New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-22
HOW ~GOLD PLANK WAS DRAWN.
STATEMENTS CoNFIRMAToRY OF MR.
KoHLsAATs ACCOUNT BY H. c. PAYNE
SENATORS HANNA AND PROC
MERRIAM.
TOR, AND w. r. MERRIAM.

Washington Dec Ex-senator Foraker pup
ushed some time ago n long article concerning
the origin and adoption OF the gold plank AT
the Republican National Convention Of 1896. IN
which he maintained that the plank was pre-
nared nv the Committee on Resolutions, OF whlch
ne was chairman after much discussion and out
Of diverse materials. H. II. Kohlsaat, EDITOR Oh
The Chicago Times Herald published an al
ticle in reply in which he asserted that the goid
plank" was framed by the friends OF Governor
Mckinley at a conference held In Mr.. hanna
room AT the Southern Hotel, four days oeiore
the meeting Of the convention and therefore long
before Mr. Foraker was elected either member
or chairman OF the Committee on Resolutions
Mr. Kohlsaat asserted. furthermore. that there
were present at this conference Mr.. Hanna
Henry C. PAYNE. Senator Proctor Myron T.
Herrick Ex-Governor Merriam NJ. E. Stone and
himself and that the gold plank prepared by
them was submitted to various Republican lead
ers and also TO the Committee Resolutions
by which It was adopted with minor changes OF
phraseology. and presented to the convention
The following statements by Messrs Hanna
Payne Merriam and Proctor furnish an I'M
pcrtant contribution to the history OF the gold
plank:
The original draft Of the so-called gold
".
II was the subject Of earnest consideration at
the hands of Mr.. Hanna, Myron I. Herrick ana
myself who were in ST. Louis some ten Gays
before the meeting Of the convention and close
~ associated in guarding the interests or Gov
ernor Mckinley. After many informal discus
sions the plank intrusted TO me FOR the
purpose Of drafting a substitute for the orgl-
nal, and several substitutes were so drawn anu
discussed soon Governor Merriam, OF Mime
sofa and Senator Proctor. Of Vermont joined
this informal committee Of Governor Mckinney
friends who were cndeGvorins 10 phrase this
particular feature of the coming platform. Many
changes were made In phraseology ana prom
ably dozen different forms were discussed at
the various meetings. until at the meeting on
Friday morning l submitted the text or the
gold plank which was substantially the one
finally adopted by the convention. AT that
meeting Mr. Kohlsaat, who had arrived IN ~.
Louis that morning. present, ana was
strenuously insistent upon a plain, unequivocal
declaration for the gold standard, ana MS IN
sistence did much to end any division OF sentl-
ment which might have previously obtained
among the friends Of Governor Mckinley as to
the wisdom OF tie course.
A COPY Of the resolution thus agreed upon
was shown on Friday to the Hon. Joseph IL.
Manley of Maine and Governor w. Murray
Crane. OF Massachusetts. who were at the CON
vention in the interest Of Speaker Reed, and II
also submitted TO Senator Lodge OF Massa-
chusetts and Senator Platt, Of New-Iork, VINO
all gave 1t their unqualified approval
The resolution agreed upon was given TO
Myron T. Herrck, Of Cleveland, who tele-
Governor Mckinley. which was soon obtained,
and then copy was given to Governor Mer-
riam who had been selected as member or the
Committee Resolutions, and he was author-
ICED TO say to that committee that the resolu-
ton as presented by him had been drawn by
immediate and responsible friends Of Governor
Mckinley and approved by him. ana 10 ask
that Il be adopted by the committee.
HENRY c. PAYNE
have carefully read the foregoing account OF
the origin Of the gold plank" adopted by the
Republican National Convention at St Louis
in 1896 and l find II correct In addition 10 the
facts brought out in IT, / wish to add that other
Republicans were earnest and influential IN
their advocacy of gold declaration among
them Robert W. Patterson, the Illinois member
u ''' o0'''''"''ee NJ. A. HANNA.
The foregoing statement accords with my rec
election of the facts The copy OF the resolution
referred TO was given to me. and submitted It
TO the Committee on Resolutions. Previously
thereto I showed a copy Of the plank TO Senator
Foraker, Senator Platt, Of New YORK, ana SEN
ator Lodge and conferred with them about u,
w r. MERRIAM.
was consulted about the financial plank Of
the St Louis platform by Mr.. Payne and others
five or six days previous to the meeting or the
convention. ! remember the conference which
took place Friday morning in one or Mr..
Hanna's rooms at the Southern Hotel There
were present Messrs. Payne, Merriam, Herrick'
Kohlsaat Stone and myself Mr.. Hanna was
in and out occasionally, but gave the matter
little attention, as ne was more Interested III
making a President than the platform for him
TO stand on. He however. expressed himself as
ready to agree 20 anything we formulated, and
did agree to IL at the close OF our work. Mr..
Kohlsaat had just arrived in town, and was very
active and earnest for the gold standard, and his
forceful insistence came at an opportune mo-
ment for settling the matter in the right way.
l was surprised TO find some Of the Western
men so strong for gold OF course. substantial
ly all Eastern Republicans would favor II, but
the credit OF leadns IN the matter belongs to
the Western men ] have named. 1t was known
that Senator Foraker was TO be chairman OF
the Committee on Resolutions, and the plank
was shown TO him and met his full approval.
1t submitted to President Mckinley by
wire and received his approval. 1t was also
shown to the different delegations, but especially
to those delegates who were to be appointed on
the Committee on Resolutions. and IL was known
very that Il would meet with the approval
of a good majority Of the committee.
REDFIELD PROCTOR.
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