The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-12-25
IT is STILL THE MAIN ISSUE.

l =. -
Chicago. December 2o.--(Staff Special -
Senator Lee Mantle OF Montana. iornel
| republican and ono OF the Western deie-
gates Tho, With senator Henry NJ. Teller
at their head walked out OF the republican
! National convention in st. Louis In levo
! when Il was evident that 1t was conmitteh
10 the policy OF gold monometallism, waa
In this city Monday evening on his way 70
Washington. MIR. Mantle is sincere De-
I lover In the principle OF bimetaliism rs
4 weil as In the ultimate triumph at the
/ rolie of this principle, and 1t was tnefe-
| fore with considerable interest that l u.s.
| tened TO his answer when he was asked
what effect, do you think, the late
elections have had on the silver question
Replying deliberately. the senator saia
ut Is idle to deny that the recent ehc-
tons. throughout the West at least wors
| distinct disappointment to silver people,
| and while hope the silver question VIII
be the dominant issue in 1900, I am not
| certain of It, The silver republicans ana
sincere populsts OF the West have been
led to believe that the leaders Of the dem
ocratic party wre gradually dropping tho
silver issue and that when 1900 fad ar
rived that plank of the platform OF asso
would be shelved. Hence, owing to this
belief. the democratic majoritiee In tho
West showed a falling off In comparison
with those Of 1896"
While thinking over this view Of the re-
suit as taken by Senator Mantle, | hap
| pened to run across Ex-Governor William
j. Stone OF Missouri who was Just enter
ing the Unity building. There is no other
man, perhaps, more competent to define
the tenets OF democracy than he, ana
FASTENED to greet him.
An inquiry as to the occasion Of his visit
to Chicago at this time elected this an
sSer'
~ came to Chicago this morning, first.
to attend the dinner given this evening to
delegates attending the National Guard
convention, and, secondly, to confer with
Governor Altgeld and Mr.. Harvey about
the work of our ways aud means commit
tee, now engaged IN raising funds by pop
ular subscription with which to prosecute
tie campaign In favor of timetallism and
against plutocratic rule in this country"
Upon learning the position taken by Sem
ator Mantle on the results of the late cleo
tions. Governor Stone snid:
Il do not agree with Senator Mantle. 1
do not believe that any democrat leader
| or democrat of prominence has ever con-
ueinplated for one moment the dropping of
the silver issue. so-called. The financial
plank OF the Chicago platform was right
and it will stand. There was nothing in
the hast election to discourage democrats.
Under all the peculiar circumstances of the
last campaign | think we have most excel
lent reason to be satisfied with the result.
II the silver republicans and popuiists have
been misled as to the attitude of the dem
ocratic party on the silver issue, 1T could
only have been through some Of the many
false statements made by the gold press
of the country.
And while am on this subject Of mis-
leading statements in gold standard papers
let ME say that since the ways and means
x. Jones and our work was commenced,
with Mr.. w. II. Harvey at Its head.
great many falsehoods have been tele-
graphed over the country and published
il numerous papers about members OF the
committee ana about the purposes and
work OF the committee. 1t has been stated,
and the statement has been persistently re-
iterated in the face of positive denial that
/ had entered into plot with 2tchard
Croker of the New York Tammany society
and others to have the next National DEM
ocratic convention repudiate the Chicago
platform, and do divers other dreadful
things. Now, as Il matter of fact, never
saw Mr.. Croker in my life and have never
had any communication with him. If
should ever have any occasion to see Mr..
Croker, or, in fact, any ether man, l Shall
undoubtedly see him, but so far as l know
/ shall have no occasion 10 see him, and
1 am now on my way East All these sto-
ries are unmixed rot, concocted only to
create dissensions amongst the rank and
flo Of our party.
'Other stories of plots and conspiracies
have been sent out about other members of
the committee as baseiess and false as
those told of ME. For instance, 1t is said
that Mr.. Harvey, the general manager of
the ways and means committee, is person.
ally appropriat!ng certain per cent OF the
money subscribed In response TO our ap-
peal. As a matter of fact he has not re-
ceived one cent, but has given his SER |
vices free. No per cent OF the proceeds |
would be accepted by him, nor would we |
insult him by offering him such an ar |
rangement So far even the necessary ex-
penses Of our work have been borne out of |
funds raised separately for that purpose. |
1t may become necessary In future to use |
small part of the fund to carry on the /
work, but that Is a matter for the COM
mittee to determine. The difficult and dis
work upon which this COMMITTEES
is engaged has been undertaken at the re-
quest of Senator Jones. the National chair.
man, because. and only because 1t In abso-
lutely necessary work to be done by some.
body. 1t Is labor Of love, done without
hone or desire Of raword and -, - |