The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-22
'lHO WROTE GOLD PLlNEl
a Namber Of Prominent Republican
Leaders Tell OF the Cireum-
stances Under which the 81.
Leuis Platforn was Drafted.

Ae1Wofo velA Oh tho CAFouun~
stances Under which the 81.
Louis Piatforn was Drafted.
/. WASHINGTON. Dec. 1.-THE following
Is sent by request:
Senator Foraxer published some tilDc
ago long article concerning the origin
and adoption OF the gold plank at the Re-
publican national convention OF 1895, In
which he maintained that the plank was
prepared by the COMMITTEES on resolutions,
OF which he was chairman, after much
discussion and out Of divers materials.
FL. HI. Kohlsaat, editor Of the Times
Herald. published an article In reply, In
which he claimed that the gold plank"
was framed by the friends OF Gov. Me-
Kinley at conference held In Mr..
Hanna's rooms at the Southern hotel four
days before the meeting Of the conven-
tion, and therefore long before Mr.. For
aker was elected either member or
chairman Of the committee on resolutions.
Mr.. Kohlsaat claimed furthermore that
there were present at this conferences
Mr.. Hanna, Henry C. Payne. Senator
Proctor. Myron r. Herrick. ex-Gov. Mer-
RAM, M. r. Stone and himself, and that
the gold plank prepared BY them was
submitted to various Republican leaders
and also to the committee on resolutions,
by which II was adopted with minor
change OF phrascology and presented to
the convention.
The following statements by Messrs.
Hanna, Payne. Merriam and Proctor fur
nish an important contribution to the
history of the gold plank:
The original draft Of the so-calIsd
Mr.. Hanna. It was the subject Of ear
nest consideration at the hands Of Mr..
Hanna, Myron T. Herrick and myself.
who were In St. Louis some ten days be-
fore the meeting of the convention and
closely associated in guarding the In
terests Of Gov. Mckinley. After many
trusted to me for the purpose Of draft
Ing. substitute for the original, and sew
eral substitutes were so drawn and dis
cussed s9Sn Gov Merriam q
cut, Joined this informal conference of
Cow McKinley's friends, who were en-
deavoring to phrase this particular feat
changes made In the phraseology and
probably q dozen different forms were
discussed at the various meetings until
mitted the text of the gold plank, which
was substantially the onN, finally adopted
by the convention. At that meeting Mr..
ornina wn1 nress svf1 ann "a. strenros .
~ insistent upon a plain, unequivocal dec
laration for the gold standard, and his in
sistence did much to end any division Of
obtained among the friends of Gov. Nc
Kinley as to the wisdom Of the course
"A copy Of the resolutions as thus agreed
II. Manley. Of Maine, and Gov. w. MUIR
ray Crane, of Massachusetts,, who were
at the conferences in the interest Of Speak
Senator Lodge, OF Massachusetts,, and Sem
ator Plat, Of New York. who all gave to
II their unqualified approval.
t. MSrun akIsea Of
who telegraphed It in full to Canton for
the approval OF Gov. Mckinley, which was
soon obtainsd and then as copy was given
as member of the committee on resolu-
tons, and he was authorized. to say to.
that committee. that the resolution as pre-
scented by him had been drawn by the inn
mediate and responsible friends OF Gov.
Mckinley and approved by him. and to
ask that It be adopted By the
II have carefully read the foregoing ac-
count Of the origin of tho gold plank, as
in 1855, and I find Il correct. In addition
to the facts brought out In II. / wish to
add that other Republicans were earnest
declaration, among them Robert w. Pat
terson, the Illinois member of the oom-
S m. A. HANNA"
''The foregoing statement accords with
my recollection Of the facts. The copy of
the resolution referred to was given to me,
and submitted 1t to the committee on
a copy OF the ylank to Senator Foraker,
Senator Plat, of New York, and Senator
Lodge OF Massachusetts, and conferred
WIN ' wv. R. MERRIAM"
IT was consulted about the financial
plank Of the st. Louis platform by Mr..
Payne and others five or six days previous
member the conference which took place
Friday morning in one of Mr.. Hanna's
rooms at the Southern hotel. There were
present Messrs. Payne, Merriam, Hsrrick.
Kohlsaat, Stone and myself Mr.. Hanna
was in and out occasionally. but gave the
matter little attention, as he was more in
terested In making a\president than the
ever, expressed himself as ready to agree
to anything we formulated, and did agree
to it at the close of our work. Mr.. Kohl
aat had Just fn IN ana
ard, and his forceful insistence came at
the opportune moment for settling the
matter in the right way. was surprised
for gold. OF course, substa ntially all East
ern Republicans would favor It. but the
credit OF leading In the matter belongs to
known that Senator Foraker was to be
chairman of the committee on resolutions,
and the plank was shown to him and met
BIS tu pRRny by wre s ana reesve S
his approval 1t was also shown to the
different delegations, hut especially to those
delegates who were to be appointed on the
committee on resolutions, and 1t was
known very soon that It would meet with
the approval Of good majority Of the
cimmittee. "REDFIELD PROCTOR"