The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-18
HARRISON HAS REFUSED
To Address the Free Silver
Meeting at the Auditorium.
REPUTATION OF CROKER
New York Followers OF the Chicago
Platform Will Be Recognizsd-No
Bolter Will Be Permitted to
Sit ir the Convention.

Chicago, July 17-Three political de-
velopments stirred the democrats in
Chicago to-day. One was the refusal
| of Mayor Harrison, on account of its
obscure" origin, to attend and de-
liver an address of welcome at the
Auditorium free silver meeting on
Thursday night
the democratic national committee
would be asked to repudiate the Gro
ker-Hill-Murphy machine in New York
and recognize the silver crowd.
The third was the statement that an
effort would be made to have a rule
adopted that no man who bolted the
Chicago platform and ticket in 1896
shall be eligible to sit in the national
convention of 1900 as a delegate.
On arriving at his office in the city
hall, Mayor Harrison found w. d,
Cooling's invitation to make a speech
OF welcome to the assembled local and
visiting democrats on Thursday night
He declined the proffered honor and
MS reasons for doing so are set forth
In the following answer:
wv. F. Cooling, Esq, Chairman Com
mlttee OF Arrangements-Dear Sir: Re-
plying to your favor Of the 18th inst, in
winch you ask me to deliver an address
OF welcome at the Auditorium July 20
TO the national democratic committee
ana large number of democrats of
America, l regret my inability to ac-
cept. In ordinary circumstances 1
should be only too glad, both as mayor
or Chicago and as democrat, to well
come the national committee or any
number of democrats to Chicago, the
city in which the platform of 1896 was
framed and in which w. J. Bryan was
elevated to his present leadership of
the national democracy I cannot bur
think, however, it would be an absurd
ity to welcome these distinguished men
under the auspices of a self-constituted
committee whose personnel is too OBJ
scure to be known even in its home city.
Had this meeting been organized under
the direction of democrats of the regu-
lar 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, I must beg to be excused. Yours
respectfully,
CARTER H. HARRISON"
When copy Of Mayor Harrison's le.-
ter was shown Ex-Governor Aitgeld, the
latter said:
Il am sorry the mayor looked at it
that way. He has made a grave mis-
take. He has lost golden opportunity
Should he come to the meeting and
make rousing democratic speech he
would place himself at the head Of the
democratic party of the state. But he
has lost the chance now. I am sorry
for it," Fh -g .r
When Mr. Cooling read the mayors
letter he made the following statement:
we have given the young man in
the city hall the opportunity of his life,
which he has failed to appreciate. There
is tide in the affairs of men, which,
taken at the flood, leads on to fortune
the son of Carter Harrison has ceased
to be democratic possibility"
Efforts are being made by the Harri-
son 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 it. They are being informed of
the purpose to influence them into do
ing something which does not properly
come within the scope Of the commit
tees functions.
The Altgeld forces have been REIN
forced by the Chicago platform demo-
Gratis of New York. Willis j. Abbott,
the first emissary to arrive, reported at
the headquarters in the Unity building
in the afternoon. He comes as one of
a committee of a silver party In New
York to appear before the national
body and get a hearing as to what the
situation is in that state
John r. Brown, who was toastmaster
of the dollar dinner" and George w.
Thompson are the other members Of
the delegation. They arrived to-day.
Mr. Abbott said that a great majority
of the rank and file of the party in
New York is in favor of the 16 to /
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 a majority of the
voters"
The three spokesman will demand
that this claim of the majority be Civ
en- recognition by the national commit
tee. so that it may have some excuse
for sending a contesting delegation to
the national convention. The same
plan was started last winter by Mr..
Altgeld in Illinois He claimed that
those in control of party organizations
here are not friendly either to the cause
or Mr.. Bryan. After his defeat for
mayor the ex-governor announced that
the Chicago platform democrats of Il
linois would send a contesting delega-
ton to the state convention. To insure
this class control of the convention 1t
will demand that the long standing
unit rule shall be abolished and that
no democrat who bolted the ticket three
years ago shall be admitted as a dele
gate.