Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-08-16
DEMOCRATS OF IOWA.
Assemble At Des Moines to
Nominate State
Ticket.
LARGEST ATTENDANCE IN YEARS

Hon. Cato Sells Makes q Stirring Address
Highly EuIogistic of Bryan-wIthdrawaI
From the Field of GubernatorIaI Candi-
dates-Those Who Are Likely to be the
Nominees.
Des Moines, Aug. 16.-The state
democratic convention opened this
morning at IL. Every county was
represented. for the first time in five
years. After calling the convention
to order Chairman Fred Townsend, of
Abba, introduced Hon. Cato Sells, of
Benton, as temporary chairman.
There was considerable interest over
what the speaker would say in regard
to silver His position in the cam
paign of '9S had created distrust
among ultra-silverites. His speech
was a disappointment to silver demo-
Gratis and populists, for the reason
that he failed to mention the ratio OF
16 to l.
S. Morrissy, of Shelby, was chosen
secretary.
Hon. Cato Sells. the temporary
chairman, said in part:
Just what the democratic national
platform of 1900 will contain do not
know, but firmly believe that it will
be along the lines of the last plat
form, with such an indictment of the
Mckinley regime for it's mal-adminis-
tration, class preferment and uncon-
stitutional conduct as to insure the
support of every citizen who has been
or wants to be Jeffersonian demo-
crat. And / sincerely hope that no
democratic convention will subject
itself to the Round Robin charge of
censorship, but that all will be re-
spected in the expression of. and con-
tention for, an honest conviction, and
that when the national convention has
spoken the will of the majority will
be acauiesced in by reunited and
Irresistible democratic party, and thus
make certain the supremacy and con-
stquent prosperity of the liberty-loV-
ing, law abiding, home building and
industrious masses over the now IA
yored classes who, for selfish purposes,
advocate or tolerate the prostitution
of the executive, legislative powers of
the government. the federal constitu-
tion. Monroe doctrine and declaration
of independence.
"Bimetallism is as much funda-
mental principle of democracy as
equality of rights, and this conyen-
ton would betray the party should it
fail to declare for the reinstatement
of silver to it's legitimate place in the
nations monetary system. But the
Mckinley administration has de-
veloped conditions which, were they
to become operative, would forever
overthrow all democratic principles
and make it of but little importance
what kind of monetary system pre-
walls in the country. The very fact
that the republicans are determined,
if possible, to smother the question
of protection. trusts, imperial coloni-
zation. militarism, foreign alliance
and kindred issues, is a sufficient rea-
son WHY the democracy should not
permit them to hide these burning
questions. Our republican friends
will have ample opportunity with the
cry of cheap money and 'debauched
currency to attempt TO make silver
.bogy man. but they will never be
able again to deceive the people as
they did in 1896. They are up to-
other issues as well as the money
question, and viii have to meet and
answer them on every stump in Iowa,
and the more they try to avoid. dodge
or duck the more aggressively Will
democracy drive such issues home
and push them to the front Ihey
have made the new issues, are re-
sponsibie for them and must meet
them squarery, or desert the field and
take the consequences
Crisis In National Life.
I'VE have reached crisis in our
national life. The declaration of in
dependence, federal constitution and
Monroe doctrine are being devoured
by avaricious cannibals. The money