The Florence tribune., 1897-07-03
TO TRY AND UNITE ALL.
Object of Silver Republican conforeuoo.
From the National wwotehman.l

conference tuesday. 4 considerable number arrived early and were in con sultation with Chairman Towne, ex- Senator Dubois, Senator Pettigrew and Representatives Hartman and Jones. The headquarters of the committee were at the Leland Hotel.
 The meeting was technically one of the provisional national committee of the Silver Republican party for the pur- pose of effecting thorough organiza- tion of the party, and the call was for one representative from each State. More than thirty States were repre- sented and over hundred representa- tives were present.
 It was in no sense national corven- tion, but the conference was one of great political importance in its bearing upon the course of the silver forces in the future. The union between the various clements that made up the sil- yer forces of last year, Democrats, Populists, Silver Republicans and the so-called Silver party, was but loosely drawn, and the organization was not such as to be effective. Since then these clements have been drifting along together, in some respects mcre in harmony than during the late campaign, but not drawn together by any definite plan of action.
 The object of the Silver Republicans, as stated by Chairman Towne, is to take steps which will lead to unity of action and establish an organization that will lead to effective work. The avowed object is unity and intelligent cooperation, and the intention is to de- vote ourselves to the task of establish ing complete harmony of action be- tween the Democrats, Populists, and Silver Republicans.
 The first step toward this will be to perfect the national organization. so that our forces can be directed in a manner to cooperate with all other elements of the silver aggregation. A permanent national committee, State and county committees, will be estab- lished, and an organization made even down to election districts and pre- cincts, and the enrolment of Silver Re publicans in clubs will be secured. The object is to gather in body those silver men who are, or who have been, Republicans and who are devoted to the silver cause, without being willing to join either the Democratic or the Popu- list parties, and then so to direct their -lsrn-.kas-a as-,~ as if all the silver forces were enrolled in one party.
 Chairman Towne further said that the organization of Silver Republicans in those States most important to the contest they are making has been pro- gressing very rapidly, especially in Ohio, where a fight is to occur this coming fall. The importance of the movement, whether looked upon with friendly or unfriendly eyes, will be seen in connection with the Ohio Sen atorial fight, which is the closest at hand.
 The Silver Republicans are organiz- ing in Ohio to help the Democrats and Populists defeat Mir. Hanna and elect g silver Democrat to the Senate from Ohio.
 The object is to make fight at every point right on through until after the presidential election, four years hence, uniting on the candidate of one ele- ment or the other of the silver combina- tion in each field, so as to prevent a division of the silver strength. They want the silver candidates everywhere, whether Tor the legislature. for Con- gress, or what not, to be the con-non candidates of the allied silver parties. They will carry this principle into the fight for every United States Senator where there is any chance of silver man being elected, and into the Con gressional fight year from next fall. By this means they expect an increase in the number of silver men in the United States Senate and to capture the next House of Representatives.
 Tie Silver Republicans.will use their influence and power as moderator be- tween the various clements. Their plan will be to urge harmony and to compel it where necessary if they can. Their plan will be to place themselves into such position through the strength of their organization that they can say to both the Democrats and the Populists that they do not in- tend to fuse with one against the other, but will fuse with both, and insist that the silver forces be kept together. They disavow any intention of indepen- dent action, except to the extent of maintaining their own organization, and in the name of the cause which they represent to throw the weight of their disapproval upon any faction in