-
The only contest was from the
city of Louisville and Jefferson county,
and that was decided in favor the del
egates selected under the authority of
what is known as 'the new" committee.
The convention effected permanent or
ganization by electing George f. Fulton
of Nelson county permanent chairman
and James e. Stone of Breckenridge
county secretary.
Mr.. Fulton read short speech, after
which the report of the committee on res
olutions was presented and adopted, and
the next business was the nomination of
Il candidate for clerk of the appellate
court, the only nomination to be made.
The committee on resolutions introduced
a separate resolution providing that after
the twentieth ballot the hindmost man
be dropped. This aroused good deal
of opposition on the part of the weaker
candidates, but it was adopted after hav-
ing been amended so as to read after
the tenth ballot"
A recess was then taken till evening.
when eight candidates for the nominal
tion for clerk of the appellate court were
presented and balloting began at mid
night.