Omaha daily bee., 1898-12-21
FREE SILVER A DEAD ISSUE
Iowa Democrats Practically Eliminate I
from Their Platform.
FINANCIAL FOLLY RELOCATED TO ReAF
Bryan's Name Fails to Stir the Hawk
eye BOurbOns. who Will PIN
Their Faith to n New
Greed in 1000.

DIES MONIES, Dec. 2O.-(special Tele-
gram.)-The democratic leaders held a state
conference in this city today and discussed
principles which will be developed as issues
In the campaign next year. The meeting
was the largest Of it's character held by the
democrats since 1896. The 16 to / issue
will be practically eliminated in the next
state platform, an endorsement of the Chi
cago platform being buried beneath a mass
of other Issues, and the ratio declaration
will be treated merely as a suggestion.
Fusion with the free silver republicans and
populists was condemned and will not be
effected this next fall. Iowa democrats have
apparently lost their reverence for Bryan
as an apostle Of democracy. AT the con-
ference the name Of Bryan was mentioned
by but one speaker. +. G.. Yeomans of
Eagle Grove, in a fiery speech on behalf
Of 16 to 1, g%lorifed the .Nebraskan as the
leader OF the democratic party, but the elo-
quence Of Mr.. Yeomans failed to enthuse
his audience. Though no formal action, was
taken upon the matter, q number Of prbmi-
nent party leaders advised that the Iowa
democracy take no action relative to Mr..
Bryan's candidacy and leave the future to
develop nominees for the presidential cam
paign. The proposed legislation retiring the
Il 6iSSuudChS WILL De opposed ana DE MADE
the war issue. The party will also oppose
the policy OF expansion and declare against
an increase in the standing army. State
issues, especially the liquor question, will
be given prominence. A local option plank
will be adopted.
The meeting was inspired by Ex-Governor
Horace Boies Of Waterloo and was virtually
a victory for his financial views as expressed
last spring. Representatives of the free
silver republicans at the conference stated
that that party would hold no state con-
vention this coming year and that the entire
party organization would enter the demo-
cratic ranks. The peoples party will hold
a convention, simply to maintain it's stand
Ing in the national organization. The dis
banding of that organization. it was feared,
would result in a victory of the "middle-of-
the-road' populists, who would be able to
make claims to being the only populists.
The convention will be a very perfunctory
sort Of an affair, however, and the popu-
lists generally have been pledged to the
democratic party.
Final hearing on the application for the
establishment Of joint rates between local
points on Iowa railroads has been postponed
until January II by the Board Of Railroad
Commissioners. e. e. Carpenter of Beloit.
representing tu0 TOTt Arthur export COM
pany, and his attorney, ex-Railroad Com
missioner F. T. Campbell of this city, ap-
peared before the commission on Tuesday
to ask that joint rates be established be-
tween Blanchard. on the Omaha & st. Louis
road; Lester. on the Sioux City & Northern,
and Hull, on the Chicago, Milwaukee & st.
Paul railroads. Rates are asked on wheat.
oats, corn and potatoes going south and
lumber going north. TRAFFIC Manager Bird
appeared for the Milwaukee and his evil
dence was taken. Mr.. Carpenters evidence
was also taken. BY the three roads named
the rate on wheat from Perkins to Blanch-
ard was said by him to be 1928 cents for
a distance Of 23O miles; the rate from Per-
kins to Chicago, $50 miles, is 25 cents. The
former is the total Of the local rates. A
lower joint rate is asked Of the railroad
commission. Representatives Of all the roads
in northern Iowa were present.