The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-19
SPURNS ALTGELD'S PLANS.
THE HfFRTSOS DEMOCRACY SCORNS
ms CHICIGO MEETING.
The Mayor Declares That AltEcld IL Not II
Regular Democrnt-National Com nittee-
man Gnhan Cries Ditto-The Scheme to
Abolish the Unit Rule and Two-thirds
Requirement for n Nomination in 1900.

| Abolish the Unit Rule and Two-thirds
Requirement for a Nomination in 1900.
CHICAGO July ls-.uat what the Hon Will
liam Jennings Bryan will say tomorrow when
| he arrives here concerning the Hat
| refusal Of the Hon. Carter Harrison.
| Mayor Of Chicago to attend the Bryan
! and rs to | demonstration in the
| Auditorium Theatre on Thursday night is one
| Of the political problems here tonight The
| Hon. John p. Altgeld. Ex-Governor OF the state.
and some call him tn" Frank enstein Of Bryan.
| is working every minute OF the hour 90 make
| the demonstration the greatest Democratic
| event since the campaign Of 1896.
| Mr.. Altgeld believes that Mr. Harrison. in re-
| iusing TO attend this meeting. has made he
| greatest political mistake OF his life. Mr.. Har-
| risOns friends think otherwise. and they are
| not ready to admit that Mr.. Harrison by his
| refusal has been put out OF the running
as Presidential possibility In the Democratic
| National Convention next year. Mavor Harr-
| sons friends insist that Mr.. Altgeld has at
tempted to put Mr.. Harrison I'm a hole"
| Mr.. iarrison's friends say that he has not
said one word which could give ofrense to
prominent outside Democrats Mr.. Harr-
sons friends 20 on to declare that his
| letter Is neatly and automatically worded;
| that It is tart and biting enough to cut his
| local fnctional enemies to the quick. but II pro-
vides no grievance for those unconcerned in
the Chicago split Speaking further Mr.. Har-
rison 5 friends insist that his reference to the
| Chicago platform and Bryan leadership is par
| tcuarly airuit and then they quote Mr. liar-
| rison's words on this matter:
| - am believer in the rule OF the majority.
| and when the Democratic party ceases to be-
| leve in the rule Of maJOrtieS IL will cease to
be the party Of the people. The primaries and
| tho convention Of last sprng were hold under a
| primary reform law the principles OF which
were approved and the passage of which
! was publicly recommended by your factional
leader Notwithstanding this. and repudiat-
! ing In advance the work Of that convention
, and the will of the majority. you sounded the
| battle CRY Of 'anYthinH to beat the regular DEM
| Ucrati" nominee. and maintained 4 guerrilla
| wNrfarr against the Democratic party and its
| regular organization until You were re-
| huked at the polls by such an over
whelming defeat as to ctIcctuallv ST.
| lence your pretensiOm of party organZa-
alton. until you concluded that this demonst
ton of July 20 might temporarily galvanize
| the Iitelcss seeds OF party sedlton which you
then so arulously sowed. would he recreant
to my trust a. the representative of the Illinois
, Democrat" on the National Committee If did
| not frankly review these facts. which are within
| the memory Of all. ana which should be
brought to the attention Of the entire Demo-
cratic National Committee as reason why the
National Committeeman OF Illinois cannot at
tend your demonstration.
In ordinary circumstances should be only
| too glad. both a. Mayor of Chicago and as q
! Democrat. to welcome the National Com
mitteo or any number OF prominent Dem
ocrats to Chicago. the city in which
the platform OF 1890 was framed and in
which W. J. Bryan was elevated to his
present leadership Of the national Democracy.
| | cannot but think however. II would be an
ahsurdity to welcome these distinguished men
under the auspices Of a sef-consituted COM
mittec who's" personnel is too obscure to be
known even in its home city"
Nevertheless Col Bryan has endeavored in
every way t" keep ont Of tho row between
Harrison and Altg"ld. He has believed all
along that the Democrats west OF the
Allegheny mountains and south OF Mason
and Dixon's lin" should be united in
every particular in order to confront the
Eastern Democratic leaders. who are believed
In their hearts to he opposed to the radical
doctrines OF tn" Chicago platform Of 1896.
Col. Bryan is well aware that il his political
fortunes were lett in the hands of several Of
the Eastern Democratic leaders he would DO
worse than bankrupt in a Jiffy,
Very many talks with Democrats hereabouts
to-. day and those who havc been arriving az he
Auditorium Hotel and the Palmer ana sherman
houses leave only one conclusion, and that is
that the vast majority Of the Democrats in
the state OF Illinois believe firmly in tho
reafflrmation of the Chicago platform OF
1884,. and. Furthermore. thew are convinced
that Mayor Harrison s playing in with such
Eastern Democratic leaders as Mr. German.
Mr.. Croker and Mr.. Murphy Rryans friends
recall that in the campaign OF 1876 New York
county went Republican in a Presidential con-
test for the first time in IT'S history. and they also
remember that Mr.. BRYAN carried but one OF
the sixty counties in the state. They 90 on to
tell how Maryland. tho home Of Mr.. German
went Republican in that memorable contest
! They refer to the overurning Of New Jersey
from Democracy to Rouuhlicanism. and they
are convinced that il Mr. Harrison is Juggling
In with the people who could do no more for
Mr.. Bryan than those mentioned in 1876. Bry-
an and Altgeld and all the others who were
great powers Of the convention Of l&At should
stick together.
Then comes the threat that unless tho Dem
ocratic national platform is modified next
year the Democratic National COMMITTEE" will
lie without funds with which TO carry on the
campaign BY this comment nothing invidious
! is intended for tho reason that all acquainted
with the machinery of political parties are
aware that there ART thousand and one leRiti-
mate and even highly honorable EXPENSES.
The Democrat" National Committee Is "a
begin IT'S extraordinary session at the sherman
House tomorrow. Certain friends OF Cob
Bryan are to demand that the committee over.
turn a number OF the most ancient Democratic
policies. The demands are:
That the unit rule be abolished.
That the rule requiring the candidate to be
nominated 10y twO-thirdS vote be- ubrogatcd
That credentials be refused to all delegates
, who boted either the platform or candidates
OF 1906.
These demands will he presented nv the
Chicago Platform Democrats. who are hcadcC
by Willis j. Abbot. Mr.. Abbot had long talk
with Mr.. Atgeld to-day, and Tonight il
j. asserted positively that Argcld agrees
, with the proposition. If the unit rule
, should be abolished hy the committee il
would be a hard blow at Tummany Hal
aud the New York state Democracy
II the two-thirds rule should he aproRated II
would be great stroke in favor Of Col Bryun's
denomination. II credentials should be refused
to delegates who boltcd either the platform
ar candidates IA lSiHt sunh "A laCIsinn unuI,