The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-11-21
AN EARLY CONVENTION
WILL. DOUBTLESS MEET IN MAY
OR 1t'NE,
EFFECT OF HIGH PRICES ON CAMPAIGN
A Probable Result Of Trusts, Not Shared IN Pro
potionately BY the MegNegmea, Bureau
ofiRfoFmatoa and saaeetien 10
be 0rgaaized

Chicago ILL.,, Noy> ~ The nemoerat-
ic National Executive ConalAsates with
Chairman j, X. JONES in the chair, spent
most of to-day at the Sherman House
discussing mattvr> pertaining 70 or
ganization. ways aad means and the
administrative affairs of the orgamiza-
tion The committee viii meet tonor-
row. and it is expected will get through
with the business on hand before night.
Nothing was said about a meeting of
the National Committee, bur 1t Is the
opinion of most of the executive COM
mitteemen that the full committee will
lie called to meet in Washington Feb
rllary 22d. aud that the next Democrat
ic convention viii be held in the latter
part of May or the first part of June.
Senator Jones would say nothing
about calling the meeting.
The committeeman were extremely
uncommunicative as to what was done
ut the meeting. Secretary Charles a.
Walsh said the committee had trans
acted no business of interest or impor-
rance. and only considered administra-
tive affairs. After the meeting had adj
journed. however. some of the commit
teemen continued the discussion of the
probable situation next year They dis
closed the fact that a considerable part
of the committees time had been devot-
ed to discussing the probable offset of
high prices ON the campaign of 1910.
1t is the purpose of some of the COM
mitteemen to organize bureau of in
formation and education, whose duty
il shall be to gather accurate informa-
Ti0n relating to trusts. cost of mlnufac-
turing, selling prices to jobbers and
middlemen. selling prices to consumers,
wages paid and cost of raw material.
They believe they will be able to show
that the present high prices are the
result of trusts and combinations and
that working men have been given but a
small proportion of the increse in sell
ing values.
The idea has assumed such tangible
form that it is predicted w. I'll. (Coin)
Harvey will be placed at the head of the
bureau. None of the committeeman
would admit this matter had been dis
clrssed. 1t is proposed to employ n
large staff of men to gather information
which can be used in an antitrust cam
paign There did not seem to be any
disposition to shelve free silver as an
issue all the committeeman said free
coinage was in the platform to stay,
but none of them said it would be the
dominant issue Congressman William
Snzer. of New York. appeared before
the committee. He said trusts would
be the issue in the East. james +.
Minturn. of New Jersey, told the COM
mittee practically the same thing. SEN
ator Pettigrew, of South Dakota, and
Charles A. Towne, of Duluth, both of
them silver Republicans, told the COM
mittee that free silver Was s.ll live
issue in their States.
The members of the executive COM
mittee in attendance today We're Sena-
tor T. X Jones. of Arkansas, Chair
man: Charles Walsh. Secretary: J. G..
Johnston. Kansas: Fl. -. Clayton, Ala
balna: Thomas Gahan. Illinois: j. G..
Shanklin, Indiana; ID. J. Campau. Mich
igan: w III. Thompson, Nebraska; L.
u. O'Brien, Minnesota and Norman
I. Mack of Buffalo, who held the proxy
of George Fred Williams. Of Massa-
chtlsetts.
Vice Chairman w. J. Stone, of Mis-
souri,. was the conspicuous absentee. He
sent a telegram which said he was sick
and would not he able to come to Chi
cago. Among the prominent outsiders"
who called on the committee We're l.. A.
RoSing Chairman of the Minnesota
State Committee: Il. ID. Chively. Of
South Be1,d, Ind; Congressman w. ID.
Davis. of New York; Allen w Clark
Of Indiana. and DIR. L. ]. Van Boris,
of Indianapolis.
Ex-Governor John p. Altgeld called
on Senator Jones during the day and
met with a warm reception. Mayor
Harrison di1 not cali on Senator Jones.
congressman Sulzer, of New York,
called on Mayor Harrison to solicit his
influence toward getting the Democratic
Congressman from Illinois to vote for
him for the leadership of the minority
in the House of Representatives
James f. Minturn. of New Jersey,
asked the committee to help the Bryan
Democrats of his State. He said the
Democratic Committee of New Jersey
did not have the confidence Of the Chi
cago platform Democrats and that some
of the members had voted the Republican
ticket He wanted w. j. Bryan to
visit New Jersey and help straighten
OIL innings.
There was strong feeling among the
committeeman present i'll favor of hold
ing the national convention earlier in the
wear than has been the custom hereto
fore A number of the committee ex-
pressed themselves as bing in favor of
holding the convention in April or May,
preferably the latter month. A strong
delegation was present from Milwau-
kee to press the claims of that city
and the Wisconsin men did some very
energetic lobbying during the day
No delegation was present frcm any
other city. 1t was not within the pro
vince of the Executive Committee to
take any action regarding the conyen'
ton. but it was freely admitted that
the offers of all expenses paid and a
bonus Of $4,000 to the campaign fund
which had been made by Kansas City