The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-07-25

WIZ IlldOc SuCII ~UcIl1StIcII dSSCl IaoLo
last night failed to make them good to-
day. Not a single warlike note was
sounded and no defiances were uttered
either by the men who demand that
<'16 to u shall be the rallying cry in
the next campaign or by those who OPP
pose it's adoption.
The only move looking toward recog-
milton Of the silver men by the ma
xtional committee was during the af-
Nernoon, III the Ohio Valley Bime-
rallic League was admitted to the CON-
4 mittee room and James P. Tarvin, of
Kentucky, acting as spokesman, read
the resolutions adopted by the COM
mittee at their meeting early in the
day at the Palmer house.
These resolutions demanded that
planks be inserted in the next demo-
cratic platform, opposing trusts, OPP
posing imperialism" and adhering to
the silver ratio Of "16 to l." And along
these lines we offer you our aid" said
Mr.. Tarvin. There was a defiant accent
upon the WORD these that seemed to
imply that the support Of the bimet-
allists could be secured along no other
lines than those marked out, but of this
the committee took no notice. The
Bimetallic League was cOurteously
thanked for it's proffer of assistance
and assured that it would be called
upon at such times as the national
committee felt in need of it's assistance.
That was the beginning n ending Of
the silver episode.
The fight against z. j. DeVlln, editor
of the press bureau of the national
committee, was brought to a finish, the
Harrison faction of Illinois securing
hi1 Innncitinn fnp tho mort tokQn hU
him as an officer of the national com,
mittee in the last mayoralty cleo ion
in Chicago.
Beyond making several changes in
the rules governing the committee
nothing else was done during the day.
The section of the rules which pre-
scribed the formation of the national
committee, was amended so as to per-
NIT the election of a vice chairman to
act when the chairman is nable to be
present.
THE FRACTIONAL FIGHT.
T. The fight between the Illinois fac
- ton began as soon as Mr.. Bryan arriv-
, ed in the city, which was s o'clock in
the morning. He was Immediately be-
/ set by men of both sides, the Altgeld
faction asking him to be at the meet
ing tonight without fail, and the Har-
risOn men asking him that he remain
away from the auditorium altogether.
Mr.. Bryan was in a delimma and for a
long time would not declare himself
He said that he had accepted the invi-
tation for the meeting, n that there
was no apparent reason why he should
decline at the last moment at the de-
mand of a political faction hostile to
hat which had invited him to the city.
At the same time he expressed himself
as being anxious to avoid anything that
would create further friction, and, as
a remedy, proposed that the Altgeld
people turn over the control of the
meeting to the national committee. Mr..
Altgeld was personally willing that this
5hould be done, but the majority of
his adherents, who are bitter against
the Harrison men, refused to agree to
anything of the kind.
AS soon as the Harrison men heard
that there was opposition to the plan
in the Altgeld camp they openly cham
pioned the placing of the meeting I'M
der the control of the national commit
tee. The arguments on both sides were
hot and fierce, for several hours, and
there seemed to be no chance of a set
Element.
The large majority of the members
of the national committee declared
themselves as being opposed to having
anything to do with the meeting in
anyway. They maintained that they
had a fight before the mmitt at
hat moment born of the outraged
feelings of the Harrison faction, be-
cause it believed that the national
committee had taken part in a local
= matter without good reason, and they
were disposed to keep their hands out
~ the present fight.
Finally Mr.. Altgeld sent word to
Mr.. Bryan that if he considered his
attendance at the meeting would m
barrass him he could feel at perfect
liberty to remain away. The meeting
oil 80 n 1AVr uithnIIt hin ThiC rp=-
sage was declared by he ltgeld peo-
pie to be one Of simple courtesy to Mr..
Bryan, but the Harrison men declaT-
ed that it was a message or sarcasm
which meant that if Mr.. Bryan was
afraid to keep his word to address the
his presence.
BRYAN ATTENDS THE ALTGELD
MEETING.
1t was late in the afternoon before
Mr.. Bryan made up his mind to attend
the meeting, the Harrison people, who
were in good humor over the defeat OF
Devlin before the committee,
ing that he might attend the meeting
without causing any hostility to him
self in the Harrison camp. This mes
sage, however, had nothing to do with
the intention reached by Mr.. Bryan re-.
garding the meeting, for he had de-
,cfded to attend before it reached him.
THE COMMITTEE MEETS.
When the national committee came
to order in the club room of the Sher-
man House at II o'clock all the states
were represented either by proxy or by
their regular committeeman, with the
exception of North Dakota, Oregon,
Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia
and Arizona.
Mr.. Bryan held proxies for Michigan
and South Dakota and was present
throughout the meetings of the COM
mittee. although he did not take an ac-
tive part in the proceedings. Ex-Gov-
ernor Altgeld was offered the proxy OF
) Committeeman White, of Washington,
but declined it, and Willis ]. Abbott, of
| New York, asked for that state. Mayor
Harrison held the proxy for Alaska,
blu did not attend either session of
the committee.
Mr.. Cox. the head Of the delegation