The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1899-05-31

Hold an Important Conference
in st. Louis.

St. Louis, MAY 26.-When the confer
ence of members of the democratic ma
tional committee adjourned Thursday
afternoon at 5 so o'clock it had taken no
action regarding the policy of the party
in the coming presidential campaign,
and planks for the platform were not
even discussed. The meeting from first
to last was one of discussion regarding
methods of work of next year and the
ways and means by which this work
could best be accomplished. All MEM
bers were urged TO see that the organ
states is perfected as much as possible,
and ali preparations be made for the
fight. The matters of antitrust"
''anti-imperialism' and silver were not
touched upon. No action was taken
regarding them and no recommends
lions were made. The next meeting of
the conference will probably be held
in Chicago on July 20, and Chairman
Jones, of the national committee, has
been asked TO call a formal meeting
for that date. 1t is expected that at
this meeting definite action will be
taken and the question of what is to be
the rallying cry of the democracy in
the fall of 1899 will be determined.
Those present at the meeting were:
Henry D. Clayton, OF Alabama, who
acted as proxy for Committeeman Tom
GnSon, of that state: Thomas c. McRae,
of Arkansas: T. J. O'Donnen, proxy for
Wilson Adair, of Colorado; ]. K. Oil, proxy
e. ~ s11x- 7f1ky-
Troup. Connecticut; Thomas Gahan, Hi
nois: John G. Shanklin, Indiana; c. A.
Walsh, Iowa; ]. G. Johnson, Kansas; Trey
Woodson, Kentucky; W. B. Sullivan, Mis-
sissippi; W. ]. Stone, Missouri; W. V. B.
Thompson, Nebraska; Josephus Daniels,
North Carolina: j. NJ. Guffy, Pennsyl-
wanna; ]. NJ. Head, Tennessee; ]. G. Dud-
ley, Texas; P. j. Otey, Virginia; John 7.
McGraw, West Virginia; w. n. Holiday,
Wyoming; Thomas Marcum, Indian Ter
ritory. William ]. Bryan acted as proxy
for ]. NJ. Woods, of South Dakota, during
the time that he was in the meeting.
Gov. Stone stated the object of the
meeting as set out in the call. He was
then elected chairman. Mr.. Walsh was
in his place as secretary.
After the committee had been in ses-
sion an hour, Mr.. Bryan was introduced
and made a short address urging the
members to look closely after the or
CARNATIONS in their states, and sug-
costing that strong efforts be made to
provide a campaign fund for the COM
ing campaign.
The fight of the Illinois democracy
against Editor Devlin, of the national
committee press bureau, was then
brought up by Committeeman Gahan,
of Illinois. He made vigorous speech,
claiming that Devlin had acted against
the regular democratic organization in
Illinois. and that he should be removed.
A motion was carried appointing COM
mittee of three to investigate the Dew
lin matter and report to Chairman
Jones upon his return from abroad.
1t was declared the sense of
the meeting that it was advisa-
BILE that a regular meeting of
the national committee should be
held in the near future, and Com
mitteeman Stone, who acted as the pre-
siding officer of the meeting, was in
structed to so notify Chairman Jones
and request him to call the meeting
for July 20 in Chicago. Messrs. Stone,
of Missouri, and Walsh. of Iowa. were
appointed a committee to draft by
laws for the committee to be submitted
at the next meeting in Chicago.
A large number of letters and tele-
grams were received during the day
from prominent democrats in all sec
tons of the country expressing SYM
pathy with the meeting, and many of
them urging adherence to the Chicago
platform.
Mr. Bryan said at the conclusion of
the conference:
81 am satisfied that great good has come
from this meeting and that the democracy
will be in better position to make the
fight in the coming election than it has ever
been. 1t was not designed that any action
should be taken at this meeting. 1t was
called for the sole purpose Of getting an
insight into the conditions in the different
states and urging those that have in any
way allowed their organization to lapse
from what it should be to get to work at
once with the object of putting matters
into the best condition before the serious
work Of next year. What action will be
taken by the democracy regarding its
platform it is too early to discuss, but 1 am
sure of one thing, and that is that silver
will not be relegated out of sight. It can
not be. II is an issue that has come to stay
and the people will not allow it to be put
in the background"
EX-Goy. Altgeld expressed views SIM
liar to those of Mr.. BRYAN