The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-07-18


Dear Sir-Replying to your favor of
! the 14th inst, in which you ask me to
/ deliver an address of welcome al the
Auditorium, July 20, to the national
| Democratic committee, and a large
number of prominent Democrats of
America. l regret my inability to ac-
cent.
Of Obscure Origin.
In ordinary circumstances 1 should
! be only too glad, both as mayor of
| Chicago and as a Democrat, to welcome
the national committee or any number
of Democrats to Chicago, the city in
which the platform of 1896 was framed,
and on which w. ]. Bryan was elevated
to his present leadership of the national
Democracy: l cannot but think, how
ever, it would be an absurdlty to well
come these distinguished men under
the auspices of a self-constituted COM
mittee, whose personnel is too obscure
to be known. even in its home city.
Had this meeting been organized under
the direction of Democrats of the reg
ular type and known party standing, it
would have afforded me great pleasure
TO be present. In the existing circum-
stances, while thanking you for the
honor, | must beg leave to be excused
Yours respectfully.
CARTER H. HARRISON"
Efforts are being made by the Har-
rison leaders to induce as many of the
national committeeman as possible to
ignore the meeting. 1t was said that
fully one-half of them would not go
near 1t. They are being informed of the
purpose to influence them into doing
something which does not properly
come within the scope of the commit
tees functions.
The Altgeld forces have been rein
ocrats of New York. Willis J. Abbott.
the first emissary to arrive, reported
at headquarters in the Unity building
in the afternoon. He comes as one of
committee of a silver party in New
York to appear before the national
body and get hearing as to what the
situation is in that state.
All In Favor of Bryan.
John r. Brown. who was toast mas
ter of the Dollar dinner" and George !
W. Thompson are the other members |
of the delegation. They will arrive to-
morrow. Mr.. Abbott said that a great |
of the rank and file of the |
party in New York is in favor of the |
10 to l. issue and of w. j. Bryan for
president
Croker, Hill and Murphy, the lead
ers," he said. ARE opposed to free sill
yer and Bryan, but they do not repre-
sent the sentiment Of majority of the |
voters
The three spokesman will demand
that this claim in the majority be
nittee, so that it may have some eX-
cuse for sending a contesting delega-
ton to the national convention next
year.
The same plan was started last win
ter by Mr.. Altgeld in Illinois. He
claimed that those in control of party
here are not friendly
either to the cause or Mr.. Bryan. At
er his defeat for mayor the eX-gov-
ernor announced that the Chicago plat
,orm Democrats of Illinois would send
| contesting delegation to the state
To insure this class con-
rol of the convention. it viii demand
hat the UNDERSTANDING unit rule shall
De abolished and that no Democrat
shall be admitted as delegate.
Harrison's Lost Chance.
When a copy of Mayor Harrison's
etter was shown Ex-Governor Altgeld
he latter said:
L am sorry the mayor looked at it
hat way. He has made a grave mis-
axe. He has lost a golden opportunity.
Should ne come to the meeting and
making a rousing Democratic speech,
lie would place himself at the head of
he Democratic party of the state. But
lie has lost the chance now. am sorry
or it,
When Mr.. Cooling read the mayors
etter, he made the following state
nent:
I'VE have given the young man in
he city hall the opportunity of his
ife, which he has failed to appreciate.
There is a tide in the affairs of men,
which, taken at the flood, leads on to
son of Carter Harrison
as ceased to be a Democratic posi-
lit:'."