The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-07-05
TOwne a Greater FaVOrite Than
Bryan.
Mr.. Teller Makes Speech
on Free Silver.
Committee to Urge TOwne Onto
Democrats.

Kansas City, Mo, July 4.-The nation
al convention of the National Silver Re-
publican party met in the Auditorium
today. The delegates were slow in arriv-
ing and 1t was some time after 49, the
hour fixed for the convention, when
Chairman Charles A. Towne's gavel fell.
Twenty four states and territories were
represented at the convention.
Stanley E. Parkhin of Minnesota read
the Declaration of Independence. The
reading was loudly applauded.
Temporary Chairman Towne then de-
1ivered his address.
Mr.. Towne declared that the Republi-
can platform amounted to repeal of the
Declaration of Independence, which
brought the delegates to their feet and
his statement that the convention had
met to re declare the principles of that
instrument, was enthusiastically ap-
plauded. He introduced as temporary
chairman Senator Teller of Colorado
Senator Teller delivered an eloquent ad-
dress, dealing with the money question
and bitterly denouncing the dis-estab-
lishment Of silver. He spoke in part as
follows:
Grave questions are presented to the
American people for their consideration
and determination in the coming cam
pa1gn. Questions Of foreign and domestic
policies growing out of, or incident to the
last Spanish war, es pecially have attracted
Jne a6UenJlOn OF the people during the
last two years and will continue to do So
but great as these que stions are, they
must not, and viii not be allowed to OBJ
scure the great and still unsettled ques-
tion, what shall be the financial system
of the repu Bile"
He criticized the gold standard legisla-
ton OF the last session Of Congress and
said: Gold and silver constitute the
worlds money whether we have the gold
standard or the binetahc standard or
the silver standard.
The senator reviewed the action of the
National Republican convention of 1896
and the subsequent legislation and said :
The Republican party has thrown off the
mask and no longer pretend to favor in
ternational bimetallsm. II he speakers at
| Philadelphia in nominating their candi-
| dates gloried in the gold standard and
| claimed as one of their great achievement
the destruction Of silver as money. Refer
ence was next made TO the increase of
| taxes and OF national prOpriatiOns.
The Republicans boast" said he
speaker, that they have reduced the war
debt forty million dollars; they fail to
mention the fact that they had increased
the national bonded debt two hundred
million dollars before they attempted to
reduce it,
He contended that the present prosperi-
ty was not due to the Repu blican admin
istration,
Speaking on trusts he said labor is at
their mercy.
Mr.. Teller reviewed the war with Spain
and its results, concluding with reference
to the Philippines saying that there ap-
pears TO be no way to protect the people
of these islands, to maintain the peace of
the world and our own honor except to
exercise sovereign power over the islands,
until the people could form a government
Of their own. / believe that public senti-
ment and the interests of the inhabitants
OF the Philippines demand that Of us.
Chairman Teller was given the closest
attention throughout his speech, which
was nearly an hour in duration
The first mention of Mr.. Bryan's name
came near the end Of Chairman Teller S
speech. 1t started a perfect storm of ap-
plause, but the demonstration was ex-
celled by that which occurred when
Charles A. Towne's name was men.
toned. Chairman Teller finished hi:
speech and sank exhausted into his
chair. He was surrounded by number
OF the delegates and congratulated.
r. S. Corser of Minnesota presented a
resolution providing for a committee o
10 of which Henry NJ. Teller shall b,
chairman, to present to the Democrati
national convention the name of Charlie
A. Towne as a candidate for Vice Presi
dent, and that similar committee O
conference be appointed to confer wit
| cf7 1r,Y.
pointed by the Democratic national con
vention. The various state delegation
announced their selection for member
Of the convention committees and penc
ing their organization and reports til
convention adjourned until 10 O'Clock t,
morrow morning.