New-York tribune., 1900-07-05
FIGHTING OVER PLATFORM
TWO REPORTS FROM RESOLUTIONS COM
MITTEE EXPECTED.
CBy The Associated Press)

Kansas City July 1.-The contest over the
question of the monetary ratio, which has been
brewing ever since the delegates to the ConNen-
ton began to assemble. found expression in the
Committee on Resolutions when it assembled
to-day The committee was called together soon
after the first adjournment Of the Convention.
but then only elected officers, adjourning 10
meet again at $50 pm Senator Jones, Of
Arkansas. was unanimously chosen chairman
and Mr.. Metcalf. of Nebraska, secretary.
When the committee reassembled Mr.. Metcalf
presented the draft Of a platform which all the
members accepted the expression Of Mr..
Bryan's views. Mr.. Girard. of Georgia, also pre-
sented platform. did Mr.. Van Wyck OF
New-York. All these documents took practi-
caIIy the same ground on all questions except
that Of finance. Mr.. Metcalf's declaration was
for the reafirmation of the Chicago platform
IN letter and spirit, and it emphasized and Teit-
Grated specifically the declaration for the free
coinage Of silver at the ratio of 16 to l. Both
the other drafts simply reanrmed the Chicago
platform without reference to the ratio.
The reading Of Mr.. Van Wyck's document
brought Mr.. Ball, Of Texas, to his feet with a
suggestion that the financial question should be
taken up and passed upon He said il was ap-
parent 20 all that there was no dlvisi N on any
other platform question, and that, with the
financial plank disposed Of. the preparation Of
the remainder Of the platform would be merely
a matter Of clerical work. This suggestion was
adopted and the committee began the effort to
settle the question of ratio.
VAN WICK FOR CONSERVATISM
The session proved extremely interesting. and
rneuy speeches made. Mr.. Van Wyck led
off with brief statement, saying that while in
his platform he had referred to four issues as
promnent-namely, those of imperialism, mill
tarism trusts and the inances-he considered
that only three of these were Of current inter-
est believing that the money question had been
crowded into the background by other subjects
which had pressed to the front in the last four
years.
Senator Daniel. Of Virginia somewhat to the
surprise Of some of the members Of the COM
Fnittee followed Mr.. Van Wyck in support Of
his view Of the question. The Senator said that
no man who knew him would doubt for mo-
rnent that he now stood where he had stood in
1896, and that he held precisely the same views
or this subject which then controlled him. He
was, however, anxious 10 bring back into the
fold Of the party those who had left il four years
ago on account Of the position taken on the sill
yer question. and if this could be accomplished
as he believed il could be, by omtting all ref
erence 10 the ratio, he, for one. Was content to
pursue that course, simply reafirming the Chi
cago platform.
A RADICAL SILVER MAN HEARD.
Mr.. Fitzgerald of Colorado. followed in a
warm speech denouncing in emphatic language
any effort to minimize the financial question.
He asserted that the omission OF a decIara tion
on ratio Of the two metals would be a mere
evasion and eoncealment; that such evasion
would deceive no one. and would not catch any
Of the gold standard people it was meant 10
entrap. II was only meant to be construed as