Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-05-26
THE DEMOCRATS
Laying Their Plans for Next
Presidential Campaign.
Meeting at ChicagO--Bryan Seems
Satisfied With Situation.
Makes Speech at Banquet in Which He De.
uounces the trusts.

committee were present NHtH Ilr CpIiI-
mittee went into secret session. today
Ex-Gov. Stone of Missouri. presided
Mr. J. Bryan was introduced and made
q short address. urging the members
to look closely after the organization
in their states and suggesting that
strong efforts be made to provide q
campaign fund for the coming cam
paign.
The fight of the Illinois Democrats
against Editor DaVlin of the National
Committee press bureau, was then
brought up by Committeeman Gahan
OF Illinois, who made a vigorous speech,
claiming that Davlin had acted against
the regular Democratic organization III
Illinois, and that he should be removed.
A motion was carried appointing a
committee Of three to investigate the
Davlin matter and report to Chairman
Jones upon his return from abroad.
During the afternoon session, the
same line of discussion as that which
had ruled during the morning was tax
en- up and after the resources Of the
party for the next campaign had beeu
gone over thoroughly the motion oi
Committeeman Gahan Of lllOnOis, haN-
ing for its object the removal of Editor
DaVlin of the press bureau. of the ma
tonal committee, again came M. The
committee appointed at the morning
session To investigate the row in llli-
nois was completed by the appoint
ment Of Woodson of Kentucky, and an
amendment To the resolution Of Mr.
Gahan which was judged a trifie war
like was offered. declaring II the duty
Of the committee to confer with CHAIR
man Jones, with view to compromis-
ing the trouble.
A committee Of five on press matters
was appointed, its members being
Howell Of Georgia. Daniels of North
Carolina, Troup of Connecticut. Wood
son of kentucky, and Stone Of Mis-
souri,
1t was declared the sense Of the meet
ing that it was advisable that a regu-
lar meeting of the national committee
should be held in the near future and
Committeeman Stone was instructed
10 request Chairman Jones to call tha
meeting for July 20. in Chicago.
Messrs. Stone of Missouri, and Walsh
of Iowa. was appointed a committee
to draft bylaws for the committee to
be submitted at the next meeting in
Chicago.
Notice was received that H. II. Fer
guson of New Mexico, had been an-
pointed a member of the national COM
mittce in the place Of Z. \. ManzIr-
ares, resigned. The Democratic state
committee of Massachusetts, sent word
that it had removed John w. Corcoran
as national committeeman and ap-
pointed George T. Williams Of Ded-
ham. Mass. in his place.
A large number of letters and telc-
grams We're received during the day
from prominent Democrats il all see
tions of the country expressing sym
pathy with the meeting ana many of
them urging adherence to The Chicago
platform.
MIR BRYAN said al the conclusion Of
the conference: II am satisfied that
great good has come from this meeting
ana that the Democracy VIII he in q
better position to make the fight in the
coming election than it has ever been.
Ii was not designed that any action
should be taken at this meeting. IL
was called for the sole purpose of get
ting an insight into the conditions IL
the different states and urging thoSr
that have in any way allowed their or
ganizatiOn 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 plat
form, it is too early to discuss. but !
am sure of one thing and that is that
silver shall not be relegated out %
sight 1t is an issue that has come tu
stay and the people will not allow it u
be put in the back ground"
Ex-GOv. Altgeld expressed view
similar to those Of Mr.. Bryan and said
that the fight against MIR. Devlin was
ridiculous. Notwithstanding the state
ments of Mr.. Bryan and Mr.. Altgeld, il
cannot be gainsaid that there is {
strong undercurrent of feeling amon-
the members Of the national commit
tee that silver should not be given Tho
exceedingly prominent place that i
held in the last campaign. 1t may bt
one of the leading features of the plat
form but they declare openly that the!
think that there are other things thai
should be given as much importance il
the declarations of the party as silver
and one of these that finds the mos
favor with them is "Anti-trust."
At 6.45 this evening the caterers di
rection bell rang. the band struck VI
The Stars and Stripes Forever" al
army of walters laden with viandS ap
peared and the mammoth Democratic
Antitrust banquet was on, while tn,
14i5 banQueterS seated at the table:
broke into Il tremendous cheer. risini
in a body and waving small hand flags
The vast arena of the Coliseum wa
filled with long tables tastefully decor
ated with roses. lilies of the valley ant
carnations. The table of honor wa
placed on raised platform at tn
north side of the arena and at il wer
seated Hon. w. j. Bryan. Ex-Goy
John p. Altgeld. O. H. p Belmont. NJ
c. Wetmore, Harry b. Hawes. presi
dent of the jefferson Club. unde
whose auspices the banquet was given
Hon. Champ Clark, Hon. David 4
Dearmond and a number of othe
prominent Democrats
The Coliseum was decorated through
out with flags and in the center 9
these was fixed a large silver shield
The dinner was concluded at s o'cIocl
No speeches We're made during th
banquet. 1t was strictly a love feas
By the time the tables We're cleared til